A Shrine is a prominent sacred locality. It may be the burial place of a saint (or Blessed), or where he or she lived or died, or where a heavenly apparition took place. Shrines are the focuses of pilgrimages by the faithful and often of miraculous phenomena approved by the Church.

— Modern Catholic Dictionary, Servant of God Father John A. Hardon, S.J

Its purpose may be simply to venerate a certain saint or ask some spiritual favor; beg for a physical cure or perform an act of penance; express thanks or fulfill a promise. From the earliest days pilgrimages were made to the Holy Land, and later on to Rome, where Peter and Paul and so many Christians were martyred. From the eighth century the practice began of imposing a pilgrimage in place of public penance. As a result, during the Middle Ages pilgrimages were organized on a grand scale and became the object of special Church legislation. In modern times, besides Rome and the Holy Land, famous Shrines such as Lourdes, Fatima, and Guadalupe draw thousands of pilgrims each year from the Catholic world.

— Modern Catholic Dictionary, Servant of God Father John A. Hardon, S.J.

Father Stanley Rother, born in 1935 in Okarche, Oklahoma, became a priest in 1963 and later served as a missionary to the Tz’utujil people in Guatemala. He learned their language, lived simply among them, and supported them spiritually and practically. During Guatemala’s civil war, he was placed on a death list but chose to return to his mission, saying “the shepherd cannot run.” He was killed on July 28, 1981. Recognized as a martyr, he became the first U.S.-born priest to be beatified in 2017.

The Blessed Stanley Rother Shrine is a place of religious pilgrimage and of worship. Thus, reverence in manner of appropriate dress and behavior is appreciated. Appropriate dress is conducive to an atmosphere of prayer and of meeting the Lord. Inappropriate dress is non-conducive to maintaining a prayerful atmosphere. It becomes a source of distraction and sets a bad example when attending Holy Mass and other devotions.

Inappropriate clothing includes:

◦ short shorts

◦ skirts above the knee

◦ low neckline

◦ sleeveless shirts

◦ exposed midriff

◦ exposed back

◦ clothing that is tight-fitting

◦ clothing that is see-through

◦ clothing that bears offensive print or imagery

Photos inside the Shrine Church are permitted. However, please turn off the flash.

It is important to remember the primary purpose of the Shrine is a place for pilgrimage, prayer, and worship. In order to maintain the sacredness and reverence of the Shrine we ask everyone to respect others space and privacy while at the Shrine.