Fr. Solanus Encounter

By: Frank Maranzano
Good Evening!

My name is Frank Maranzano and my encounter with Blessed Fr. Solanus Casey began in the early 1930’s when I was approximately eight to nine years of age.

During this time, I became ill and my parents took me for medical treatment at the Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit. There, the medical staff examined and performed various tests on me in an attempt to determine what was wrong. I had frequent visits to the hospital for treatments and had to remain at home, unable to go to school, and only allowed to be outdoors for very limited periods of time.

The physicians did not give my parents much hope that I would survive this illness. I was their only surviving child, and the thought of losing me was truly devastating, for they had lost my two older brothers to a stillbirth and a crib death.

We lived on Cooper Street, which is on the east side of Detroit, and there was a large, close community of Italian immigrant families there who tried to help us. My parents heard from our neighbors of a “healing priest” that performed weekly blessings of the sick at a catholic church called St. Bonaventure, and they were encouraged to take me there.

My parents were very devoted and prayerful people. My Mother enjoyed praying daily and the rosary was her favorite daily devotion.

Following the encouragement of neighbors, my Mother walked me to St. Bonaventure to stand in line to receive this special blessing from this priest. I recall standing in a long line with many individuals who were there to receive special blessings for the sick. When we finally entered the church, I stood in front of the priest, Fr. Solanus Casey, who asked me “Do you believe in God?”, and I responded with “Yes, I believe in God!”. He then laid his hands on my head and blessed me. My Mother and I returned home, and weeks later, we returned again to St.Bonaventure for this same blessing.

Following that second blessing from Fr. Solanus, my parents took me for another of my repeated visits to Henry Ford Hospital, and the doctors were amazed by the results of my tests, which no longer showed signs of illness, instead, I was now restored to good health!

This was a true answer to my parent’s prayers! My parents’ deep devotion, faith, and prayers and the healing blessings that I received from Fr. Solanus were instrumental in my journey of faith through my childhood and into my adulthood!

November 18, 2017, was so spiritually special for me, because I was able to attend the Beautification Mass for Fr. Solanus, and it was truly a blessed experience!

On March 14, 2018, I attended a blessing mass at St. Bonaventure with my daughters and son-in-law. The church was filled to a standing room only! We were only able to take seating at the casket of Fr. Solanus. Thankfully, Each of us received an individual blessing from one of the Capuchin friars with a relic of Fr. Solanus.

Several days later on March 18, I experienced internal bleeding and went to the hospital where I ended up having critical surgery on March 20 to remove a Stage 4 cancerous tumor from my colon. I truly believe that the blessing I received the week prior was once again instrumental in my diagnosis and good recovery!

In closing, I am here today at age 97 due to the healing encounters of Fr. Solanus. I know that God has blessed and cured me through the healing hands of Blessed Fr. Solanus along with the strong faith of my parents and family.

I have had so many wonderful blessings in my life that I am grateful for. A 35-year marriage to my beautiful wife before her passing, and a family of children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and the parish family of St. Thecla that I have so enjoyed and appreciated being a part of for the past 58 years! I have a truly faithful and thankful devotion to the cause for Fr. Solanus’ sainthood. I am forever grateful to our Dear Lord for these many blessings! I pray too for continued blessings for all of our Catholic community of faith!

Lastly, I would like to share a quote from Fr. Solanus – “Blessed be God in all His Designs!” Thank you for allowing me to share my encounter story of Blessed Fr. Solanus with you all this evening! God bless