Nelson Baker

Upon his ordination, Father Baker was appointed assistant superintendent of the Limestone Hill institutions in Lackawanna (then attached to Buffalo), which included an orphanage (St. Joseph's Orphan Asylum) and a reformatory for young boys (St. John's Protectory). These structures were facing overwhelming debt. After a brief one-year interlude as a curate in Corning, New York, he was recalled to Lackawanna in 1882, this time as general superintendent. To face the imminent bankruptcy, Father Baker demonstrated revolutionary financial creativity. In 1882, he founded the Association of Our Lady of Victory and launched one of the first national direct-mail fundraising campaigns in the United States, soliciting small, regular donations from thousands of the faithful. Under his leadership, what was a collection of debt-ridden institutions became a true "City of Charity." His major achievements include: - The expansion and modernization of the orphanage and the boys' home. - The creation in 1908 of the OLV Infant Home, intended to welcome single mothers and abandoned babies, after he was deeply disturbed by local reports of infants' bodies found in the Erie Canal. - The construction of a general and maternity hospital (OLV Hospital) as well as vocational and secondary schools. - In 1891, faced with the prohibitive heating costs of the buildings, he made the bold decision to drill the property's soil in search of natural gas. At a depth of approximately 1,100 feet, the drillers discovered a significant deposit. This well, named "Victoria Well," provided free gas to heat all the facilities and several dozen local families. During the Great Depression of 1929, Father Baker's City of Charity became a vital refuge, distributing more than 450,000 meals and providing thousands of garments and free overnight stays to the needy of all denominations.

Father Baker, nicknamed the "Padre of the Poor" by the press and the local population, passed away on July 29, 1936, at the age of 94 in Lackawanna. His death sparked immense emotion: it is estimated that nearly 500,000 people filed past to pay him a final tribute before his funeral, which was celebrated on August 3, 1936. Due to his reputation for holiness and his heroic virtues, the Diocese of Buffalo officially began the proceedings for his canonization in 1986-1987. In January 1987, the Congregation for the Causes of Saints approved the opening of his cause, granting him the title of Servant of God. In March 1999, his remains were exhumed from the local cemetery to be transferred to a solemn tomb within the Our Lady of Victory Basilica.

On January 14, 2011, Pope Benedict XVI signed the decree recognizing the heroic nature of his virtues, officially declaring him "Venerable." For his beatification to be pronounced, the Church requires the official recognition of a miracle attributed to his intercession. Several reports of unexplained healings and spiritual favors have been submitted to the office of his cause in Buffalo, which is actively continuing the examination of the files.

Nelson Baker's spirituality was rooted in an absolute trust in Divine Providence and an unwavering filial devotion to the Virgin Mary, under the title of Our Lady of Victory. It was in thanksgiving for Marian protection that he had the magnificent Our Lady of Victory National Shrine & Basilica built in Lackawanna between 1921 and 1925. Consecrated in 1925, the edifice was elevated to the rank of minor basilica by Pope Pius XI in 1926, thus becoming the second church in the United States to receive this honor.

Father Baker's legacy remains extremely vibrant in the 21st century. The organizations he founded have been structured under the names OLV Charities and OLV Human Services, continuing to assist more than 10,000 children and families in need each year. In the year 2000, The Buffalo News designated him as the "most influential citizen of Western New York in the 20th century."