Thousands of Catholics will descend on Detroit this weekend for the beatification of Father Solanus Casey, as he becomes the 3rd American-born to currently hold the title of “blessed.”
Free tickets for the beatification Saturday at Ford Field sold out a while ago. Nearly 70,000 people from metro Detroit to Ireland, Italy and South America are expected to pack Ford Field.
It will be the largest mass held in metro Detroit since St. John Paul II, who was Pope at the time, celebrated mass at the Pontiac Silverdome in 1987.
So what exactly happens during a beatification ceremony? A bishop or diocese declares the deceased lived a holy life and or died as a martyr and is now dwelling in heaven. It’s the final step before sainthood.
Father Casey was born in Wisconsin. He worked in Detroit for more than 20 years and was a member of the
Capuchin Franciscan Order of St. Joseph. He died on July 31, 1957.
GALLERY: Send us your photos from Fr. Solanus beatification event
So if you’re heading down to beatification Saturday, here’s what you need to know:
Event:
Mass starts at 4PM
Doors open at 2PM
Parking:
Parking will be $6 in Ford Field controlled lots. Private parking will be available in a variety of city-and privately owned lots. Rates can range from $10-$50. Visit parkdetroit.us for more details.
Public transportation:
A variety of public transportation options will be available the day of the beatification, including RefleX limited-stop suburbs-to-city bus routes, DDOT buses, SMART buses, the Detroit People Mover and the Woodward Avenue QLINE. Taxis and ride-sharing applications such as Uber or Lyft provide another option. For details, visit beatification.visitdetroit.com.
Concessions
Ford Field will have hot dogs, pretzels, water, soda etc for purchase for a limited time prior to the ceremony.
Solanus Casey Extended Hours
- The Solanus Casey Center has special hours for the weekend of the Beatification:
- Thursday, Nov. 16: 9 a.m.-6 p.m.
- Friday, Nov. 17: 9 a.m.-9 p.m.
- Saturday, Nov. 18: 8 a.m.-10 p.m. The center will close from 2:30-6:30 p.m. for the ceremony
- Sunday, Nov. 19: 9 a.m.-6 p.m.
How to Watch
The beatification Mass will be livestreamed on Facebook.com/WXYZDetroit, The Michigan Catholic of Detroit and live on Catholic Television Network of Detroit.
