by Deacon Norm Mejstrik, director of the Cause for the Canonization of Blessed Stanley Rother
As Christians, all of us are called to be saints. Saints are persons in heaven who lived heroically virtuous lives, offered their life for others, or were martyred for the faith. The lives of saints are worthy of imitation. The official process of canonization is called a Cause. The Cause of Canonization for then-Father Stanley Rother began in 2007, and resulted in his beatification – that is, declared “Blessed” – on Sept. 23, 2017.
For a Blessed to be canonized, a miracle is required. A miracle is something that has occurred by the grace of God through the intercession of the Blessed. Such an event has no natural or scientific explanation and serves as proof that the deceased person is in heaven and can intercede with God.
Blessed Stanley’s Cause for Canonization is fully underway and includes promoting prayer for his intercession. Promoting the reporting of favors is done through the work of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City as well as by efforts on the part of a network of “Ambassadors for the Cause,” who are located in various parts of the country.
Prayer cards are available through the Blessed Stanley Rother Gift Shop, which also features custom-made medals, rosaries, icon notecards, artwork and books.
Once reported, favors are documented and reviewed. The vast majority of favors are medical, which are examined by a panel of medical doctors to determine if there is any possible scientific explanation for the healing.
The standards for a medical miracle are very high. In addition to having no medical explanation, the healing must have been spontaneous, instantaneous, and complete. Of the many cases already reported, several remain in various stages of the review process.
Imelda Pena Ayala “I pray this daily: Blessed Stanley Rother, pray for us. Oh God, fount of all holiness, makes us each walk worthy in our vocation through the intercession of your saint on whom you bestowed a great variety of graces on Earth, having graced your Church with the life of your priest and martyr Blessed Stanley Rother, grant that by his intercession this humble flock may reach where the brave shepherd has gone, grant that your Church may proclaim him a saint living in your presence and interceding for us all. Through Christ our Lord, Amen. Blessed Stanley Rother, intercede for us!”
Melinda Herman “I pray daily to him.”
Charelle McCool “Blessed Stanley Rother is such an inspiration, especially to me as a Catholic Oklahoman. He adhered to the will of God unto death. You can’t be a better example than that.”
Katie Cawley “My dad was introduced to Blessed Stanley’s story by the mother of a baby who Father Stanley baptized in Oklahoma. That ‘baby’ grew up, moved to Colorado and became a close family friend of my parents. Since that day where he heard about Blessed Stanley from those friends, my dad has loved Blessed Stanley and kept his prayer card next to his desk. Last February, when my dad was diagnosed with a rare and incurable muscle disease, there is zero treatment or cure, so we began praying for Blessed Stanley’s intercession for my father’s miraculous healing.
Thousands of people across the world are praying for my dad. We have videos of people in Santiago Atitlan praying for my dad, friends who have taken Blessed Stanley’s prayer card as far as Antarctica and so many other beautiful and powerful stories. We were able to complete the El Camino de Apla’s last July and we hope to visit again in November for the opening of the shrine.”
Becky Holder “In March 2021, I was diagnosed with a medical condition that required a heart transplant. From the beginning, I knew I needed to ask Blessed Stanley Rother for his intercession. So many of us have been prayerfully waiting since his Beatification and I prayed I could be part of his story. In reading “The Shepherd Who Didn’t Run” I was inspired by his humble faith and his strength in accepting God’s will. My prayer was for him to help me do the same, and live with that same courage. I was convinced, and still am, that the world needs to know this faithful servant the way the people of Oklahoma and Guatemala know and love him. During my hospital stay, a faithful group of friends joined me every night over Zoom to pray and ask Blessed Stanley’s intercession for my healing. …
The medical staff who cared for me was in awe that I was not more symptomatic, saying often ‘you are not having the normal medical issues that go along with this disease.’ I finally received the gift of a heart transplant. Today, I am living a complication free, post-transplant life. Now as I pray the ‘Prayer for the Cause of Canonization of Blessed Stanley,’ I have great peace when I say the words ‘Grant that your Church may proclaim him a saint living in your presence and interceding for us.’ Blessed Stanley Rother, pray for us!”