Blessed Stanley Rother: Diocesan Priest and Martyr
The latest American to be beatified (a step in the process of becoming a saint) hails from a small town in western Oklahoma. His name is Father Stanley Rother. Not only is he the first recognized American martyr, he is also the first beatified American-born male.
Father Rother was born on March 27, 1935 in the small German farming community of Okarche, OK. He arrived in the middle of Oklahoma’s Dust Bowl years and the Great Depression. Little Stanley had two brothers and two sisters. His only living sibling is his sister Marita, a member of the Adorers of the Precious Blood. (In the 1990’s, I gave some talks in Oklahoma. The sister who picked me up at the airport was Sister Marita. That’s when I first heard her brother’s inspiring story.)
As a youth, Stanley was quiet and unassuming. He was very active in 4-H and seemed destined to be a farmer. But upon graduating from high school, Stanley surprised his family by announcing he wanted to become a priest. He entered St. John’s seminary in San Antonia where things did not go well for him. He struggled with academics—especially Latin—and was asked to leave.
Back home, Stanley appealed to his bishop to help him get into Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg, MD. The bishop agreed and Stanley was accepted. There Stanley worked very hard and was eventually ordained in 1963 for the then-Diocese of Oklahoma City and Tulsa. He served in parishes in the area for five years. But everything changed when he volunteered for Oklahoma’s mission in Guatemala.
Father Rother arrived in Guatemala in 1968. He was sent to Santiago Atitlan to serve the Tz’utujil people, an agricultural community proud of their
ancient Mayan culture. Immediately Father fell in love with the beautiful land and the beautiful people. By now, he had learned Spanish, but he wanted to speak directly to his people in their native language. The young seminarian who got D’s in Latin, mastered the complicated Tz’utujil language so well, he even helped to transcribe this oral language into written form.
During his 13 years of service at the mission, Father Rother helped develop a farmers’ co-op, a nutrition center, a medical clinic, a school, and the first Catholic radio station in the area. But what endeared him most to the people was his gentle presence among them and his willingness to fix tractors and engage in everyday farm work.
Since 1960 Guatemala was engaged in a bloody civil war that lasted 36 years. Eventually this war reached even Atitlan. Because the Catholic Church spoke out against the injustices to the poor, church leaders were targeted. Father Rother’s own catechists began to disappear. But he continued to defend the dignity of his people against a government that was bent on silencing the Church. This only made his situation more dangerous for him. In January 1981, Father Stanley received several death threats. He decided to leave Guatemala, but, shortly afterward, he had a change of heart saying, “The shepherd cannot run at the first sign of danger.” In April, he returned to the mission and resumed his priestly ministry there.
Only July 28, at 1:30 in the morning, three men (non-indigenous) snuck into the rectory, beat Father Rother and shot him twice in the head. His death was deeply mourned by the people he served as well as his family and friends back home. His body was sent back to Oklahoma for burial, but, at the request of his parishioners, his heart was entombed under an altar in his beloved Santiago Atitlan.
Oklahoma City Archbishop Paul S. Coakley, a fellow graduate of Mount St. Mary’s Seminary, said this of his friend: “The life and witness of Father Rother is a gift to the Church of America, especially in the way he lived his priesthood: selflessly, generously, heroically… after the manner of Christ.”
Is there anything in Father’s story that stands out for you?
Does he remind you of other individuals who gave their life for their faith?
Father Rother is the first beatified American male? Can you name the three American-born saints? They are all women. The answer is at the end.
The song I chose is “We Remember,” written by Marty Haugen. The song’s opening line refers to Jesus, of course, but it could just as well be said in Father Rother’s honor by the Tz’utujil people he served so generously: “We remember how you loved us to your death.”
I invite you to share your thoughts with us below. My readers tell me how much they enjoy reading the comments!
ANSWER: The three American-born Saints are: Elizabeth Anne Seton, Katharine Drexel, and Kateri Tekawitha.
The Times We Live In
Many of us are familiar with Charles Dickens’ famous novel, A Tale of Two Cities. (Perhaps you were forced to read the book by some conscientious highschool English teacher—like me!) The book opens with those memorable words: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” Dickens was describing 18th Century France. In one way it was the best of times, for the “Rights of Man” had just been promulgated. But in another way it was the worst of times, for the French Revolution was marked by terror, death, and destruction.
How would you describe our own times? Is it the best of times or the worst of times? I think there is a tendency in many of us to think we are living in the worst of times. We point to things like war, terrorism, economic disparity, corruption in business and politics, natural disasters of all kinds, the destruction of our environment, and the threat of a nuclear holocaust. But there is a danger in thinking we are living in the worst of times. Such thinking can quickly lead to paralysis and/or despair.
That’s why a knowledge of history is so important. History can give us a healthier perspective on our own age. With that in mind, let’s go back to 14th Century Italy and look at a fascinating woman, St. Catherine of Siena, a tertiary of the Dominican Order, and see how she dealt with her times. First, what were her times like? In the 14th Century, the Black Death raged throughout Europe, killing an estimated 50 million people or up to 30% to 60% of Europe’s entire population. In addition, mercenary armies prowled the countryside waging war everywhere and wreaking havoc. As for the Church, Pope Gregory XI had fled to Avignon, France, leaving the administration of the Church in the hands of corrupt legates. In one way, Catherine lived in the worst of times.
But Catherine did not bemoan her times. She did not say, “If only the Black Death would go away… If only the world were at peace… If only we had perfect political and church leaders, then I could really live my Christian faith.” No, Catherine became a great saint precisely because she accepted her times as the context in which God was calling her to live her faith. She did not run away from the critical issues of her day. Rather, she actively engaged herself with them. She wrote hundreds of letters, served the destitute, counseled prisoners, reconciled individuals who were at odds with one another, helped reform the Church, wrote extensively on the spiritual life, and still found time for personal prayer and contemplation.
Sometimes we are too quick to bemoan our own times. We imagine that the world used to be a kinder and gentler place or that previous generations had it much easier than we do. But a quick perusal of history would dispel such a view. In fact, every age could be 
called the worst of times for one reason or another, for every age has its serious challenges and problems—just as ours does.
But, as Christians, we believe that the times we live in are exactly where God is calling us to live out our faith. We are called to engage ourselves with the serious issues of our day—poverty, abortion, racism, sexism, ageism, health care, human trafficking, immigration, destruction of our environment, to name a few. We cannot engage with every serious issue, of course. But can we choose at least one critical issue that somehow touches our heart? Can we become involved with that issue by devoting some of our time, energy, talents, and financial support to it?
God is calling us to respond to our times in the same way that Catherine did: with attentiveness, compassion, courage, persistence, hope and great faith in Jesus.
How are you personally engaged with one of the serious challenges or issues of our day?
Can you think of some ways that our times are also the best of times?
The Song today is one many of you know. It’s called “They’ll Know We Are Christian by our Love.” This one beautifully highlights the corporal works of mercy given to us by Jesus himself (see Mt. 25:31-46).
What did you think of this reflection and/or the song? Did anything touch your heart? Please feel free to write a response below.
Announcing: My new book has been published! It’s called Hanging onto Hope: Reflections and Prayers for Finding ‘Good’ in an Imperfect World. The book will be available in a week or so, but you can pre-order it at Twenty-Third Publications or Amazon.com. The book has 19 chapters and includes topics such as these: What is hope? hope and love; ways to nourish hope; challenges to hope; hope, pain and sorrow; hope and prayer, hope and a sense of humor, examples of hope, images of hope. Each chapter ends with a prayer, questions for personal reflection or group sharing, and suggested music videos to accompany your prayer.
An Autumn Walk in the Park
It is a lovely late morning in early September. I decide to go for a walk in the nearby park. As soon as I pull into the parking lot, I notice something unusual: there are no other cars. I walk across the wooden bridge that leads to the path around the lake. Before I set off, I scan the area. I see no one—no one walking a dog, no one jogging, no one fishing from one of the docks. “I’m alone!” I say with excitement. “All alone!”
But as soon as I say the words, I smile. I am certainly not alone. As I start walking, I remind myself that although I may be the only human being in the park this morning, I am not the only living being. There are countless other living things with me in the park—for example the sparrows and gold finches I see flying around. I spot two ducks on the water’s edge and a gaggle of geese sitting in the middle of the lake holding some kind of a convention. I notice a few bees, hear the steady droning of some cicadas, and am startled by a couple of jumping grasshoppers showing off their athletic prowess.
And what about the living things I don’t see? The blue gills and bass in the lake. The turtles I’ve seen sunning themselves on a log. And don’t forget the elusive deer, the rabbits, the raccoons, and the bats that are probably hanging upside down sleeping in the bat house built for them. And how could I ever forget the worms, beetles, ants, slugs and other small 
creatures hiding in the brush, scurrying in the grass, or burrowing beneath the soil? And let’s not forget the flora —the goldenrod, the Queen Anne’s lace, the mushrooms, the bushes, and the trees: willows, ash, oaks, and the maples with their leaves just beginning to turn orange.
No, I am not alone. There are thousands of other living beings with me in the park. And why should I limit my companionship only to living things? What about all the so-called inanimate things that are with me as I walk—the earth I tread upon, the rocks strewn along the shore of the lake, the sun warming me, the clouds floating above me, the air I breathe, the gentle wind on my face and in my hair, and, of course, the beautiful lake itself. Aren’t these all worthy of my attention and appreciation, too?
As I walk, I feel so connected to everything around me. I recall the words of the great German poet Goethe who said, “Nothing in nature is isolated; nothing is without reference to something else.” And I wonder: if we really appreciated our innate connectedness to everyone and everything else, what effect would that awareness have on our interpersonal relationships, our prayer, our daily choices, our work, our laws, our foreign policy?
Father Thomas Berry, who wrote so much about the mystery and beauty of the universe, said this: “The universe is a single gorgeous celebratory event.” As I walked in the park today, I thanked God for allowing me to be a part of such a gorgeous and celebratory world!
How about some bluegrass/gospel music for today’s song? This is Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver singing, “God Is Love.” If you like bluegrass, turn the volume up. If you don’t like bluegrass, turn the volume down and enjoy the beautiful words and pictures!
At what times do you most feel your connectedness with everyone and everything?
Do you like Autumn? If so, why? If not, why not?
I invite you to share some of your thoughts with the rest of us…
PS: Thank you for your prayers for the Autumn retreat I facilitated this past weekend at Benet House in Rock Island, IL. We had 30 wonderful participants: 2 married couples, about 10 laywomen, and the rest were sisters from various communities. Special thanks to Sister Bobbi, OSB, the director of the retreat center who made everyone feel so welcome and who made everything run so smoothly!
The Magic and Power of Reading
I saw a poster once that said, “If you can read this, thank a teacher.” I thought of my first grade teacher, Miss Enniert at James A. Garfield School. Although I can’t even remember what she looked like, I realize she was the main person who taught me how to read. She developed in me that incredible skill that eventually turned into a life-long passion. And so today I publicly say: “Thank you, Miss Enniert, for teaching me how to read!”
The ability to read is a marvelous gift. But what exactly is reading? Simply put, reading is a complex process of decoding signs or symbols in order to derive meaning from them. Imagine if you couldn’t read and you saw a book for the first time. What would you see? A bunch of pages with little black squiggly marks on them. When I was in Korea, I toured an elementary school with a library that had over 10,000 books—all in Korean, of course. I suddenly realized I wouldn’t be able to read a single book in that library—because I didn’t know the code to decipher all those squiggly symbols.
Reading is shaped by the reader’s prior knowledge, experience, attitude, and culture. That’s why Edmund Wilson could declare: “No two persons ever read the same book.” When we read, we usually read silently and without forming the words with our lips. But in the 4th Century, St. Augustine remarked on St. Ambrose’s “unusual” way of reading: He read silently and without moving his lips!
Literacy rates (which include both reading and writing) differ from country to country. Here are a few countries and their literacy rates: Russia, 99.7%, Canada, 99%; Australia, 99%; United States, 97.9%; Mexico, 95%, India, 72%; Ethiopia 49.1%. In some countries there is a
significant gap between male literacy and female literacy. For example, in Afghanistan male literacy is 52%, female literacy is 24%. A country with one of the lowest literacy rates is Niger in western Africa: Male literacy is 19.1%, while female literacy is 11%. Today world literacy is 86.3%, or 90% for males and 82% for females.
Here are 10 facts about reading that are worth pondering:
1) Worldwide, people spend an average of 6.5 hours a week reading.
2) In the U.S. 63 % of the adult population of prisoners are functionally illiterate. Whereas 85% of all juveniles who come into contact with the juvenile court system are functionally illiterate.
3) The Penguin paperback was created in 1935 to make books as affordable as cigarettes.
4) Throughout history, for religious or political reasons, books have been censored or burned.
5) Ray Bradbury, author of Fahrenheit 451, said, “There are worse crimes than burning books. One of them is not reading them.” (His classic book tells of a futuristic world in which all books are burned. Fahrenheit 451 is the temperature at which book paper catches fire.)
6) Half of all the books sold today are to people over the age of 45.
7) Women buy 68% of all the books sold.
8) One in 4 adults have not read a book in the past year.
9) International literacy day is September 8.
10) Reading (and writing) are brain-stimulating activities that have been shown to slow down cognitive decline.
Many beautiful words have been used to describe the magic and power of reading. Here are two of my favorites:
Elizabeth Hardwick, literary critic, novelist, short story writer: “The greatest gift is a passion for reading. It is cheap, it consoles, it distracts, it excites, it gives you knowledge of the world and experience of a wider kind. It is a moral illumination.”
Mary Schmich, Pulitzer Prize winning journalist: “Reading is a discount ticket to everywhere.”
If you are still reading this, thank a teacher! And thank God for your good fortune to be a reader!
What role does reading play in your everyday life? in your spiritual life?
What impact has modern technology had on your reading?
Why do you read “Sunflower Seeds”?
Today’s song is “Seek Ye First,” written by Karen Lafferty and sung here by the Maranatha Singers. As scripture says, we do not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. The gift of reading gives us access to God’s Word found in the Bible:
Do you feel moved to share anything with us today—about reading, about something said in this reflection or the song?
PS: Thank you for your prayers for my annual retreat. Every day I prayed for my dear “Sunflower Seeds Community.” I ask for your prayers for a retreat I will be giving this coming weekend at Benet House Retreat Center in Rock Island, IL. Thank you! … And of course, I join with you in praying for peace on this anniversary of Sept. 11, 2001… and for all our brothers and sisters suffering from the effects of hurricanes Harvey and Irma…
The Cardinal and the Pediatrician
I have found two new people to admire. One is a Cardinal and the other a pediatrician.
The Cardinal is Joseph Tobin, recently appointed by Pope Francis to be the archbishop of Newark, NJ. Prior to this appointment, Tobin served as archbishop of Indianapolis, IN from 2012-2016. Why do I admire this new Cardinal in the church? For several reasons.
First, I like his positive spin on politics. Tobin encourages all citizens—including Catholics—to become more involved in politics. He says, “If I could change anything it would be to restore the luster to the word politician.” He reminds us that the word politician comes from the Greek polis that originally meant “the people.” Says, Tobin, “A politician is somebody who works for the common good.”
The Cardinal also says we should not refrain from discussing “hot-button” issues with others. We should not say, “I want to know what you think about this particular issue, and then I’ll decide whether I’m going to talk with you anymore.” Tobin, like Pope Francis, encourages us to talk with each other—especially with individuals who think differently than we do. Tobin himself does this. For example, when he was archbishop of Indianapolis, the Governor of Indiana was Mike Pence (now Vice President). Pence announced that all Syrian refugees would be banned from settling in Indiana. Tobin, a prominent voice against immigration bans, asked to meet with Pence. Pence agreed. Tobin brought along the director of Catholic Charities, the director of the diocesan Refugee Resettlement Program, and an Iraqi refugee named Ali. Ali had settled in Indiana a few years back, had earned a university degree, and was gainfully employed. Ali was proud to tell the Governor that he was an American citizen and he hoped someday his family could join him in this country. At one point Pence told Tobin that Indiana would not pay for any more refugees. Tobin replied, “OK, if you’re not going to pay for them, we (the Church) will find the money.” The refugee families, said Tobin, would not be a burden on the state.
At the end of their meeting, both Pence and Tobin agreed to pray about the issue and for each other. They also agreed not to talk to the media about the specifics of their meeting. Says Tobin, “We still talk to each other. We don’t throw punches or anything.”
In his talks and encyclicals, Pope Francis is “fostering a culture of encounter.” Obviously, Tobin supports this in both word and deed. Tobin believes that religion is not something we do for an hour on Sunday. Instead, “Religion is a lifestyle. It means that what I believe influences the way I live.”
Another person I admire is Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, a pediatrician serving in Flint,
Michigan. In 2014 the city of Flint switched its water source from the Detroit system to the Flint River—in order to save money. Soon people began to complain of the smell, appearance, and taste of their tap water. One civil engineer studied the water and reported that it contained dangerous levels of lead. Such levels were known to cause brain damage in children. Despite his evidence, government leaders insisted the water was safe.
At this same time, Dr. Hanna-Attishi also began to notice alarmingly high levels of lead in the children she was treating. She decided to conduct her own study with the help of several colleagues. They were shocked by the data. Rather than wait to publish their findings in a medical journal (it would have taken too long), they called a press conference and presented their results. Immediately some officials questioned the doctor’s research and accused her of inciting “mass hysteria.” But the doctor stood her ground. “We knew our numbers were right,” she said later. With the help of the news media, she was soon vindicated, and the scope of the terrible tragedy was made known. As a result, two officials resigned and President Obama declared a state of emergency in Flint.
Dr. Hanna-Attisha, who is the daughter of Iraqi immigrants, was praised for her courage and perseverance. She said humbly, “If I can inspire a generation of strong women who are ethical and who are stubborn and who care about their communities, that would be worth it.”
A Cardinal and a pediatrician. Both devoted to serving others, especially those in need. Both gifted with courage and perseverance. Little wonder I admire them—and wish I could be more like them.
We all need strength and courage to deal with the trials of daily life. This song, “You are My Strength” by Hillsong reminds us of the source of our strength: our loving God. The accompanying pictures from space underscore the vastness and beauty of God’s creation. Let us pray for strength for all those suffering from the effects of Hurricane Harvey… and strength for those who are serving them in their need.
What are your thoughts on Cardinal Tobin and Dr. Hanna-Attisha?
Are there other people whom you admire? Why do you admire these individuals?
PS: I will be making my annual retreat September 1-7. Therefore there will be no new post on my blog on September 4. My next post will be Monday, September 11. I promise to pray for all of you during my retreat. Please pray for me too. Thank you and God bless you!
