Who was Father Felix Varela and why was he mentioned at St. Patrick's Cathedral on Easter Sunday?

At the celebration of Mass on Easter Sunday morning at St. Patrick's Cathedral, Cardinal Timothy Dolan called on Brooklyn Auxiliary Bishop Octavio Cisneros to explain to the congregation that the sainthood cause for Cuban-born Padre Felix Varela (1788-1853) has advanced. Have you heard of Father Varela? Click here to read the Wikipedia article about him and to learn more about his work for the poor and the immigrants in New York. Click here to read the Archdiocese of Miami press release about Padre Varela.