Holy Trinity: A History of Good Soil

By Ray Dyer
The Sooner Catholic

OKARCHE — Sister Marita Rother, ASC, sat at the rear of Holy Trinity Church, a family member or friend would stop every minute or so to offer a word or a brief hug. Her brother, Tom, stood nearby, greeting people as they walked into the historic church. A quarter-century ago the siblings were in the same place, at least physically. In 1981 their hearts had been broken by the senseless murder of their beloved brother, Father Stanley Francis Rother. The news of what had occurred on July 28, 1981 a world away in a place called Guatemala had come suddenly. And while faith does provide a solid and unwavering foundation, the knees will always buckle when the heart is struck with such a devastating blow.  

But on this night, 25-years later, the hearts of those who came to celebrate the life and death of Father Stanley Rother were filled with only joy. On this night, July 19, the knees would gratefully bend in deep and sincere praise of a loving, merciful and all-knowing God. Holy Trinity Church, the same church where 25-years earlier human suffering mixed with heavenly hope was on this night filled only with joy. The kind of joy that comes from faith in knowing that a person who was loved so much on this earth is loved far greater in God’s eternal kingdom.  

“Sometimes it seems like it was just last week,” Sister Marita said just before she and Tom processed to the altar, carrying a giant photo of their late brother. Some day, many believe, Father Stanley Rother will officially be declared the first Oklahoma-born saint. In their hearts, those who were close to him, as well as thousands who never met him believe he already is a saint. They know this because as Archbishop Eusebius Beltran said at the opening of the Mass: “My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, God is good.”

Holy Trinity is a special place. A number of priestly and religious vocations have sprouted from this parish on the prairie. A large poster at the rear of the church holds 5x7 photos of all of our archdiocesan seminarians. It reads in bold letters: “Pray For Our Seminarians.” Included among the photos is one of Joseph Patrick Schwarz, another Okarche fellow scheduled for ordination next year. Others have come before and it’s a good bet others will follow. As Fr. Don Wolf said in his homily delivered on this evening of July 19, 2006, and dedicated to the life and death of Father Stanley Rother: “A grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, Jesus says, and it grows up to bring a great harvest.”

The Catholic soil is fertile in this little part of the world.