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MARQUETTE -- Bishop Baraga is one step closer to sainthood, thanks, in part, to the efforts of Bishop Alexander Sample.

Bishop Sample has returned from his recent trip to Rome where he met with church officials who unanimously voted to have Bishop Baraga's works be considered of "heroic virtue."

Bishop Baraga's works will now go before the Pope who will likely bestow the term "venerable" upon Bishop Baraga.

"He would then carry the title Venerable so he would become known as The Venerable Fredrick Baraga, which means that he is worthy of the veneration of the faithful to imitate his example and to seek his intercession of their needs."

This is only a step in the beatification and canonization of Bishop Baraga.  Bishop Sample also said that there is tremendous support for Bishop Baraga, not only in the upper Midwest, but in Slovenia as well.