Search
-
March 24, 2021OKLAHOMA CITY – Construction crews on Tuesday March 23 lifted the final steel beam onto the Blessed Stanley Rother Shrine in south Oklahoma City. The beam, which was signed by hundreds of Oklahomans, is the latest construction milestone for the shrine, which is expected to be completed in late summer 2022.
“We are well on our way to completing this magnificent shrine in Oklahoma City. Lifting the final steel beam into place is an exciting step in construction of the shrine that will be a place of welcome to serve all people,” said Most Rev. Paul S. Coakley, Archbishop of Oklahoma City. “The shrine will be a place of pilgrimage where the faithful will come from near and far to glorify God and honor Blessed Stanley at his final resting place, seeking his intercession for their many needs. I am grateful for everyone who has played a part in this project.”
The shrine is named for Blessed Stanley Rother (ROW-THER), an Okarche farmer who became a priest and served as a missionary in Santiago Atitlan, Guatemala. In 1981, Father Rother was murdered in his rectory during a violent civil war. In 2016, Pope Francis declared him a martyr for the faith – the first Catholic martyr from the United States. Blessed Stanley Rother was beatified in 2017 in Oklahoma City, making him the first priest born in the United States to be beatified.
“Heartfelt congratulations to everyone who has organized and is executing the construction of this magnificent building and to those who brought us to this important milestone,” Shrine Executive Director Leif Arvidson said. “We are well underway in building a fitting house of worship, pilgrimage and prayer. Thank you to everyone who has made this possible.”
The tradition of holding a ceremony for the installation of the highest beam of a construction project has been a tradition for hundreds of years. The "topping out" tradition can be traced to as far back as 2,700 B.C. where builders of the Step Pyramid in Egypt placed live plants on the top of the pyramid in remembrance of those who had lost their lives during construction.
In 8th century Scandinavia, builders would signal the "start of a completion party" by "hoisting an evergreen tree atop the ridgepole” and it is a cherished custom of ironworkers at the completion of the skeleton of a bridge or building.
“There are a lot of people who have put in a lot of hard work to get us to this important milestone. I would like to thank the archdiocese, design team and subcontractors for their work to date. It is obvious that Blessed Stanley is guiding us the entire way. Boldt is blessed to be part of such a sacred project that will truly be a ‘Shrine for All,’” said Tony Yanda, senior director of construction for The Boldt Company.
The $40 million shrine is the signature element of the first-ever capital campaign for the archdiocese, “One Church, Many Disciples.” The site will include the 2,000-seat church, a chapel where Blessed Stanley will be entombed, an education building, an event space and several areas designated for shrines and devotion. The site will be developed over time.
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.
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 sign up for updates on the shrine, view a video tour or to give a gift to the Catholic Foundation of Oklahoma’s Blessed Stanley Rother Shrine Endowment Fund, go online to archokc.org/shrinesupport or call (405) 709-2745.
Learn more about Blessed Stanley Rother at stanleyrother.org or rothershrine.org.
Watch a live webcam of shrine construction at archokc.org/shrinewebcam.
