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Remembering
Their Padre
Close to two-dozen
people, the majority of them Catholic,
from Oklahoma and other parts of the
nation spent a week in Guatemala in
late July celebrating the life and death
of Father Stanley Rother. Archbishop
Beltran led the pilgrimage on this the
25th anniversary of the death of the
Okarche-born priest who was shot to
death in the mission rectory at Santiago
Atitlan on July 28, 1981. The archbishop
declared 2006 to be the Year of Father
Stanley Rother in the Archdiocese of
Oklahoma City. Catholics have been praying
that Father Rother will one- day be
declared Oklahoma’s first saint. Holy
Trinity Church in Okarche, the home
parish of the slain Father Rother, celebrated
a special Mass in remembrance of his
life on July 19. On July 30 a Memorial
Service was celebrated at his gravesite
in Okarche. These photos of the people
of Santiago Atitlan were taken by Father
Stephen Bird, pastor at Epiphany Church
and director of the Archdiocesan Office
of Worship and Spiritual Life. More
stories and photos about Father Rother
and the pilgrimage can be found inside.
Photos by Reverend Stephen Bird
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