Deacon Mike Mocek
Marion Napurano
On Feb. 13 members of the Robson Ranch Catholic Community met in the CATC for one of the most inspiring meetings of the year. After the opening prayers and announcements, Joan Bridges introduced our speaker, Deacon Mike Mocek from Holy Family Parish in Fort Worth. Deacon Mocek spoke about the life and martyrdom of Blessed Stanley Rother, an Oklahoma native who is the first U.S.-born martyr and the first U.S.-born priest to be declared Blessed.
Blessed Stanley Rother led an amazing life from his humble beginnings as a farm boy. He excelled in the skills he learned in the FAA Program, which helped him during his missionary work in Guatemala. The skills he brought with him in his mission work enabled him to bond with the local people and be truly accepted by them. During his time in the seminary, he had trouble learning Latin, yet in Guatemala, he learned the local language so he could communicate with his beloved people. Eventually, he was murdered by those who opposed his work with the indigenous peoples.
To learn more about this amazing man and his life, a pilgrimage to the Blessed Stanley Rother’s Shrine in Oklahoma City is planned for March 26. It will be an all-day experience, beginning with a chartered bus departure at 7 a.m. and returning to the Ranch at approximately 5 p.m. At the shrine we will meet our guide, view a video, visit the museum and Tepeyac Hill (a recreation of Our Lady of Guadalupe apparition), tour the shrine church, and visit the gift shop. Mass will be offered at noon. For more information regarding the pilgrimage, please contact Joan Bridges at [email protected] or 303-249-1888.