When the Vatican announced on Jan. 14 that Pope Benedict XVI would beatify the John Paul II on May 1, I was filled with joy!
From the moment he appeared for the first time as Pope John Paul II on the balcony overlooking St. Peter’s Square in 1978 and said, “Do not be afraid,” I had the sense we were witnessing the start of something extraordinary. What followed was a papacy of presence, witness and a call to holiness.
John Paul II's beatification reaffirms the saintliness of this great man, this great priest, this great pope. John Paul II worked tirelessly to bring the Good News to all, focusing on moral values, reaching out to young people, and working for peace. May 1 will be a day of great joy for the Church, including the faithful of the Diocese of Buffalo, who in so many ways felt such a close connection to the late Holy Father.
I was blessed to share many moments with Pope John Paul II, meeting with him at the Vatican a number of times. It was one of the great privileges and blessings to be a bishop, to have such personal contact with the Holy Father.
Pope John Paul II named me auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Trenton in 1982. In 1992, the Holy Fathered named named me bishop of Nashville, and in 2004, the pope appointed appointed me as 13th bishop of Buffalo. Those three honors have been among the highlights of my priesthood. Join me in a prayer of thanksgiving for John Paul II's service to the Church and to mankind, and continue to pray for his canonization.
Father Nelson Baker
Jan. 14 was a day of double blessings for the diocese. Not only did the Vatican announce the beatification of John Paul II, but in the same announcement, we learned that the Holy Father had approved the heroic virtures of our very own Father Nelson Baker.
The decree is based on the recent vote taken by the cardinals and bishops of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints who approved the information contained in the "positio" on the life and holiness of Father Baker which we submitted at the time the Vatican accepted his cause for consideration, and which we have added to and clarified over the past few years. This is the next step in what we hope and pray will be the eventual beatification and canonization of Father Baker.
We will soon make an official announcement at Our Lady of Victory Basilica regarding upcoming parish and diocesan celebrations to mark this important step in the canonization cause for the man who has been come to be known as, "The Padre of the Poor."
Venerable Nelson Baker, pray for us!