The Boldt Company tapped to build Bl. Stanley Rother Shrine

Archbishop Coakley announced recently the selection of The Boldt Company to serve as construction manager for the building of the Blessed Stanley Rother Shrine in Oklahoma City.

The shrine will be built on a former golf course at S.E. 89 between Shields Boulevard and Interstate 35. The shrine will be the final resting place for Blessed Stanley Rother, a native of Okarche, Okla., who was killed in Guatemala while serving the poor as a missionary priest. In 2016, Pope Francis declared Father Rother the first martyr for the Catholic Church in the United States. In September during a Beatification Mass in downtown Oklahoma City, he became the first martyr and the first U.S.-born priest to be beatified – the last step before sainthood.

“It is exciting to take the next step toward building this beautiful shrine in honor of a courageous priest from Oklahoma,” Archbishop Coakley said. “I would like to thank the members of the Rother building committee for the many hours of work that lead to the important selection of a contractor, and I welcome Boldt as a new partner in this inspiring project."
 
The Boldt Company will join design architects Franck and Lohsen of Washington D.C., and project architects ADG of Oklahoma City. Groundbreaking on the 56-acre campus is expected in early 2020 with completion by summer 2022.

The shrine will include a 2,000-seat church, a 200-seat chapel, a museum and a pilgrim center, which will tell the story of Blessed Stanley's life and martyrdom. An event center and education building will be added in front of the main church.

Molly Bernard, chairman of the selection committee, said "The committee found The Boldt Company leadership to be highly capable and good communicators with a deep understanding of the mission and purpose of the shrine."

With a headquarters based in Wisconsin, The Boldt Company has had an active presence in Oklahoma since the early 1980s. Local projects include the Bricktown Ballpark, MAPS for KIDS, the Will Rogers World Airport expansion, and the National Weather Center. The director of the shrine project will be Tony Yanda, a parishioner at Saint John Nepomuk Catholic Church in Yukon, Okla.

“The Boldt Company is extremely honored and very blessed to be a part of this sacred and historic project,” Yanda said. “We look forward to working with the archdiocese and the project team to build a shrine that truly honors Blessed Stanley Rother and those he served.”

The committee will work with architects, contractors and others through the next phases of planning for the shrine campus.

Funding for the shrine is part of a first-ever capital campaign for the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City – “One Church, Many Disciples.” Construction of the shrine is the central element of the $65 million campaign. To date, the campaign has raised more than $56 million, and Archbishop Coakley recently announced a challenge goal of $80 million. Approximately $39 million of the total will be put toward completing the church and shrine.

“If the campaign continues its success, and pledges are paid over time, we expect to be able to break ground on the shrine in early 2020,” said Peter de Keratry, executive director of stewardship and development for the archdiocese. “We estimate the shrine will take about two years to build with dedication of the main church occurring on the feast day of Blessed Stanley Rother, July 28, 2022."

For more information about the Blessed Stanley Rother Shrine, go online to blessedstanleyrother.org.