Comic strip tells story of Buffalo priest seeking holiness and beloved for his work among the poor

Tom Lucia, creative director of OLV Charities, still has his Marvel comics from the 1980s celebrating the lives of St. John Paul II and St. Teresa of Calcutta.

They represented an important recognition of Catholic figures and increased their popularity among young people.

So finding one to help promote the cause of the sainthood of Venerable Father Nelson H. Baker, a priest from Buffalo, New York, seemed like a natural idea. The result is Voyage Comics’ “Father of the Fatherless,” distributed to more than 3,000 students in Buffalo-area Catholic schools.

“From there, the intention is to spread the comic throughout the country,” Lucia told OSV News.

It was released on June 4 at the Father Baker Museum in Lackawanna, New York.

It is also connected to the centennial of the OLV National Shrine and Basilica in Lackawanna. The celebration began in 2021, marking the laying and blessing of the cornerstone in 1921. Construction was completed in 1925 and the first mass at the church was celebrated at Christmas that year. The consecration of the church took place in May 1926 and two months later Pope Pius XI designated the church as a minor basilica.

Nicknamed by local newspapers as “the father of the poor”, Father Baker (1842-1936) had, in addition to the basilica, built an orphanage, a maternity ward, a trade school and a childcare center.

The charity he started exists today as OLV Charities. Other OLV Mission partners include OLV National Shrine and Basilica (as well as OLV Elementary School) and OLV Human Services.

Father Baker, who served at St. Joseph Cathedral in Buffalo after his ordination in 1876, was beloved during his lifetime for his charitable efforts, including serving thousands of meals during the depths of the Great Depression.

He felt called to the priesthood after operating a successful feed and grain business with a partner. Before that, he served in the 74th Infantry of the New York State Militia, a unit organized in the summer of 1863 and stationed in central Pennsylvania, although it did not see action. If canonized, he will be the first Civil War veteran to be so honored and the first Saint Nelson.

The comic strip is based on the biography of Father Richard Gribble of Holy Cross, “Father of the Orphans,” and covers Father Baker’s life since his baptism at age 9.

There is much to be said for his love of baseball, and later coaching, although the difficult 19th century version had very different rules than the modern game and was played for several years before the introduction of gloves .

But he considered it part of his ministry, Lucia said. “When he played baseball with the boys, he educated them and taught them trades.”

Father Baker was named a Servant of God in 1987 and in 2011 he was named Venerable by Pope Benedict XVI. The next step in his cause would be beatification, with the priest receiving the title Blessed. After that would come canonization, or declaration of sainthood. In general, two miracles must be accepted by the Church as having occurred through the intercession of the future saint, one for beatification and one for canonization.

The cause for sainthood was stalled when evaluators in Rome felt that the evidence for a medical miracle was not strong enough. “We are forming a committee to transmit another miracle to Rome,” said Msgr. David LiPuma, co-postulator of the cause.

Mgr. LiPuma hopes the comic will give children a hero to look up to.

Founded in 2018 by Philip Kosloski, Voyage Comics creates entertainment grounded in Catholic values. Other books in their catalog include “Champion of the Poor: Father Joe Walijewski” and “Digital Disciple: Carlo Acutis and the Eucharist.” » Funding came from the Carl Tripi Foundation.

Kurt Jensen reports for OSV News from Washington.