Blessed Stanley Rother

• On March 27, 1935, Blessed Stanley Francis Rother was born to Franz and Gertrude Rother on their family farm in Okarche, Oklahoma. He was the oldest of 4 siblings: Elizabeth Mary (now Sister Marita), the twins James Henry and Thomas Joseph, and Carolyn Ann, who sadly passed away two days after being born. After finishing high school, Stanley announced to his family that he would enter the seminary and become a priest. It was a shock to them as they had always assumed that he would be a farmer, like most Okarche men at that time. His parents, however, supported Stanley, and he entered the seminary in San Antonio, Texas.

• While in seminary, Stanley struggled with his classes. At the time, most seminary courses were taught in Latin, and so he found himself failing classes due to his poor grasp of the language. As a result of his grades, he was asked to leave the seminary. Upon returning to Oklahoma, he told Bishop Victor Reed that he still believed he was called to be the priesthood. Bishop Reed, seeing Stanley's zeal and desire, sought to find a seminary that would give him a new chance. After searching for the right seminary, Bishop Reed informed Stanley that he would attend Mount St. Mary's Seminary in Emmitsburg, Maryland. Though the coursework did not grow any easier,  Stanley persevered. He was ordained a priest on May 25, 1963.

• In 1968, after serving several different parish assignments in Oklahoma, Fr. Rother volunteered to serve as a missionary in Guatemala in the Diocese of Santiago Atitlàn. Upon his arrival, he fell in love with the Tz'utujil Indian people whom he was serving. To serve his community there, Fr. Stanley learned both Spanish and the native language. He translated the New Testament into Tz'utujil and would preach in the language as well.

• In 1981, during the Guatemalan civil war, Fr. Rother's community was targeted. Some of his staff, catechists, and parishioners were kidnapped and murdered. Fr. Rother spoke out against the radical government which was suppressing and attacking the Catholic Church in Guatemala. As a result, Fr. Rother was placed on a kill list, and he was advised to leave the country and return to Oklahoma. He reluctantly returned to Oklahoma, but his heart was restless thinking about the needs of his people. He knew that he had to return to shepard his flock. A famous quote from him was "The shepherd cannot run at the first sign of danger." Although he knew he would be watched, and most likely killed, he returned to Guatemala in time to celebrate Easter.

• At midnight on July 28, 1981, three gunmen broke into the rectory and shot Fr. Rother. On December 1, 2016, Pope Francis declared Fr. Rother the first US-born martyr, and beatified him on September 23, 2017. His body is laid to rest at the Shrine of Blessed Stanley Rother in Oklahoma City, but his heart remains enshrined in Guatemala and remains incorrupt to this day.

Blessed Stanley Rother, Pray for Us!