This November, to coincide with our American History studies, we will study American saints, blesseds and venerables. One of the venerables we will study is Fr. Solanus Casey, a Capuchin Franciscan, born in Wisconsin in 1870 and died in Detroit in 1957. One of the books we’ll use as a read-aloud during November is Solanus Casey: The Story of Father Solanus (revised) by Catherine M. Odell. This book details the engaging life-story of this humble man, a simplex priest, who taught those around him not only about God’s love but about humility and joyful acceptance of God’s will. Casey, the sixth child born to Irish immigrants Barney and Ellen Casey, grew up on a farm in Wisconsin, surrounded by his nine brothers and four of his six sisters (two died during a flu epidemic). Odell describes this early life – a life filled with working and studying alongside his devout Catholic family. A life where Casey learned his faith and his faithfulness to God’s will. A life where Casey learned to trust those around him as well as to put his absolute trust in God’s kindness. Agriculture in the late 1800s suffered a downturn and Casey and his older brothers left the farm to get jobs in the bigger towns. In Appleton and Superior, Casey found employment as a prison guard (and met the infamous Younger brothers) and held jobs on the streetcars of these larger towns. He convinced his parents to bring the family to Superior and all was well in the Casey family. But Barney, as he was called by the family, began to feel the call to the priesthood and in 1891 applied for acceptance to the diocesan seminary. Casey’s grades at the Seminary were not great – he had trouble with Latin and some of the other college-level coursework. The seminary reviewed his records and suggested that maybe the religious life was not for him. But Casey wouldn’t believe that. Instead, he applied to the Capuchins. In 1897, at the age of 27, Barney Casey was invested in the Capuchins and given the name “Solanus”. After seven years of classes, health problems and worries about his future, Solanus Casey was ordained a “simplex” Capuchin priest on July 24, 1904. [Simplex priests are not able to hear confessions or preach sermons, but are truly and fully priests in all other aspects of the religious life.] Casey spent the next 53 years of his life as doorkeeper at various Capuchin monasteries in New York, Harlem, Yonkers, Detroit, and other mid-west towns. In all of these assignments, Fr. Solanus was so much more than the doorkeeper. He listened with his heart to people’s problems – to their crises in faith, their financial crises, their health crises. To each of these people – and he talked to millions over the years – he spoke to their hearts, to their faith, to each individual.

Solanus seemed to handle each need, each set of worried eyes, delicately but effectively. He radiated a sense that God cared about all those things. He often laid hands on those sick and prayed for a healing then and there. And his promises of prayer for individual intentions were more than polite words. He began to spend extended time in the chapel after office hours and his Capuchin house commitments were fulfilled. pg 108

Odell’s book details all the many little things Casey did for others. Through illnesses, painful and debilitating, Fr. Solanus continued to minister to those in need. His story, as told through Odell’s prose, is one of the most beautiful, Christ-filled books I’ve read in a long time. The reading is simple – as was this man – and yet it details a life so filled with God’s love and charity to others – a charity that had the good Father reminding everyone to “Thank God” as he showed them out the monastery door.

During the Depression, the Capuchins opened a soup kitchen in Detroit. This man of simple faith was told that there was no more bread to serve the crowd of people waiting.] “Just wait and God will provide.” Fr. Solanus said an “Our Father” after inviting the men to join him in prayer. We just turned around and opened the front door … a bakery man was coming with a big basket full of food … when the men saw they they strated to cry … Fr. Solanus in his simple way, said, “See, God provides. Nobody will starve as long as you put your confidence in God, in Divine Providence.” pg 132

This book captures the love and charity I want my own children to have; the simple faith that I’m trying to pass on to my family. I’m sure my children will remember Venerable Solanus Casey for many years to come, thanks to this book by Catherine Odell.

This little book is interesting. It is NOT the definitive work on St. Thomas. It is NOT a primer on his philosophy. It is an interesting mix of: a story of his life (or rather stories from his life), a little taste of his genius, another taste of what his ideas mean to the world (including how relevant they are today) and ideas about why he was the way he was.

It does not seem adequate to compare it to a TV show but it reminds me of one of those really good PBS documentaries that gets you totally involved in something you didn't ever think was that big a deal.

Chesterton uses these different angles on Thomas and Thomism to leave you in admiration. Here was a man who by his diligence, incredible intelligence and humble love of the Truth contributed clarity to Catholic teaching – and to the WORLD (physical and spiritual). Wielding Aristotle's long forgotten philosophy Thomas makes sense of the World and the Church in a way that is profoundly true and incredibly accessible. Chesterton gives us enough of a taste to seriously whet the appetite and provides enough momentum to carry us past this book right into Thomas himself. Which is perfect. Thomas Aquinas, despite his genius (probably BECAUSE of his genius) can be understood by anyone who can read even this simple book of Chesterton's.

As Thomas was not only brilliant but humble it is fitting that Chesterton imitates the saint in this work by being both insightful and modest. Since, thankfully, Chesterton's prose is both more lucid and more delighful than my own I will defer to Chesterton's own introduction: "This book makes no pretence to be anything but a popular sketch of a great historical character who ought to be more popular. Its aim will be achieved if it leads those who have hardly even heard of St. Thomas Aquinas to read about him in better books." I would go further and suggest the reading of St. Thomas's OWN books – you will be amazed how enlightening, straightforward and refreshing it can be.

This is a fascinating and surprisingly readable (but lengthy) biography of St. John Vianney - the definitive one, carefully researched from the documents produced for the canonization process. It is most suitable for adults, but will be appropriate for teens who enjoy reading - it is particularly beneficial for young men considering the priesthood. Some of the particular stories about St. John Vianney and those whose lives he touched are absolutely amazing.

This book also bears a special recommendation from Pope John Paul II and had a substantial influence on his life. He had this to say about St. John Vianney and this particular book in his own book Gift and Mystery: On the Fiftieth Anniversary of My Priestly Ordination...

"With great emotion I visited the little old church where Saint John Vianney heard confessions, taught catechism, and gave his homilies. It was an unforgettable experience for me. From my seminary years I had been impressed by the figure of the Cure d'Ars, especially after reading his biography by Monsignor Trochu. Saint John Marie Vianney astonishes us because in him we can see the power of grace working through human limitations. It was his heroic service in the confessional which particularly struck me. That humble priest, who would hear confessions more than ten hours a day, eating little and sleeping only a few hours, was able, at a difficult moment in history, to inspire a kind of spiritual revolution in France..." (pp. 57, Gift and Mystery by Pope John Paul II)

The sequel to A Life of Our Lord for Children, this title by Marigold Hunt tells the story of the infant Church. After a few introductory remarks, the story begins with the Pentecost (Acts 1) and ends with Paul's visit to the Jews of Rome (Acts 28). The beauty of this book is the wonderful storytelling style of Hunt. It is a great book to read aloud because then it really sounds as if she is speaking to us. One day I was reading out loud to my nine year-old and all the other children had gathered around. My eleven year-old said, "That's a cool author." I know he meant, "I love to hear the way that author tells a story."

At the beginning of each chapter Hunt lists the corresponding chapters from Acts of the Apostles. At various points in the text she recommends the reader go and read from the Bible. For example, when she describes the Pentecost, she suggests that the reader reads Peter's speech which is recorded in Acts 2. She calls it the "very first sermon of the very first pope." I have to admit that when I read her suggestions, I wanted to hop up and read the Bible version! Hunt selects particular tales from Acts, saying that she couldn't tell all that happened. However, she selects those that would be of most interest to young readers. For example, she chooses to include the story of Philip running next to the chariot of the Treasurer to tell him about the Faith, which is kind of a funny image. Hunt also does a good job explaining the problem that Christians Jews had with gentiles becoming Christian without keeping the "law of Moses," and how it was resolved. She makes it clear that Peter makes the final decision, and that when he does, everyone accepts it, clearly establishing him historically as the leader of the Church. With every story she explains things in ways a child would understand by comparing them to things in our own time.

As with A Life of Our Lord for Children, this edition, reissued in 2004, is illustrated by Ted Schluenderfritz (a homeschooling dad!). His drawings add greatly to the text. This is a book that will appeal to all children and is a joy to read aloud. It could be read independently by a 4th grader.