Sheila Przytulski, left, of St. Frances Cabrini Parish in Allen Park, and Mary Jourdan of Our Lady of the Angels Parish in Taylor pray at the tomb of Blessed Solanus Casey on Dec. 8. The tomb now features a permanent glass cover that allows visitors to see Blessed Solanus’ casket.Photos by Mike Stechschulte | The Michigan Catholic
DETROIT — Visitors to the Solanus Casey Center in Detroit were greeted with a new look to the blessed porter’s tomb Dec. 2.
A newly installed glass cover, with a dome-shaped exterior, replaces the engraved wooden top that’s been over the tomb for years. Visitors who kneel and pray at the tomb can see Blessed Solanus’ casket, which is engraved with key dates in the porter’s life and sealed with Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron’s wax seal.
A new shrine inside St. Bonaventure Monastery’s chapel features the first-class relic of Blessed Solanus that was presented at the beatification Mass, along with his statue and the wooden cover that formerly rested upon his tomb.Visitors can still leave prayer intentions at the tomb, which are now collected in a basket.
The new design was installed and donated by Chas. Verhayden Funeral Homes, which also helped with the exhumation of Blessed Solanus’ remains earlier this year.
Brian Joseph, owner of Chas. Verheyden Funeral Homes, is the husband of Gerarda Tobin, who chaired the planning committee for Blessed Solanus’ beatification Mass.
The former wooden tomb cover has been moved inside the St. Bonaventure Monastery chapel, along with a statue of Blessed Solanus and a first-class relic.
