Being from the Archdiocese of Detroit, we have the blessing of having the site dedicated to the amazing Blessed Solanus Casey practically in our own backyard. The wonderful Solanus Casey Center is only about 20 minutes away from where my husband and live in southeastern Michigan, located just outside downtown Detroit. Here you can see the place where Solanus spent the final years of his life serving the poor and witnessing to anyone who stopped by the St. Bonaventure Monastery. His role as the porter earned him the nickname “the doorkeeper”. He welcomed countless visitors, including many in need of food and spiritual guidance, opening the door to their physical needs as well as the desires of their hearts.
As many times as we’ve visited the center and venerated his tomb, we’ve never thought about the strong connection and similarities between Blessed Solanus Casey and St. Francis of Assisi. But all of us, as we move toward the 800th anniversary of the passing of St. Francis this October, should think and pray about just how much they have in common.
1. They both loved the Eucharist.
Most of the sparce writings of Francis were about the Eucharist, and Solanus loved to kneel before the Eucharist in the quiet of the night, and to play the violin in the chapel for Jesus in the tabernacle.
2. They Were Humble.
Francis was humbled by the poverty and humility of Jesus becoming a man, washing others' feet, and lowering himself to become the Eucharist for us to eat. Solanus, the lowly porter of the monastery, welcomed all people with a smile, no matter who they were, as if they were Jesus. They both had a deep love for the poor.
3. They Suffered Ridicule.
Francis was ridiculed for his extreme life of poverty in an attempt to live the Gospel fully. Solanus was ridiculed for his whispery voice which was damaged by diphtheria.
4. They Were Intelligent and Gracious.
Both Francis and Solanus were charming and gentle. Francis was very intelligent, and did well at school, but did not enjoy it. Solanus did poorly in his studies as a priest because he couldn’t learn German, which was not his native language. Researchers though, looking at his writings, concluded he was very intelligent.
5. They Had a Love of Music.
Solanus played the violin. Francis had a beautiful voice for singing, and loved the sound of the lute, which is similar to a guitar.
6. They Were Affected Deeply by Man’s Inhumanity to Man.
Francis yearned to be a soldier because of the mystique, but was disillusioned by both the violence of war and spending a year in captivity in a dungeon. Solanus’s move toward priesthood began after seeing a drunken soldier stab a woman, and he considered what he could do to oppose such violence and evil.
7. They Had Very Difficult Illnesses, but Faced it with Joy and Acceptance, With a Focus on Others.
Francis had a painful stomach condition, and an illness of the eyes that made him very sensitive to light, and caused much pain. Nearing the end of his life he was almost blind, yet still composed the “Canticle of the Sun,” a song of praise to God for His creation. Francis had also received the stigmata (the wounds of Christ) and could hardly walk. He died at 44 years of age. Solanus had Erysipelas an extremely painful skin infection that eventually took his life in 1957 at the age of 86. He faced the agony with gratitude. As he died, he sat up in bed, stretched his arms out and said, “I give my soul to Jesus Christ.”
Solanus Casey was a much-loved Capuchin friar, part of the Franciscan religious order founded in the 16th century. He lived most of his life in the 20th century, 700 years after the death of St. Francis. It’s quite an affirmation of the impact of the ministry of St. Francis, to recognize these similarities and reflect upon how a simple American friar, born thousands of miles away, and so far removed from the year of Francis’ birth, 1226, continues to have such an impact.
We celebrate the feast of Solanus Casey on July 30th. The 800th Anniversary of the death of St. Francis of Assisi is October 4, 2026. This year has been declared The Jubilee Year of St. Francis by Pope Leo XIV.
St. Francis of Assisi and Blessed Solanus Casey…PRAY FOR US!