Lackawanna, NY (WBEN) - As the congregation at the OLV National Shrine & Basilica prepare to celebrate their annual Father Baker weekend, there's hope that the effort to elevate Father Baker to Sainthood is once again gaining momentum.
Rev. Msgr. David LiPuma, who is the current Pastor at the OLV Basilica, told WBEN Friday that having an American Pope has intensified their efforts to get Father Baker canonized.
"We're looking for an opportunity where we can get before our Holy Father Pope Leo," LiPuma said. "Being an American Pope he would understand the need that we have in our country and especially here in Western New York to lift the spirit of our people and to honor this man who we know is already a Saint."
LiPuma said they have an effort ongoing to meet with the postulator, who presents a case for the canonization or beatification of someone in the Catholic Church, in Rome. He called it a 'step-by-step' process to get in front of the Pope to present the case.
Father Nelson Baker constructed the Our Lady of Victory Basilica in 1925, and developed a national fundraising campaign that allowed him to build an expanded orphanage and reform school. In 2011, Pope Benedict XVI designated him as venerable, something often seen as a step toward Sainthood.
Father Baker weekend is an annual event that celebrates the legacy of Father Baker and helps to raise funds for OLV Charities. This year, proceeds from the Pennies to Heaven fundraiser will go toward the Basilica's "Save the Dome" campaign that will see the copper from the Shrine's signature dome completely replaced over the next few years.
Related
