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November 14, 2019OKLAHOMA CITY – Archbishop Paul Coakley broke ground Sunday, Nov. 3, for the Blessed Stanley Rother Shrine in south Oklahoma City. He was joined by Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt, Archbishop Emeritus Eusebius Beltran, Tulsa Bishop David Konderla, Little Rock Bishop Anthony Taylor, Abbot Lawrence Stasyszen and nearly 2,000 priests, deacons and lay faithful.
During the ceremony, Archbishop Coakley blessed the cornerstone of the shrine and the ground where the future main altar will be located. He then processed with the bishops and priests to bless the area where Blessed Stanley Rother will be entombed in the chapel.
“What we are about to construct here we are building for the honor and glory of God whose goodness, whose holiness, whose faithfulness, whose mercy shown through the life of Father Stanley Rother,” Archbishop Coakley said during his homily. “It is God who we glorify as God reveals himself in the lives of his holy ones. We do all of this as we do all things for the glory of God and for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”
The $40 million shrine at S.E. 89 and Shields Boulevard is the signature element of the first-ever capital campaign for the archdiocese, “One Church, Many Disciples.” The site will include a 2,000-seat church, a chapel where Blessed Stanley Rother (ROW-ther) will be entombed, an education building, an event space and several areas designated for shrines and devotion. The site will be developed over time.
“Today was the groundbreaking for the Blessed Stanley Rother Shrine in South OKC!” Mayor Holt posted on Twitter. “This is a very ambitious project honoring an amazing person, and I can’t wait to come back for the dedication!”
Along with the Spanish colonial-style church – which will be the largest Catholic Church in Oklahoma – an additional element will be a museum and pilgrim center, which will be an additional $5 million. The center will welcome thousands of visitors each year to an experience that leads them through the life, witness and martyrdom of Blessed Stanley.
The church will host many large diocesan events and will help accommodate the growing Hispanic population whose parishes are significantly overcrowded.
Under the leadership of Archbishop Emeritus Eusebius Beltran, Blessed Stanley’s cause for canonization was opened in 2007. Pope Francis recognized him as a martyr in 2016 and his Rite of Beatification took place Sept. 23, 2017, in downtown Oklahoma City with more than 20,000 people in attendance.
Blessed Stanley is the first martyr from the United States and the first U.S.-born priest to be beatified.
The design architect for the project is Franck & Lohsen Architects in Washington D.C. They are supported by local architectural firm ADG. The general contractor is The Boldt Company in Oklahoma City with Cooper Project Advisors serving as the owner’s representative.
To learn more about the Blessed Stanley Rother Shrine, to see photos or to watch a video of the groundbreaking ceremony, go online to archokc.org/shrine.
To view more photos of the groundbreaking, click HERE.
Diane Clay is editor of the Sooner Catholic.
Photo Chris Porter/Sooner Catholic.
