{"id":76820,"date":"2025-08-10T08:14:04","date_gmt":"2025-08-10T12:14:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/spiritdaily.org\/blog\/?p=76820"},"modified":"2025-08-10T08:15:55","modified_gmt":"2025-08-10T12:15:55","slug":"that-wonderworker-named-solanus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/spiritdaily.org\/blog\/that-wonderworker-named-solanus\/","title":{"rendered":"That Wonderworker Named Solanus"},"content":{"rendered":"

ARCHIVES: AS HOLY MAN FROM DETROIT ADVISED: SAY PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING BEFORE<\/i> YOU RECEIVE GRACE, AS WELL AS AFTER<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

by Susan Tassone<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThank God ahead of time.\u201d\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n

These are the famous words of Venerable Solanus Casey — once known as Barney Casey.<\/p>\n

Born on November 25, 1870, Barney Casey was one of 16 children in an Irish-American family from Superior, Wisconsin.<\/p>\n

Barney felt that God wanted him<\/em> to dedicate his life to the priesthood. And so it was that on Christmas Eve, 1897, he entered the door of the Capuchin monastery on Mt. Elliot Street, in Detroit, Michigan.<\/p>\n

Devotion? Humility? (Oh, how these count!)<\/p>\n

Father Solanus was given the humble job as doorkeeper.<\/p>\n

Like other famous \u201cporters\u201d — St. Faustina, St. Andre of Montreal — Father Solanus had the gift of prophecy and healing.<\/p>\n

Thousands <\/em>of every walk of life (and faith) were healed.<\/p>\n

More cases than not.<\/p>\n

And, importantly, not only physical healings, but spiritual ones.<\/p>\n

Indeed, Solanus used his gifts to encourage, challenge, and bring back hope to those suffering, searching, and in need of God\u2019s unbounded love and mercy.<\/p>\n

To this day, pilgrims visit his tomb at St. Bonaventure Monastery in Detroit where he is laid to rest, leaving petitions on top of his tomb and exercising the traditional \u201cknocking\u201d on his tomb to get his attention: thanking God ahead of time (as he always recommended).<\/p>\n

Those coming to Solanus for help also heard him inviting them first to do something more for God and God\u2019s people: such as confident thanks shown in good deeds<\/em>. \u00a0\u201cConfidence is courage divinely reinforced,” he once said. “It is courage. Have confidence in the providence of God. Shake off excessive worry and exercise a little confidence in God\u2019s merciful providence. God condescends to use our powers if we don\u2019t spoil His plans by ours!\u201d<\/p>\n

Father Solanus felt the answered requests were due to three things:\u00a0belief, praying with faith, and making a promise. His usual invitation was enrollment in the Seraphic Mass Association<\/a>, which is still in existence to help the holy souls (important!) in purgatory.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, as far as further advice, the Michigan holy man always said to pay at least a little sacrifice of some kind in thanksgiving if things go favorably.<\/p>\n

Thanks must be given not just after<\/em> the favorable result but before:\u00a0to show your confidence in the goodness of God.<\/p>\n

Commenting on prayers for healings, etcetera, that are not “answered,” Father Solanus said these had to be understood in light of God\u2019s mercifully loving designs. \u201cBlessed be God in all His designs!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Selah!<\/p>\n

The holy souls were the focus of many of his prayers and devotions.<\/p>\n

A fellow Capuchin, Brother Ignatius once remarked that\u00a0\u201chis concern for the souls in purgatory was very evident in the many letters that he wrote to people.\u00a0This was something he would recommend in the event that someone was asking for a favor, that they should pray for the poor souls in purgatory. In his mind, the poor souls ‘hardly ever fail.’\u00a0He encouraged people to have Masses offered for them and enroll them in that Seraphic Mass Association.\u00a0He believed by that enrollment they would become ‘missionaries with us.’ He said: \u201cPrayers for the missions and for the missionaries are mostly what they need.\u201d<\/p>\n

Let us thusly heed!<\/p>\n

Father Solanus also explained that \u201cif we by our prayers and sacrifices freed a soul in purgatory, we would have another intercessor in Heaven.\u201d<\/p>\n

He prayed all the time, especially the Rosary, and encouraged people to \u201cstorm Heaven\u201d with prayers for everything from good weather to the needs of relatives — for sinners, for the poor and needy (for justice and peace).\u00a0 He dreamed that he was suspended over a hug pit of fire and was almost falling into it. Looking around for something to hold on to, he saw a huge rosary hanging just above him. He grasped it firmly. Now he was secure. It was a dream he would never forget. Later on he recalled that this dream reinforced in him his special relationship with the Blessed Virgin Mary.<\/p>\n

He prayed with perseverance for everything including perseverance!<\/p>\n

Interestingly, he felt that Solomon\u2019s prayer for wisdom was one of the greatest prayers.<\/p>\n

Wisdom, versus knowledge.<\/p>\n

The highest act of prayer, the holy Mass, and Holy Communion he said was the answer to all problems.<\/p>\n

He said frequent Communion brings peace into a soul and into a family.<\/p>\n

\u201cUse Holy Water frequently.,” he also advised. “It keeps the devil away.\u201d<\/p>\n

Father Solanus died on July 31, 1957.\u00a0 The exact day to the hour that he offered his first Holy Mass.<\/p>\n

(Venerable Solanus Casey, intercede for us!)<\/em><\/p>\n

[Susan Tassone writes books on purgatory<\/a>]<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

[Books on Solanus Casey<\/a>]<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

+<\/p>\n

<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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