Fr. Greg's Announcement

17 March 2017
12:15 pm Mass
Statement to the Congregation of St. Mary of the Angels
by Rev. Gregory J. Dobson, VF
Pastor, St. Mary of the Angels Church (Olean, NY)
Rector of the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels 



 

Msgr.  Edward Rengel had a dream.  It is finally a reality.

And sometimes God’s grace is found in surprisingly remote and unexpected places and moments.

On March 6, 2017,  Monday of the First Week of Lent, the Most Rev. Richard J. Malone, Bishop of Buffalo, received by diplomatic packet documents detailing that on February 14, 2017, the Feast of Saints Cyril and Methodius,  Robert Cardinal Sarah, Prefect of the  Vatican Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, acting on behalf of His Holiness Pope Francis, signed in Rome the decree denoting that the parish church dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary under the title of Saint Mary of the Angels, in the city of Olean in the Diocese of Buffalo is now and henceforth designated as a minor basilica of the Catholic Church. 

This new basilica in Olean is now the eighty-third to be granted this title in the United State of America. It is the ninth minor basilica designated by Pope Francis during his papacy. This unique and privileged honor occurs during the 165th anniversary year of our establishment as a Catholic community in Olean. 

All privilege and responsibilities for minor basilicas set forth in the papal decree Domus Ecclesiae, are now and henceforth applied to the Basilica of Saint Mary of the Angels in Olean, New York. 

As a minor basilica, 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. 

We are deeply grateful to His Holiness Pope Francis and to Cardinal Sarah and his secretary, Archbishop Arthur Roche.  We are grateful to Bishop Richard Malone for supporting this designation and to Archbishop Joseph Kurtz for his support on behalf of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. 

I entrusted our parishioner and communications director, Jennifer Kane, to oversee the application process. We are truly grateful for her producing the beautiful application document—more than a year-and-a-half’s work, particularly researching our history, to address the Vatican’s 119 questions. 

The process of petitioning the Holy See began in earnest on March 27, 2015 with the initial request to Bishop Malone by this pastor. We had to make a case for our artistic and historical significance and demonstrate our unique vibrancy as a faith community in our liturgical and pastoral life.

Extensive research, documentation, photography, writing and editing were completed before the application document was presented to the Vatican Congregation in the summer of 2016. 

We are deeply grateful to Msgr. Edward Rengel who supervised the building of the church, to Emile Uhlrich who designed it, and to our former pastor, Msgr. William Gallagher and his trustee, Jim Kelly, who saved it.  We are grateful to Brett Swiatek and his associates at Swiatek Studio for their masterful vision and genius execution in the restoration recently completed.  We commend Brett’s father, Henry, who encouraged this effort by reminding us often that the church “had the pedigree of a basilica.”

We thank St. Bonaventure University Friars Fr. David Flood, OFM for his translation of the original Latin application and Fr. Dominic Monti, OFM for his expertise in the early Franciscan history of our parish. We also acknowledge Dr. Karin Krause, assistant professor of Byzantine Theology and Art Culture at the University of Chicago, for her artistic commentary and evaluation, and Msgr. John Michael Campbell, rector of the Basilica of St. Mary of the Assumption in Marietta, Ohio, for his expert guidance through the application process.

Profound appreciation is offered to all the pastors and parishioners and benefactors and devotees of this holy place who made all of this possible. “Basilica” means: Noble House. And you have made it that with your faith, your good works, and your generosity. 

Plans are now being finalized for a special Mass on Thursday, June 29, 2017, the Solemnity of St. Peter and Paul, when the concession of the new title will be celebrated by Bishop Malone, other invited bishops, with the participation of the Catholic community in Olean and you, dear parishioners. During the Eucharistic celebration, the proclamation of the Decree granting the title of “Minor Basilica” to St. Mary of the Angels will be read and the blessing of the Tintinnabulum and Papal Ombrellino—two pieces of insignia unique to minor basilicas— will take place. The church's name also will change to reflect its new designation: 

The Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels.

You, the good people of St. Mary of the Angels, have much to be proud of. This distinction not only validates the significance of this splendid church building, but more importantly, the significance of your good work in ministering to others and passing on the Good News of Jesus Christ with those with whom you come in contact. 

As our Holy Father Pope Francis reminds us: “Let the Church always be a place of Mercy and Hope, where everyone is welcomed, loved and forgiven.” As I told our bishop at the announcement this morning in Buffalo, that is our pledge at the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels. 

As a parish community we have much joyous planning and other festive and prayerful events between now and June 29. And we have much to learn about our new responsibilities. Let us enter this new chapter in our glorious parish history together, with praise on our lips using the hymn so dear to our ancestors who built this building: Holy God We Praise Thy Name! 

St. Mary of the Angels, pray for us as we embark on this new road ahead.