File:Our Lady of Victory Basilica.jpg

Summary

In 1916, fire seriously damaged St. Patrick’s Parish Church in Lackawanna, New York. Father Baker then developed plans to replace the church. On May 7, 1921, Father Baker celebrated the last Mass at St. Patrick’s.

The structure was then dismantled to make way for something larger. Construction on the Basilica began in 1921 after Father Baker unveiled plans to build a shrine in homage to the Blessed Mother. Because of Baker's influence in the community and well-known charitable reputation across the nation, he was able to get sufficient financial support to begin construction. Baker solicited support from people across the nation contributed funding mostly through a direct-mail campaign. Designed by architect Emile Ulrich, the Basilica was constructed at a cost of $3.2 million, and was completed without the parish incurring any debt

By late 1925, construction on the sanctuary of Our Lady of Victory was complete. The first mass was held there on Christmas. On May 25, 1926, the basilica was consecrated in a ceremony presided over by Father Baker, Bishop William Turner of the Diocese of Buffalo, and Cardinal Patrick Hayes. Thousands of priests, nuns, and believers from across the nation attended the event. Two months later, Pope Pius XI designated the shrine the honorable title of "Minor Basilica" by an apostolic decree. Msgr. Nelson Baker was in charge of the Basilica and the parish's various institutions of charity until his death on July 29, 1936.

The Basilica has had two changes to its original design. The first came in 1941 during a violent lightning storm that caused significant damage to the basilica's twin towers.

Msgr. Joseph Maguire, took charge of the efforts to refurbish the structures. He had the marble towers replaced with the lower, enclosed, copper dome-tipped towers present today. Following the harsh winter of 2001-2002, the roof of the National Shrine was found to have significantly deteriorated and a new copper roof was installed.

In 2001, a celebration of the National Shrine's Diamond Jubilee and basilica's 75 years in the making was held at the Our Lady of Victory Parish. On May 26, a special mass was followed by a dinner party, at which hundreds of dignitaries, clergy members, and friends came together to celebrate the Basilica and Father Baker's legacy.

In July 1998, Bishop Henry J. Mansell announced that the remains of Father Baker would be relocated from nearby Holy Cross Cemetery and reinterred in the Basilica. The move was ordered by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints in Rome, Italy.

On March 11, 1999, Father Baker's casket was carried by six men who were raised by Baker, and placed in a sarcophagus within the Grotto Shrine to Our Lady of Lourdes, found on the southern end of the Basilica's transept. An estimated nearly 6,000 people attended the event at the Basilica that day to honor Msgr. Nelson Baker and his work. The reinterment helped raise awareness of Msgr. Nelson Baker and his missions of charity and his great affection and honor of Our Lady of Victory who he stated, "She did it all."

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