Buffalo Beat

In 1987, the Vatican granted Father Nelson Baker (1841-1936) a "cause for canonization," the first step toward becoming a saint, declaring him "An Individual Sent of God."

In order to progress further toward canonization, a proven miracle, usually but not always involving an "unexplained cure" of illness, is required. This miracle cannot involve someone cured during the lifetime of the candidate for sainthood, but rather, one who is cured by praying to the candidate post-mortem. Father Baker's most likely first miracle, however, involves his blood.

A few years ago, the Vatican suggested that Father Baker's body be exhumed and buried in the OLV Basilica to enable people to have a greater opportunity to approach him reverently, and possibly afford the Church an opportunity to witness and verify a miracle. This was accomplished in March, 1999, and three vials containing Father Baker's body fluids were discovered.

One of them is believed to contain his blood, which has not coagulated. This fact is being considered as a possible miracle.

Beth Donovan, public relations officer for Our Lady of Victory, said a local scientific "expert," along with another "expert" in Rome, had verified this phenomenon. But this information "has to be kept private," she said. And she declined to name the individuals.

If this incorruptible blood is accepted as a "miracle," Father Baker will be "beatified" and given the title, "Blessed." If his supporters are then able to establish another miracle, he will be declared a saint.

In addition, several potentially "miraculous" healings are being investigated by the current Our Lady of Victory (OLV) pastor, Msgr. Robert C. Wurtz, who has been declared Vice Postulator for Father Baker's cause.

A Brief Life History of Father Baker

Nelson Baker was born in Buffalo in 1841, and raised on the East side around the Broadway-Fillmore area. His mother was an Irish Catholic, his father, a non-Catholic. Baker went to PS#12 and old Central High School. Later, as a Union soldier, he fought in the Civil War, actually participating in the Battle of Gettysburg. After his military career, he made considerable money in a feed and grain business which he founded. But the simple accumulation of wealth left Baker unfulfilled, and he entered Our Lady of the Angels Seminary in Niagara Falls, and was ordained a priest in 1876. His first assignment was at St. Patrick's Parish in Lackawanna.

During almost 60 years as a priest, Baker expanded St. Joseph's Orphanage in Lackawanna, as well as converting St. Patrick's into the Our Lady of Victory Basilica, which he had built - one of only three Basilicas in the USA. In addition, he built a Protectory for wayward and difficult to adopt boys, as well as an Infant's Home for single women and their babies. He also built Our Lady of Victory Hospital.

Father Baker was a man who was not only dynamic and practical, but had an intense love for the people, and a sense of mercy and compassion that made him seem to transcend the mortal. People looked upon him as a Saint. There are people today in Lackwanna who still cherish the memory of him, and hold precious such simple things as pieces of his garments - to them, sacred relics. Requisite miracles aside, consider his real works; how he clothed them in their nakedness, nursed them in their sickness, and fed those in their hunger. He was a real saint of the golden legend.

An Interview with the Vice Postulate for Father Nelson Baker- Msgr. Robert C. Wurtz

Buffalo Beat interviewed Msgr. Robert C. Wurtz, asking a few pointed, but not irreverent, questions. If miracles happen - and perhaps they really have in the case of Father Baker - then it seems a blessed and happy event. Yet it seems one might reasonably indulge in a degree of skepticism. It may be that post-mortem miracles do not make the Saint, but rather, the Saint must make the miracles, to prove his Sainthood. So we should not attempt to judge too hastily, perhaps, except to ascertain if purported miracles are genuine, something the Catholic Church would no doubt wish.

Indeed, in such matters, awe is valuable: for if we were able to really both judge and comprehend miracles, we also might as likely be able to perform them.

When Father Baker was buried, there apparently were three vials. And one of them contained his blood. Is that correct?

Monsignor Wurtz: Well, I would prefer to say that all three of them may have contained some blood, but I'm not a chemist or someone who analyzes these things.

Were two of the vials empty?

No, no, all three of them had fluid in them.

The reason I ask is that part of the doctrine of the Catholic Church is that in order to be canonized, a candidate needs to show some sort of miraculous event. Right?

Right. You have to have one miracle prior to beatification - the next step for Father Baker. Then you need a second miracle between beatification and the time that he would be declared a saint.

There's been one miracle so far?

I presume that the fluid would be considered a miracle

Then there would be another miracle that would be required to be canonized, right?

Correct.

There were three vials that contained some fluid and one has been clearly ascertained to be his blood?

Correct.

And it didn't dry up?

Right.

Has any scientist or chemist evaluated that, to indicate that this is unheard of?

I think anyone with scientific knowledge will say that the life of blood is about forty days, thirtyfive to forty days outside the body, and then it will coagulate. And now we're talking 67 years.

Has it been tested to see that it was blood and that there were no chemicals or anything else added to it?

You are asking questions I cannot answer at this time.

I'm not challenging...

What I'm saying to you is there are things that I cannot talk about because of my position, and I gave you the most generic answer I can give by saying it's not natural for these fluids to be viable 64 years after his death.

Did you actually see the fluids?

Yes.

And one of them was clearly a dark red, or bluish substance which presumably is the blood of Father Baker. What were the other two? Were there any liquids in the other two vials?

They were body fluids, amber in color.

Do you think that those other two vials, which have also not dried up, might also be...

I have never heard anybody give any explanation about (the) body fluids, so I can't answer that.

Do you know what body fluids they might have been?

I would think that they would have been from the thoracic cavity. I don't know where else they would be. But remember I'm not a doctor. I'm not a scientist.

Do you know if it has been evaluated by any scientist, or if they intend to have it evaluated by a scientist?

I gave you an answer a little while ago. If you're fishing around to get around that answer...

I didn't mean it to be disingenuous.

That was the answer.

The fact is, there were three vials placed outside the casket, or was it inside the casket?.

They were in a separate vault.

Do you think they were deliberately set aside for a specific purpose?

I feel very definitely that this was the feeling of the people of the time: They were preserving these for the day to come, to do what we are doing right now.

They knew there was a possibility that...?

Everybody considered him a saint, or rather, a lot of people considered him so.

The three vials in the vault, were they airtight or specially sealed?

They were in glass containers with rubber stoppers.

Have they been opened several times, or, at least one time, to look at them?

They're in glass.

So they haven't been opened, right?

I have never seen the stopper taken out.

So you can see through them and it appears to be blood?

Right.

What is your feeling on the overall probability of success?

I certainly believe that someday he will be declared a saint.

Do you think it'll happen in the next ten years?

I certainly hope that beatification happens within the next ten years.

Is there anything else involved in determining a saint?

That he lived a very virtuous life, that he was completely in unison with the Church, all the teachings of the Church doctrine, and that he was a very holy man.

Are there still people associated with the congregation who knew Father Baker?

Yes, there are some people who have a recollection of him. Yes.

Most of them were fairly young, and now are fairly old?

Correct.

Have there been any published biographies on his life?

Yes, there's been two. One was written about 1925, before he died, written by a priest. The name of the book was The Apostle of Charity. Then there was a book written in the sixties, The Incredible Father Baker, by Floyd Lyons. It's in paperback. It's a pretty fair analysis.

For future biographers - and obviously, there would be some if he was beatified - is there a lot more material about Father Baker out there? Unpublished manuscripts or letters that would give a broader view of the inner man?

No, I don't think so. I think that the story of the exhumation and bringing in the Church would be new, but other than that, it's going to be pretty much what's already been published.

I hope you didn't misunderstand my questions about the blood. The reason I asked is because I talked to a number of people who aren't Catholic about this issue. And the first thing they say when you tell them about vials of blood is 'Oh, the whole thing is cooked up'...

It certainly isn't.

...and they say, "it's fraudulent. There's no scientific proof." Or that "anyone's blood in an (airtight) vial would be preserved." And it would be nice to address some of these issues. To put these speculations to rest.

Right now, I'm not in a position to talk about it. When you have to take these oaths, as I have, it makes it hard to explain to people that there's things you can't talk about.