The feast day of Blessed Stanley Rother, this year also an official state day proclaimed by Gov. Kevin Stitt, is being commemorated in a special way by Holy Trinity parishioner Joe Wittrock, who commissioned this painting of Rother at his Guatemala mission church, left. Chuck Schroeder, former director of the Cowboy Hall of Fame and Western Heritage Museum, created the painting for Wittrock, who hopes to see it displayed at the Rother shrine to be constructed in Oklahoma City by the Oklahoma City Archdiocese. The painting will be on display Sunday after mass at Holy Trinity Church. Canvas and paper reproductions also will be available for sale and Wittrock’s intent is that all proceeds be donated to the Guatemalan mission church where Rother dedicated his life until his assassination in 1981 in the midst of a bloody civil war. “The thing that really touched me the most about this whole project is another artist who mentored Chuck on this painting told him ‘Chuck, this is the most important thing you’ve done in your life,’” Wittrock said. Schroeder, who now lives in Nebraska, returned to Oklahoma to research Rother’s life and legacy and is working on two additional Rother paintings, Wittrock said.

The first canvas reproduction of the painting was blessed by longtime Holy Trinity pastor Father Marvin Leven, right, now retired, and will be sent to Guatemala to be displayed in the church there, Wittrock said. [Photos Provided]