Announcement

Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels
202 S. Union Street
Olean, New York 14760
716-372-4841
smaolean.org

17 March 2017

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Pope Francis grants Basilica status to St. Mary of the Angels in Olean

(OLEAN, NY—March 17, 2017)  Pope Francis has granted the title of “Basilica” to St. Mary of the Angels Church in Olean. This historic announcement was made by Most Rev. Richard J. Malone, bishop of Buffalo, at a media conference this morning at Our Lady of Victory National Shrine and Basilica in Lackawanna.

 “I was absolutely delighted,” said Bishop Malone, who points out that the designation is not only an honor for the Diocese of Buffalo, but a bearer of special blessings to those who pray in the church—a particular privilege of basilicas throughout the world and a principle attraction to pilgrims. 

“Basilica” is a title of honor conferred by the pope on a church of great architectural, historic and spiritual importance. These exceptional churches serve as an important center for the entire community of faith in demonstrating and living out the rich values of the Gospel. They are held up as examples of liturgical and pastoral life. 

The decree was signed in Rome on February 14 by the Cardinal prefect of the Congregation of the Holy See charged by the pope to grant these rare titles. Bishop Malone received the official Decree through the Papal Nuncio on March 6. 

“With this prestigious title, we are bound to a closer relationship with the Pope in assisting him, as successor to St. Peter, in spreading the Gospel message of Jesus Christ to all who come our way,” said Very Rev. Gregory J. Dobson, VF pastor of St. Mary of the Angels. This closer bond with the Pope is a distinct trait of basilicas, as noted in the documentation that accompanies the decree.

The bishop’s announcement was made at Our Lady of Victory because this magnificent edifice is a “sister” basilica to St. Mary’s in Olean given their historic ties more than a century ago. Venerable Msgr. Nelson Baker, who built the famous Our Lady of Victory National Shrine and Basilica, blessed the opening of St. Mary’s new church in Olean in 1915, was first to preach in its pulpit and was introduced to St. Mary’s architect, Emile Uhlrich, whom Fr. Baker hired to build his shrine in Lackawanna. 

The actual title granted to St. Mary’s is “Minor Basilica.” Because the title of Major Basilica is reserved to specific churches in Rome, Minor Basilicas can be designated throughout the world. Currently roughly only 1,700 are designated world-wide. 

To mark the momentous decree, Bishop Richard Malone will preside at a Solemn Mass on the evening of Thursday, June 29 at St. Mary of the Angels. During the Eucharistic celebration, the proclamation of the Decree granting the title of “Minor Basilica” to St. Mary of the Angels will be read. The church's name also changes to reflect its new designation: Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels.

Two years ago, Bishop Malone granted Fr. Greg’s request to pursue the petition with the Holy See. “To qualify, there has to be significant history, beautiful art and architecture and current vitality in the life of the parish and its ministries,” said Bishop Malone.

Fr. Greg said it was his desire to see that this gift and blessing of a work of art, architecture and center of pastoral action could be shared with a wider community beyond the Olean area. The spiritual impact of the grandure of the house of worship combined with its humble, rural setting is conducive to prayer and reflection, he noted. To that end, the church's pastor led a year-and-a-half long effort to build a case for the honorary title. Among criteria for becoming a Minor Basilica, St. Mary of the Angels had to demonstrate its heightened liturgical activity and its architectural and artistic stature. 

For more than 100 years, visitors have traveled to Olean to see this church’s renowned Munich-style stained glass windows celebrated for their truly exceptional size and their quality,.

“This designation is an affirmation of the gracious presence of the Church in obscure and remote locations,” noted Fr. Dobson.  “Thomas Merton, perhaps one of the twentieth century’s most important spiritual writers, while in Olean and afterwards, attested to this. Cardinal Robert Sarah, the Vatican prelate who signed the Decree, came from an obscure village in Guinea near the border with Senegal,” he noted.  “The Cardinal cherishes and celebrates the sacredness of the remote place of his early spiritual journey.  Now the people of New York’s Southern Tier can share that sentiment and welcome pilgrims to join in the peaceful beauty of this setting,” he said. 

St. Mary of the Angels is now one of 83 churches in the United States to hold the title of Minor Basilica. The Basilica building, 102-years-old on property the Olean Catholic community purchased in 1852, has a membership of more than 1,350 families and is affiliated with Archbishop Walsh Academy/Southern Tier Catholic School. Founded as a mission church in the Diocese of Buffalo, it was named by its first pastor who was the first president of St. Bonaventure’s College (as it was called at the time) after the church most beloved by St. Francis of Assisi—St. Mary of the Angels. The church became an official parish in the diocese in 1876.

Friday’s announcement caps off a year-and-a-half’s worth of work by people like Jennifer Kane, communications director of Saint Mary of the Angels Church, who was entrusted to oversee the application process that included comprehensive research necessary to produce the impressive application book that was sent to the Vatican last summer. While the application required extensive historic documentation and precise measurements on everything including the size of the confessionals, it also needed to address the church’s art, liturgical life, religious devotions, participation of the laity, charitable works and historical relevance. These exceptional churches, after all, are expected to serve as an important center and example of vibrant faith life in their regions.  

Bishop Malone noted that because the new basilica will have a unique relationship with the Holy See and the Holy Father, “It will have symbols that remind anyone who goes in there that this has a certain significance with the Pope.” This, he said, serves as a reminder for Catholics to pray for the worldwide community of faith. “It should remind us of our bond with the pope, and it should be a reminder to Roman Catholics that the Church is always wider,” he said. “It’s the parish, it’s the diocese and then it’s the universal church, under the pastorate of the pope.” 

More information and photo gallery can be found at the new Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels web site: smaolean.org. 

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