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Venerable Nelson Baker
Image: Book written by Ernesto Begni · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Venerable Nelson Baker

Buffalo priest who built a basilica and children's charities at Lackawanna

Rank
Venerable
Kind
Priest
Life
1842 – 1936
Era
20th century
Countries
United States
United States

Life story

Nelson Baker was born on 16 February 1842 in Buffalo, New York. He served briefly in the Union Army during the American Civil War (thirty days of active duty, according to the shrine's museum page) and ran a grain and feed business for five years before entering Our Lady of Angels Seminary near Niagara Falls. He was ordained on 19 March 1876. He served five years as assistant at the institutions of Limestone Hill, now Lackawanna, where a boys' protectory and an orphanage run by the Sisters of St Joseph were located.

In 1882 he returned as superintendent of those institutions. He expanded the protectory with a gymnasium and high school, opened an Infant Home for unwed mothers and abandoned babies in 1908, and the Our Lady of Victory Maternity Hospital in 1919.

He built the Our Lady of Victory shrine at Lackawanna, consecrated and named a minor basilica in 1926. He died on 29 July 1936 at the age of 94. His cause was opened in 1987, and in 1999 his remains were moved into the basilica. On 14 January 2011 Pope Benedict XVI authorised the decree recognising his heroic virtue.

Works and witness

  • Ordained on 19 March 1876
  • Ran the orphanage and protectory institutions at Lackawanna from 1882
  • Opened the Infant Home in 1908 and a maternity hospital in 1919
  • Built the Our Lady of Victory shrine, named a minor basilica in 1926
  • Died on 29 July 1936; declared Venerable on 14 January 2011

Saints from the same country

Saint Kateri Tekakwitha, Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, Saint Katharine Drexel, Blessed Solanus Casey

References

  • Our Lady of Victory National Shrine & Basilica, Father Baker Museum page (olvbasilica.org) – born 16 February 1842, thirty days in the Union Army, grain and feed business, ordained 19 March 1876, five years at Limestone Hill, basilica 1926, death 29 July 1936, cause 1987, remains moved March 1999, Venerable 14 January 2011
  • Marian Fathers (marian.org), “Father Nelson Baker: Victory with Our Lady”, and NCRegister – Civil War service reported variously as Union Army or state militia; seen via search excerpts. The 'second basilica in the US' claim and the 1889 debt claim could not be verified and were removed

Written by Anawim from documented history. Some details about ancient saints rest on tradition and are marked as such.