View

Venerable Father Solanus Casey

1870–1957

Venerable Father Solanus Casey, 1870–1957

November 3

Solanus Casey wanted to be a priest, but he couldn’t be a regular priest because he didn’t get good grades in school. He asked God to show him how he could best serve others. Father Solanus listened to people and helped them with their problems. Many people were cured of sickness when Father Solanus prayed for them.

Discuss: What can you do to help one of your friends today?

Solanus Casey wanted to be a priest. He couldn’t be a regular priest because he didn’t get good grades in school. So he asked God to show him how he could best serve other people. Father Solanus greeted visitors and opened the door when they came to the house where he lived with other priests. He also listened to people and helped them with their problems. Many people were cured of sickness when Father Solanus prayed for them.

Father Solanus was born on a farm in Wisconsin. Before he joined religious life, he worked as a lumberjack, in a hospital, as a prison guard, and a streetcar operator. He also served in his monastery as a porter and receptionist. He was the first American Capuchin friar and priest, and the first man born in the United States to be declared Venerable.

Activity
Serving Others
Interpersonal, Verbal/Linguistic

Remind your child that Father Solanus thought he wanted one thing but it turned out that he was good at something else that he didn’t realize he could do so well. As the “Door Keeper” at the monastery where he worked, he was always ready to listen to anyone at any time, day or night.

  • Ask your child what she/he might want to do to serve others.
  • Have him/her share what he/she is good at doing. Tell your child what you think he/she is good at, what gifts you believe he/she has.
  • Encourage your child to create a chart on a piece of paper with the headings: My Wants and My Gifts. Help her/him add some of the things you discussed to each side of the chart.
  • Pray together: Venerable Father Solanus Casey, pray for us, that we may learn from God what we are called to do to serve him and others. Amen.