How can an ordinary man from Oklahoma become an extraordinary saint?
On this episode of The Catholic Talk Show, Ryan Scheel, Ryan DellaCrosse and Fr. Matt King join with Miguel Mireles, Executive Director of The Blessed Stanley Rother Shrine. The guys talk about the heroic life of the martyred American priest who may become the 1st American male saint!
Before volunteering as a parish priest in Guatemala, Stanley had a humble upbringing of daily rosaries and altar serving. His faith was lived out in work and prayer, be it tinkering on engines, laboring on the farm or participating in 4-H. “He had an understanding the Lord was calling to him… he knew the poverty they were living in, and he really wanted to use those skills also to help improve their life.”
When civil unrest threatened his parishioners, Stanley didn’t abandon them. Miguel says “his heart was with those people, he fell in love with the people there, he was their shepherd and he felt connected to them in a very intimate way.”
He knew his name was on a hit-list, but he chose to return to Guatemala anyway, believing “the shepherd doesn’t run at the first sign of danger.”
This led to his martyrdom on July 28, 1981. He was fearlessly committed to his flock in the face of death, and fought bravely against his assassin until the end. “He did put up a fight, he wrote ‘they will not take me alive,’” Mireles recounts.
His beatification in 2017 brought 1000s together to Oklahoma City. Miguel says his impact is still growing with the Shrine’s work there. “The Shrine is for everyone… people come thinking one thing but when they leave the Shrine they leave a little different.”
The guys say that Blessed Stanley encourages us to live our faith courageously and humbly, making him an amazing role model for Catholics today!
Watch this episode below 👇
Blessed Stanley Rother, pray for us! 🙏
Credit: George Ryan via ChurchPOP
