Religious Leader. Born in Wisconsin to Irish immigrant parents, he left the family farm and worked throughout Wisconsin and Minnesota as a logger, a hospital orderly, a street car operator and a prison guard. At age twenty-one he entered Seminary in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to study for the Catholic priesthood. Five years later he decided to enter a religious order, and was invested in the Capuchin Order at Detroit, Michigan in 1897, where received his religious name of Solanus. After his ordination in 1904, Father Solanus spent 20 years in New York, Harlem, and Yonkers in New York City, New York. In 1924 he was sent to St. Bonaventure Monastery, Detroit where he worked for 20 years. He was assigned to Huntington, Indiana from 1946 to 1956, and reassigned to St. Bonaventure in 1956. He spent his life in the service of people. At the monastery door, he met thousands of persons from every age and walk of life, in time of trouble and sorrow, they sought his prayers and advice. Many attributed favors to his prayers. He died in Detroit at the age of 86 on July 31, 1957 and is buried in St. Bonaventure's Monastery Church in Detroit (across the street from Mount Elliott Cemetery). On July 11, 1995, Pope John Paul II bestowed on him the title of "Venerable," one step before sainthood.

Religious Leader. Born in Wisconsin to Irish immigrant parents, he left the family farm and worked throughout Wisconsin and Minnesota as a logger, a hospital orderly, a street car operator and a prison guard. At age twenty-one he entered Seminary in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to study for the Catholic priesthood. Five years later he decided to enter a religious order, and was invested in the Capuchin Order at Detroit, Michigan in 1897, where received his religious name of Solanus. After his ordination in 1904, Father Solanus spent 20 years in New York, Harlem, and Yonkers in New York City, New York. In 1924 he was sent to St. Bonaventure Monastery, Detroit where he worked for 20 years. He was assigned to Huntington, Indiana from 1946 to 1956, and reassigned to St. Bonaventure in 1956. He spent his life in the service of people. At the monastery door, he met thousands of persons from every age and walk of life, in time of trouble and sorrow, they sought his prayers and advice. Many attributed favors to his prayers. He died in Detroit at the age of 86 on July 31, 1957 and is buried in St. Bonaventure's Monastery Church in Detroit (across the street from Mount Elliott Cemetery). On July 11, 1995, Pope John Paul II bestowed on him the title of "Venerable," one step before sainthood.

Bio by: Frank Helminski