Seminarians Attend Beatification of Father Solanus Casey

Mount St. Mary's seminarians Robert Healey, Br. Gabriel Heidbreder, CPM, and Kevin LeMelle attended the beatification Mass for Fr. Solanus Casey in Detroit.

Reflection by seminarian Br. Gabriel Heidbreder, CPM, Fathers of Mercy, Pre-Theology II

“Blessed Solanus Casey was beatified in Detroit on November 18, and two other seminarians and I were blessed with the opportunity to attend the Mass of his beatification. Knowing that sainthood can sprout up by God's grace in the lives of men and women who live radical lives dedicated to Christ and His Gospel is just a part of the air we breathe as Catholics. However, it is a totally different experience when it is so close to home. Certainly, it is an awesome thing to go to the beatification of any holy man or woman, but this case was especially important to me since I grew up just over an hour away from where this saintly friar lived, worked, and prayed. 

It was so impressive to be at a nearly packed Ford Field to celebrate the life of a lowly friar who struggled through school, held the door open to those in need, and never turned a deaf ear to those who asked for advice, consolation, or intercession. He simply gave of himself totally to Christ and to his fellow man. 

As a seminarian and consecrated religious it was an impressive sight to witness the impact of one man, who lived out a humble life of simple fidelity to Christ through obedience to the duties asked of him in his state of life, as well as the power of God's Love when It is allowed to move through those who willingly cooperate with It. 

It rained and poured our entire trip up to the beatification and was snowing when we walked out of the stadium. Yet, I couldn't help but smile at God's magnificent sense of humor in His perhaps subtle reminder of one of my favorite scriptural passages: 

‘For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there without watering the earth, and making it bear and sprout… So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth;

            It will not return to Me empty,
            Without accomplishing what I desire,
            And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it’  Isaiah 55:10-11

Blessed Francis Solanus Casey, pray for us.”

Photo Credit (left to right): Robert Healey (Tulsa), Br. Gabriel Heidbreder, CPM (Fathers of Mercy) and Kevin LeMelle (Cincinnati) in Detroit for beatification Mass.