If you’ve not read Brian Kelly’s brief and delightful biography of Venerable Solanus Casey, please do yourself the favor. This Irish-American Padre Pio ought to be better known and loved across the nation.
Please Note: if any of our readers know some GM execs, could you please put a bug in their corporate ear? With all the trouble the auto-making giant is having these days, they should be reminded of Venerable Solanus’ past benevolence to Chevrolet, one of General Motors’ subsidiaries. As Brian writes:
The long list of favors granted through Father Casey’s intercession includes things other than bodily cures. In 1925, John McKenna, an auto worker with the Chevrolet motor company feared losing his job when the firm was about to file for bankruptcy. So, he took his worries to Saint Bonaventure’s porter. Father Solanus took pity on the man who most likely had a family to support. He obliged him to make a fifty cent donation and enroll Chevrolet into the Seraphic Mass Association. Two nights later the company got an order for 45,000 machines.
If GM really wanted Ven. Solanus’ help, maybe they could come out with the new “Chevy Solanus” — a slim, ascetical car that doesn’t need much fuel, but whose brown homespun seats make everyone feel warm and welcome. In honor of the holy porter after whom it is named, the car’s one frill would be doors that automatically open when a small bell is rung by the driver. The proposed model will fit in nicely with GM’s new, humble image. After all, a devout Franciscan is the very model of humility. (One of them once explained that to me.)
Yes, with the Chevy Solanus I think we’d actually be witnessing the rebirth of the American car. Think about it.
