July 28: Blessed Stanley Rother

[Tis_Bearself]

Today is the feast day of Blessed Stanley Rother, the first US-born priest to be beatified.

Originally from Oklahoma, he went to serve as a mission priest in Guatemala, and was martyred there on this day in 1981 during a time of political unrest. He had had the option of returning to the US, but chose to remain with his flock in Guatemala despite a significant likelihood that he would be killed there.

Blessed Stanley Rother, pray for us.

https://www.facebook.com/ewtnonline/photos/a.157114462581/10157770965612582

 

[Glennon_P]

A farm boy from Oklahoma who became a martyr for the Faith…not unlike a farm boy from the neighboring Diocese of Wichita who also became a martyr for the Faith.

Remains of Fr. Emil Kapaun identified in Hawaii

May these two martyrs assist us by their prayers and may we all rejoice with them forever in the Heavenly Kingdom.

 

[Victoria33]

One reliable source said “Rebels” shot and killed Father Rother. Most sources just say “3 gunmen”, never identified. So, I’m not sure of what the source was discussing.

When we read the news about world events, it really is hard to discern “events” in foreign countries, it’s hard enough to tell things here in the USA…

And yes, Father Emil Kapaun, very important. Thank you for reminding us of this.

Many truly great Saints and Blessed personas out there.

If you don’t read the whole story on Bl. Rother, it’s so curious, his body was returned to the USA, OK, but his heart was left in Guatemala. I have never heard of such a thing and the EWTN article does make mention of this.

Rother was 46 when he was killed by three masked gunmen on July 28, 1981, in the rectory of his church at Santiago Atitlán. The assassins have never been identified.

Soon after his death, the priest’s body was returned to his family for burial in Okarche, Oklahoma, but at the request of the faithful in Guatemala, his heart and blood were entombed in the church at Santiago Atitlán. After the box containing them was recently opened for examination, Bishop Gonzalo de Villa of Sololá-Chimaltenango described the blood as “still fresh — after 36 years. It was as if it had been buried the day before”.

Missionary and Martyr | EWTN

 

[Victoria33]

More great stuff, so our pastor was saying, Father Rother may not have been the best preacher, the brightest… but he happened to take on Spanish and the indigenous languages (like Maya) very well in Guatemala.

Day by Day with María

Day by Day with María: it's official: the first U.S. martyr is from Oklahoma!

In Okarche, Oklahoma:

(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)

(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)

More at above links.

The above blog. A writer’s blog. She seems to have written for some Catholic publications and apparently, some books as well.