Rev. Msgr. Andrew Baker
Click image for larger view
Reverend Monsignor Andrew R. Baker, S.T.D.,
Pastor of the Cathedral Church
Msgr. Baker was born in 1965 in Coopersburg, Pennsylvania,
the seventh of twelve children of William and Elizabeth Baker.
After attending St. Michael School in Limeport/Colesville (1979)
and Central Catholic High School in Allentown (1983), he began his
formation as a seminarian for the Diocese of Allentown, Pennsylvania.
After graduating from Saint Charles Seminary College and Theology Division,
he was ordained by Bishop Thomas J. Welsh on June 1, 1991, as a priest
for the Diocese of Allentown.
His first priestly assignment was Parochial Vicar of Saint Thomas More
Parish in Allentown (1991-1994). He was then sent for further theological
studies to the University of Navarre, Pamplona, Spain, where he earned a
license in Moral Theology in 1996. He completed his studies at the University
of the Holy Cross in Rome, Italy, with a doctorate in Moral Theology in 1997,
defending his dissertation entitled “On Contraception: Two Diverse Approaches.”
Upon returning to the Diocese of Allentown, Msgr. Baker was assigned as
Catholic Chaplain of Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania (1997-2000)
while also teaching high school students at Bethlehem Catholic High School (1997-1999)
and Notre High School (1999-2000). From 2000 to 2001 Msgr. Baker was on the faculty of
Saint Charles Seminary, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, were he taught Moral Theology and
served as a formation advisor.
In 2001 he returned to Rome to become an official at the Congregation for
Bishops where he served until 2009. Beside his duties at the Congregation,
Msgr. Baker was also a Visiting Professor at the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum), Visiting Professor at Christendom College
Rome Campus and he served as a chaplain for the Notre Dame University students
in the School of Architecture and those in the semester abroad program in Rome.
On June 15, 2009, Msgr. Baker began his service as Pastor of the Cathedral Parish of St. Catharine of Siena.
He was named Chaplain of His Holiness with the title of Monsignor in March of 2006.
Msgr. Baker has published several articles in journals such as “Catholic Dossier,” “America,”
“Homiletic & Pastoral Review,” and “Lay Witness.” He is also an annual contributor to “The AD Times,”
the official newspaper of the Diocese of Allentown.
