The title for this inspirational piece could well come from Quaker spirituality. Quakers have always been fond of the spiritual metaphor, light. I suspect much of this fondness stems from the Quaker appreciation of the Fourth Gospel. The author of that gospel, John, talks about Jesus as the “Light.” Indeed, one of the chief functions of Jesus is to shine the light in the world. The teaching and ministry of Jesus, hence, enlightens the people he contacted and touched. Quakers went so far as to conclude every one of us has an “Inner Light.” And I grew up hearing that we each had a “Light Within.”
However, this inspirational piece is not about Quakers. It is about Catholics; indeed, it is about one Catholic in particular. The focus is on Father Solanus Casey. Until recently, I never heard of this Catholic priest. But he has recently come into the news and I have been fascinated by him and his story. Solanus Casey has just been beatified. This is an official step along the way to being declared a Catholic saint. So soon, it will be Saint Solanus!
Even Quakers have heard of many of the classical saints---people like Augustine, Thomas Aquinas and the like. Quakers do not have saints---or perhaps, it is better to say that we don’t recognize saints as such. But I have to laugh a bit when I think about Quakers talking about some folks being “weighty Friends.” (Friends are another word for Quaker.) A weighty Friend is not someone who has gained too much weight. Instead, he or she has such an abundance of the Spirit, whatever she does or says carries more weight. That is the story of Fr Solanus Casey.
Casey was born in Wisconsin in 1870. In 1897 he joined the Capuchin order---a branch of the Franciscan friars. Personally, I admire and value these followers of St. Francis. Franciscan spirituality and Quaker spirituality have much in common, so there is a special place in my heart for Franciscans and Capuchins. Because he was such a common man, Casey was asked to be the doorman for churches and friaries, first in New York City and then in Detroit. In effect, because of the lack of intellectual prowess, he was given this very modest job. But he turned it into an amazing experience. It became the pathway to holiness.
Casey died in 1957. Instead of simply being remembered by a few colleagues and friends, the memory of Solanus Casey has gained steam and now he is a saint-to-be. The stories about him are instructive. He emerges as a man I wish I had known. One fellow Capuchin remembers him this way. Ron Rieder says, “He was very colorful, very holy, very kind, just a wonderful man. We just looked up to him all the time."
More stories abound. Apparently folks of all kinds showed up at the door of the church and friary where Casey worked. He was obviously a great listener. Surely, he dispensed mercy and grace on God’s behalf. Doubtlessly, he had some access to some money, because mysteriously people in need were helped. One writer puts it this way: “there were stories of critically ill children recovering, desperately needed rent checks arriving, and sons in the war surviving seemingly impossible odds.”
Poignantly, his friend, Reider, says of Casey, “He had a love for people who were poor and suffered too much." I like the fact that Casey can be a saint for Catholic and non-Catholic, for believer and non-believer alike. That seems very important in our twenty-first century---an age that is quickly moving beyond labels and denominations. Again Rieder puts it succinctly: “Catholic, non-Catholic, rich or poor, it made no difference to him. Everybody knew Father Solanus in Detroit."
One of my favorite stories from Rieder, who was a novice (a beginning Capuchin) under Casey, goes like this. “One day, I was cleaning toilets. I was in there on my hands and knees, scrubbing a toilet, when Solanus walked in and said to me, 'Oh, are you ever a lucky young man to be able to clean toilets for your brothers.' He just had a very great love for people, and people loved him."
Stories about saints are meant to inspire. I felt inspired as I have learned about Fr Solanus Casey. Finally, I realize it does not matter that I never met him or got to know him. These stories help me to know him---just as stories about St. August allow me to know that fourth-fifth century saint. Casey’s life can inspire me to be better and to do better. That’s what saints are supposed to do.
Saints shine a light in the world and their lives and ministries enlighten. I end with the words of Archbishop Christophe Pierre, the Vatican nuncio to the United States. He said Casey “made time for people. He listened to the pilgrims, and he touched the sick with great compassion….this love for the Lord and his people […caused] light to rise in darkness”
However, this inspirational piece is not about Quakers. It is about Catholics; indeed, it is about one Catholic in particular. The focus is on Father Solanus Casey. Until recently, I never heard of this Catholic priest. But he has recently come into the news and I have been fascinated by him and his story. Solanus Casey has just been beatified. This is an official step along the way to being declared a Catholic saint. So soon, it will be Saint Solanus!
Even Quakers have heard of many of the classical saints---people like Augustine, Thomas Aquinas and the like. Quakers do not have saints---or perhaps, it is better to say that we don’t recognize saints as such. But I have to laugh a bit when I think about Quakers talking about some folks being “weighty Friends.” (Friends are another word for Quaker.) A weighty Friend is not someone who has gained too much weight. Instead, he or she has such an abundance of the Spirit, whatever she does or says carries more weight. That is the story of Fr Solanus Casey.
Casey was born in Wisconsin in 1870. In 1897 he joined the Capuchin order---a branch of the Franciscan friars. Personally, I admire and value these followers of St. Francis. Franciscan spirituality and Quaker spirituality have much in common, so there is a special place in my heart for Franciscans and Capuchins. Because he was such a common man, Casey was asked to be the doorman for churches and friaries, first in New York City and then in Detroit. In effect, because of the lack of intellectual prowess, he was given this very modest job. But he turned it into an amazing experience. It became the pathway to holiness.
Casey died in 1957. Instead of simply being remembered by a few colleagues and friends, the memory of Solanus Casey has gained steam and now he is a saint-to-be. The stories about him are instructive. He emerges as a man I wish I had known. One fellow Capuchin remembers him this way. Ron Rieder says, “He was very colorful, very holy, very kind, just a wonderful man. We just looked up to him all the time."
More stories abound. Apparently folks of all kinds showed up at the door of the church and friary where Casey worked. He was obviously a great listener. Surely, he dispensed mercy and grace on God’s behalf. Doubtlessly, he had some access to some money, because mysteriously people in need were helped. One writer puts it this way: “there were stories of critically ill children recovering, desperately needed rent checks arriving, and sons in the war surviving seemingly impossible odds.”
Poignantly, his friend, Reider, says of Casey, “He had a love for people who were poor and suffered too much." I like the fact that Casey can be a saint for Catholic and non-Catholic, for believer and non-believer alike. That seems very important in our twenty-first century---an age that is quickly moving beyond labels and denominations. Again Rieder puts it succinctly: “Catholic, non-Catholic, rich or poor, it made no difference to him. Everybody knew Father Solanus in Detroit."
One of my favorite stories from Rieder, who was a novice (a beginning Capuchin) under Casey, goes like this. “One day, I was cleaning toilets. I was in there on my hands and knees, scrubbing a toilet, when Solanus walked in and said to me, 'Oh, are you ever a lucky young man to be able to clean toilets for your brothers.' He just had a very great love for people, and people loved him."
Stories about saints are meant to inspire. I felt inspired as I have learned about Fr Solanus Casey. Finally, I realize it does not matter that I never met him or got to know him. These stories help me to know him---just as stories about St. August allow me to know that fourth-fifth century saint. Casey’s life can inspire me to be better and to do better. That’s what saints are supposed to do.
Saints shine a light in the world and their lives and ministries enlighten. I end with the words of Archbishop Christophe Pierre, the Vatican nuncio to the United States. He said Casey “made time for people. He listened to the pilgrims, and he touched the sick with great compassion….this love for the Lord and his people […caused] light to rise in darkness”
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