Capuchin Fr. David Preuss of Detroit and greeter Sue Coleman look at displays at the Blessed Solanus Casey Traveling Museum Sept. 13-15 in Hudson. (Catholic Herald photo by Joe Winter)

Joe Winter
Special to the Catholic Herald

Twenty-one separate and extensive displays educating viewers about Bl. Solanus Casey’s cause for sainthood opened to the public for three days at St. Patrick Church, Hudson.

Arranged in a circle about 100 feet in diameter, the display was part of a traveling show of relics, photos and paintings of many stages of the Capuchin friar’s life, along with reams of written information.

The Blessed Solanus Casey Traveling Museum is based out of Detroit, where Bl. Solanus completed his mission work.

Three religious brothers from Detroit took turns pointing out relics to people attending the Sept. 13-15 event and educating local greeters who signed up about what information they could pass on.

Just what is it about the late Capuchin that even after all these years attracted Catholics by the hundreds to the Hudson display, not counting those additional parishioners who showed up for the two commemorative healing Masses?

Chad and Marilyn Crow lived in Woodbury, Minnesota, before moving to Hudson about a decade ago. Worshipping in both states, they found out about Bl. Solanus through a play written and staged by parishioner Molly Druffner. They decided to explore more about the man and his life after reading about the event.

“Did he not work on a cable car as a busboy early in life?” asked Chad, who a few minutes earlier was kneeling at one of the prayer stations.

The couple were making their way around part of the circle, the pattern advised to get the full experience.

Chad expressed a desire to learn more about why Bl. Solanus was initially denied preaching faculties; it was later determined to be a language barrier related to his speaking German when living in Milwaukee.

Sue Coleman, who has been a parishioner at St. Patrick’s for four years, was the greeter at the time.

Why volunteer at an event honoring someone from the older annuls of history?
“He was a greeter, too,” she said, noting in particular Bl. Solanus’ humility, “so this seemed to be the thing to do.”