Encyclopedia Of Detroit
St. Bonaventure Monastery & Fr. Solanus Casey Center
On November 22, 1882, Detroit Bishop Caspar Borgess granted permission to Fr. Bonaventure Frey to establish a Capuchin friary/monastery. Based on the teachings of St. Francis, the monastery was originally intended to serve the area's Catholic clergy and churches and provide aid to the poor. Two acres of property on Mt. Elliot were purchased in March 1883. Construction of the chapel began in June 1883 and in January of 1884 the first community of seven friars moved into the friary.
St. Bonaventure Monastery consists of three buildings: the 1883 monastery (completed in 1913), the 1908 Soup Kitchen, and the 1939 Third Order Hall. The monastery complex also contains a tiny cemetery and a 1960 mission building. Many of the Detroit Capuchin ministry directors reside in the monastery as well as retired friars.
The architect of the Victorian Gothic style chapel was Peter Dederichs Jr. of Detroit. Native limestone was used for the foundation, with local red brick limestone trim. The interior wood carvings were done by local craftsmen trained in Germany. The beautiful reredos behind the altar contains statues of St. Francis and St. Bonaventure. Behind the main chapel is a small Gothic chapel originally used only by the friars but is now open to the public. In 2017, plans were begun for an extensive renovation to make the chapel more accessible to the public.
The Capuchin Soup Kitchen got its official start during the Great Depression. The friars joined with the Secular Franciscans to collect food from farms, make soup, bake bread and serve meals in the hall next to the monastery. Two kitchen and dining room sites serve full-course meals to hundreds of men, women, and children. The program has expanded to include among other services - a bakery, children’s program and a substance abuse program.
Father Solanus Casey was a Capuchin friar who served many years at St. Bonaventure. Miraculous healings were attributed to Casey as a result of his prayers. He died in Detroit on July 31, 1957, and is entombed at The Father Solanus Casey Center in the north transept of the Monastery. The Center also contains a museum and artifacts. Casey's cause for sainthood was opened in 1982 and in 1995 Pope John Paul II declared him venerable. Pope Francis announced on May 4, 2017 that Solanus Casey has met the requirements for beatification.
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