Bl. Stanley Rother

Let's begin in the name of the Father and the Son in the Holy Spirit. Amen.

“Let's call the mind all those we've promised to pray for. I believe in God, the Father,”

Almighty Creator of Heaven and Earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell.

On the third day, he rose again. He ascended into heaven and he seated at the right hand of the

Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting, amen. Our Father, who art and heaven, hell, would be your name. My kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us a stay, our daily bread,

“and for your best our trespasses, as we free of those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation.”

Deliver us from evil amen. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed art thou among women, blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother, God,

pray for us, and earns now, in the hour of our death, amen. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with

thee, blessed art thou among women, blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother, of God, pray for us, and earns now, in the hour of our death, amen. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed art thou among women, blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother, of God, pray for us, and earns now, in the hour of our death, amen. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

“As it was in the beginning, it has now never shall be world without end, amen. Our first mystery,”

we can be tempted to think that saints belong to another place in time.

Europe, a thousand years ago, you can visit their tombs on pilgrimage and read about their miracles,

but becoming the same today, that feels impossible. Blessed, standly, rother, shatters that illusion. He was born in 1935 and grew up on a farm near Ocarchi, Oklahoma, right off Highway 81. I spent a lot of time while I was growing up on our near farms, up and down, at same highway, 81 in Yankton, South Dakota. It probably looks pretty much the same, except for the color of the dirt. After high school, instead of taking over the family farm,

Stanley entered seminary for the diocese of Oklahoma City. Back then, seminarians had to master Latin. Stanley couldn't. After six years of struggle, the seminary dismissed him. He went home, worked on the farm, spent time in prayer, seeking the will of God. But he didn't give up. He got a Latin tutor and with help from Bishop Victor Reed, he transferred to Mount St. Mary's seminary in Maryland. There, he persevered.

And in 1963, was ordained, a priest. Our father, who art in heaven, hollowed be your name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us a stay, our daily bread, and give us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil amen. Hey, oh Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed, our Thou among women, blessed is a fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God,

pray for us and earns now in the hour of our death, amen. Hey, oh Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed, our Thou among women, blessed is a fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us and earns now in the hour of our death, amen. Hey, oh Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed, our Thou among women, blessed is a fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us and earns now in the hour of our death, amen. Hey, oh Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with

thee, blessed, our Thou among women, blessed is a fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us and earns now in the hour of our death, amen. Hey, oh Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed, our Thou among women, blessed is a fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us and earns now in the hour of our death, amen. Hey, oh Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed, our Thou among women, blessed is a fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God,

thee, blessed, our Thou among women, blessed is a fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God,

“pray for us and earns now in the hour of our death, amen. Hey, oh Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with”

thee, blessed, our Thou among women, blessed is a fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us and earns now in the hour of our death, amen. Hey, oh Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed, our Thou among women, blessed is a fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us and earns now in the hour of our death, amen. Hey, oh Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed, our Thou among women, blessed is a fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God,

pray for us and earns now in the hour of our death, amen. Hey, oh Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed, our Thou among women, blessed is a fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us and earns now in the hour of our death, amen. Glory be to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, it's now in the Versailles B, world without end, amen. Oh, my Jesus. Forgive us, our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to have

been especially those most in need of thy mercy. Our second mystery. In the early 1960s, Pope John

the 23rd asked North American diocese to send missionaries to Central America, Father Stanley volunteered. In 1968, he was sent to Guatemala to a poor farming village, inhabited by the

“sutu heal, a Mayan people. The sutu heal language is very difficult. You should see how it's spelled.”

Yet this same man who couldn't learn Latin learned sutu heal fluently. Now, as a missionary, he didn't just celebrate mass and administer the sacraments. He farmed right beside his people. He introduced irrigation, taught better planting method, fixed to engines,

built homes, did whatever they needed. One local villageer said, if we ate weeds, he ate weeds.

If we ate fish, he ate fish, and he got sick doing it. But that's what won their hearts. To them, he was no outsider. He was one of them. Other missionary volunteers later marveled that seeing Father Stanley walk into the village, it looked like the stories in the Bible about Jesus, with crowds gathering around him, people reaching out to touch him, and little children

“trailing behind to hold his hands. The local people came to trust and review him deeply. In their eyes,”

he was their shepherd. Our father, who art in heaven, hollowed be your name. By kingdom come, by will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us a stay, our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses. As we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil amen. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed,

our thumb, and women, blessed is a fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us in our ensnown at the hour of our death, amen. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed, our thumb, and women, blessed is a fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us in our ensnown at the hour of our death, amen. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed, our thumb, and women, blessed is a fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God,

pray for us in our ensnown at the hour of our death, amen. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed, our thumb, and women, blessed is a fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us in our ensnown at the hour of our death, amen. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed, our thumb, and women, blessed is a fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us in our ensnown at the hour of our death, amen.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed, our thumb, and women, blessed is a fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us in our ensnown at the hour of our death, amen. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed, our thumb, and women, blessed is a fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us in our ensnown at the hour of our death, amen.

thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us in our ensnown at the hour of our death, amen.

“Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed, our thumb, and women, blessed is a fruit of”

thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us in our ensnown at the hour of our death, amen. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed, our thumb, and women, blessed is a fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us in our ensnown at the hour of our death, amen. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed, our thumb, and blessed is a fruit of our death, amen. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed, our thumb, and blessed is a fruit of

my Jesus. Holy Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed, our thumb, and blessed is a fruit of

seeking to root out Marxist rebels, enacted a scorched earth policy. So, entire villages were burned,

teachers and health workers were often accused of helping the rebels simply for serving the poor.

“The reality is that we are in danger, Father Stanley wrote in mid-1980,”

noting that several foreign priests had already been murdered. He watched his own parishioners abducted in the night, over 30 were killed or disappeared. He hid those targeted, he confronted the military commanders, and he knew, by staying with the poor, he was risking his life, but he stayed. Our father, who art in heaven, hollowed be your name. My kingdom come by will be done on earth as it is in heaven. If a sister are dearly bred in forgive us, our trespasses,

as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation. It's a little less for me, believe me. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed, our thumb, and women, blessed is a fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother,

“God, pray for us in earth, now in the hour of our death, amen. Hail Mary, full of grace,”

the Lord is with thee, blessed, our thumb, and women, blessed is a fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother, God, pray for us in earth, now in the hour of our death, amen. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed, our thumb, and women, blessed is a fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother, God, pray for us in earth, now in the hour of our death, amen. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed, our thumb, and women, blessed is a fruit of thy womb,

Jesus. Holy Mary, mother, God, pray for us in earth, now in the hour of our death, amen. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed, our thumb, and women, blessed is a fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother, God, pray for us in earth, now in the hour of our death, amen. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed, our thumb, and women, blessed is a fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother, God, pray for us in earth, now in the hour of our death, amen.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed, our thumb, and women, blessed is a fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother, God, pray for us in earth, now in the hour of our death, amen. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed, our thumb, and women, blessed is a fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother, of God, pray for us in earth, now in the hour of our death, amen. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed, our thumb, and women, blessed is a fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, mother, of God, pray for us in earth, now in the hour of our death, amen. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed, our thumb, and women, blessed is a fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother, of God, pray for us in earth, now in the hour of our death, amen. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed, our Father, and to the Holy Spirit. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed, our Father, and to the Holy Spirit.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed, our Father, and to the Holy Spirit. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed, our Father, and to the Holy Spirit. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed, our Father, and to the Holy Spirit. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed, our Father, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning has now never shall be, world without end, amen. Oh, my Jesus, forgive us, our sins, save us from the fires of hell. Lead all souls to have an especially those most in need of thy mercy.

Our fourth mystery, in early 1981, word came. Father Ruther was on a death list. So his bishop ordered him home. He obeyed, but only for a time. A shepherd cannot run at the

first sight of danger. He told his family, and then the bishop. So he returned to Guadalamala

masked men broke into his rectory. They tried to abduct him. He resisted with his fists.

“His hands were found bruised and bloodied later. But when they couldn't drag him out, they shot and killed him.”

He was 46. He was martyred because he lived the gospel. And because he loved the poor, and because he refused to abandon them. Pope Francis declared him a martyr, December 1st, 2016. And he was beatified in 2017. Or father who art in heaven, hollowed be your name, like kingdom come, they will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us a stair, daily bread, and forgive us, or trespasses.

As we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil amen. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed,

our thal among women, blessed is a fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God,

“pray for us and earn us now in the hour of our death, amen. Hail Mary, full of grace,”

the Lord is with thee, blessed, our thal among women, blessed is a fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us and earn us now in the hour of our death, amen. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed, our thal among women, blessed is a fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us and earn us now in the hour of our death, amen. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed, our thal among women, blessed is a fruit of thy womb Jesus.

Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us and earn us now in the hour of our death, amen. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed, our thal among women, blessed is a fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us and earn us now in the hour of our death, amen. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed, our thal among women, blessed is a fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us and earn us now in the hour of our death, amen.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed, our thal among women, blessed is a fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us and earn us now in the hour of our death, amen. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed, our thal among women, blessed is a fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us and earn us now in the hour of our death, amen. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed, our thal among women, blessed is a fruit of thy womb Jesus.

Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us and earn us now in the hour of our death, amen. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed, our thal among women, blessed is a fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us and earn us now in the hour of our death, amen. Hail Mary, be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning as now and ever shall be, world without end, amen.

Oh, my Jesus, forgive us, our sins, save us from the fires of hell. Lead all souls to heaven, especially those most in need of thy mercy. Our fifth mystery, Father Stanley gave his life to help his people get to heaven. What are we willing to do to help our people get to heaven? Most of us have children, friends, or spouses who've drifted away from the faith.

Maybe we've tried everything, everything we think of, and nothing seems to work, and we feel helpless and tempted to give up. But Father Stanley didn't give up. He didn't just invite people to come to church. He broke into their lives. He ate what they ate. He worked in their fields. He fixed their broken machines. And through friendship, he built bridges with them.

“If you want to bring someone back to Christ in the church, start by breaking into their life,”

be present, be interested, be helpful, know them on their terms. And then when the time is right, invite them into your life with Jesus.

And the most important thing to you could ever do is to invite them to pray.

If they have a concern, promise to pray for them, then invite them to pray. Encourage them to start simple, and our Father every day, and speak to God in their own words, friend to a friend. And if you sense they're open, invite them to confession, or to mass,

Don't give up because the shepherd never flees. He stays. He loves and if necessary,

he lays down his life.

“Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be your name, thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

Give us a stay, our daily bread, and for your rest, our trespasses. As we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil amen. Hey, O Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, bless it, our Thal among women, blessedies, a fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us, and our ensnown at the hour of our death, amen. Hey, O Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, bless it, our Thal among women, blessedies,

a fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us, and our ensnown at the hour of our death, amen.

The O Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, bless it, our Thal among women, blessedies, a fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us, and our ensnown at the hour of our death, amen.

“Hey, O Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, bless it, our Thal among women, blessedies, a fruit of thy womb, Jesus.”

Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us, and our ensnown at the hour of our death, amen. Hey, O Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, bless it, our Thal among women, blessedies, a fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us, and our ensnown at the hour of our death, amen. Hey, O Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, bless it, our Thal, among women, blessedies, a fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us, and our ensnown at the hour of our death, amen.

Hey, O Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, bless it, our Thal, among women, blessedies, a fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us, and our ensnown at the hour of our death, amen. Hey, O Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, bless it, our Thal, among women, blessedies, a fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us, and our ensnown at the hour of our death, amen. Hey, O Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, bless it, our Thal, among women, blessedies, a fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us, and our ensnown at the hour of our death, amen. Hey, O Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, bless it, our Thal, among women, blessedies, a fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us, and our ensnown at the hour of our death, amen. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, as now, and of our shall be, world without end, amen.

Oh, my Jesus, forgive us, our sins, save us from the fires of hell. Lead all souls to have, and especially those most in need of thy mercy. St. Michael, the archangel, defend us in battle, the art protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God review, can we humbly pray, and do that old prince of the heavenly host. By the power of God cast into hell, Satan, and all of the evil spirits who prowth throughout the

world, seeking the root of souls. In the name of the Father and the Son of the Holy Spirit, amen. Well, what caught your attention about blessed Stanley? Well, obviously, the goal with every saying is to look at how we can emulate them, and also be ourselves, because we're supposed to be our own kind of saint. But especially in this one, it's not that we're so called to martyrdom, because that might be something out of your control. You shouldn't seek martyrdom.

But the way he lived was so incredible, as you said, the way he committed to living their life,

“just never holding back and never considering the discomfort. And I think what you said about”

just being able to meet people where they're at, now that doesn't mean, oh yeah, I've got this friend and he smokes a lot of weed. And so if I really want to meet him at, where is that? I should just stoop to his level. But there is something to be said about going over to someone's house for a meal, whether or not you like their food, because it doesn't matter. Just eating whatever given to you is a good patient, consider it thing to do. No matter how good or bad the food could be.

But the little things we can do for people, oh, I'm not really interested in watching that movie with you. I don't really care if that movie, but I want to be with you. How I don't lately, I've been getting into soccer because it has been such a good way to connect with my brother and my friends and to not just roll my eyes at it and then spend time with them, but to fully

he was one of them and not going halfway. Yeah, that's I love that. That is, it's the key. He entered their life and they became friends, which is exactly what Jesus did.

God was in heaven. He entered our life to become friends with us. It's incredible in such a

modern way seeing someone live a life so similar to Jesus. This is the second part of our mission. We have the movement of the Holy Family. This movement, worldwide movement of people that

“that I believe the Holy Spirit wants is a movement of friendship with Jesus in prayer,”

which is just spending time with Jesus. And secondly, equally, it's a movement of friendship with others.

Jesus entered our lives to become friends with us. We need to enter the lives of others to

become friends with them, which means be interested in the things they're interested in. So that you can have joy together. Yeah, it's not the same as going and being like, oh, it's nice that you're eating weeds. I brought my food from home. It's nice that you're plowing the fields, but that's not really my job. That's not really my thing. So I'll

be over here. It's it's doing it with them. Now I will say my takeaway from this will not be to

next time my car breaks down. I've got to find a priest. There are already doing so much. He did

“above and beyond. I couldn't imagine asking all of that of a priest, but instead, how can I be that person?”

Exactly. Now I do know, I realize what a sacrifice it was for you in friendship to watch soccer. Because in some ways, soccer and hockey are similar. I mean, it's based on goals. Sure. But and only that. But it had to have been painful. It's been excursion for you to watch them flop. It's unbelievable. Knowing how much you like, and I'm sure I didn't win a Stanley Cup with his job broken or did he win a Stanley Cup? It was during the Stanley

“Cup that he had his job broken and he kept playing for these players to flop on the ground when”

someone brushes past him. But you know, I've been really respecting Norway. I'm sure by time this comes out. People will know how the world Cup ended, but Norway is really one of my hearts because they've been doing really well taking hits and just moving on. So, you know, sometimes you only really appreciate the virtue of some players by the absence of virtue in others and soccer brings that out. I've been appreciating that because when you really like a player,

you really like them because you know what the other players are doing. So, let's make the resolution to imitate Father Stanley. Let's get over ourselves and let's break into the lives of others and be interested in what they're interested in. Thanks for the conversation. Thank you. And let's be apostles of friendship, good conversation, and the rosary. Share this with others.