On this day of the virtual Advent pilgrimage, we arrive in Oklahoma City and the Blessed Stanley Rother Shrine. The shrine commemorates the American missionary priest who was martyred in the rectory of his parish in Guatemala.
He grew up on a Catholic farm in western Oklahoma and ordained a priest in the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. Soon after his ordination he took up assignment as a missionary to the descendants of the Mayans in Guatemala and drove the 2,000 miles from Oklahoma to Guatemala to begin a ministry that would last over ten years.
During the terrible civil war of the 1980s, he elected to stay close to his flock despite the great danger posed to priests and religious in Guatemala at that time (and the option of safe refuge in the U.S.). As the violence intensified, and priests were targeted and ended up on death lists, Father Rother briefly returned to the safety of Oklahoma. However, just as Christ spoke of a shepherd never abandoning his sheep, so too could Father Rother not fathom leaving his parish flock unattended as the persecution and violence intensified in Guatemala. So, he risked his life and returned to Guatemala to be with his parish in time for Holy Week 1981. He was unswerving in preaching a Gospel of Love and non-violence. Just over three months later, he was killed by a right wing death squad who broke into the rectory in the middle of the night targeting him.
The witness of Father Rother is a reminder of the path of selfless love and charity that we are called to. He fearlessly embraced Christ’s call to serve the poor and marginalized, even to the point of death. May we draw strength from his example and strive to emulate his self giving love in our service to others this Advent season and throughout the year.
Of note – there is going to be a special Advent open house at the Shrine on December 14th, as well as a book signing for a newly released book on the life of Blessed Stanley Rother. Visit the shrine website for more info.
Discover more of Catholic Oklahoma
To learn more about the sites of Catholic Oklahoma, browse through the Catholic travel guide to Oklahoma here.
Concluding Psalm
To conclude this entry, let us turn to Psalm 75:
“O God, whom I praise, do not be silent, for wicked and treacherous mouths attack me. They speak against me with lying tongues; with hateful words they surround me, attacking me without cause. In return for my love they slander me, even though I prayed for them. They repay me evil for good, hatred for my love.” (Psalm 109: 2-5)
Previous days of the pilgrimage:
Day 1 – Rapid City, South Dakota
Day 2 – Montana
Day 3 – Sacramento
Day 4 – Los Angeles
Day 5 – Tucson
Day 6 – Santa Fe
Day 7 – Denver
Day 8 – San Antonio
Day 9 – Chicago
Day 10 – LaCrosse
CATHOLIC CONCIERGE 
Leave a comment