Jamie Biller

Catholic Women’s Conference

March 2, 2013 – Had a blast with my fellow guild members working our booth at the Oklahoma Catholic Women’s Conference in Oklahoma City!  What fun gals we met and of course, we saw a lot of familiar faces too!!  Such a fun day spreading the word about the Fr. Rother Guild!  The conference hosted guest speaker, Susan Conroy.  She spent a summer serving in one of Mother Teresa’s orphanages and in the Home for the Dying. She beautifully told of the joy Mother Teresa taught her in working with the poorest of the poor and detailed this experience in a book she wrote titled,  Mother Teresa’s Lessons of Love and Secrets of Sanctity – I’m only halfway through it, but it’s a very good read so far.

St. Eugene’s Guild Mass

Photo by Cara Koenig

Singing The Shepherd Song at St. Eugene’s Guild mass in Oklahoma City.

 The Fr. Stanley Rother Guild held its first public mass at St. Eugene’s Catholic Church on January 24, 2013.  I sang The Shepherd Cannot Run.  It was a beautiful mass!   I enjoyed meeting new friends for the cause and seeing some familiar faces!

Epiphany Advent Dinner

Dec 2012 – With “Country Claus” at Epiphany’s Annual Advent Dinner!  Actually this is Bob, the music director, and amazing pianist I get to sing with every Sunday!  I was invited to sing The Shepherd Cannot Run as part of a tribute to Fr. Rother, as well as some of my Christmas music.  Good times, good food, but I didn’t have one winning ticket for any of the raffle prizes – boo hoo.  Maybe next year…

Fr. Rother Celebration July 28, 2012

     Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Okarche

     July 28th was finally here!  The 31st anniversary of the death of Fr. Stanley Rother.  I was asked to sing The Shepherd Cannot Run this day, and what a beautiful day it was!!  Anxious little butterflies, not nervous ones, swirled in my stomach, as it seemed I had been waiting for this day to arrive for such a long time!  I feel so blessed to have been a part of this special day spent recognizing, celebrating, and honoring the life of Fr. Rother!  Check out the photos taken on my Flickr Photo Stream!  

(Fr. Lewis introducing me to sing The Shepherd Cannot Run)

 

Daily Oklahoman Article July 21, 2012

Catholics plan gathering to honor slain priest
Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Okarche is preparing a day of activities to celebrate the life of martyred priest the Rev. Stanley Rother.

BY CARLA HINTON | Published: July 21, 2012
OKARCHE — A celebration of the life of a martyred priest and sainthood candidate is set for July 28 at the clergyman’s home parish in this Canadian County city.

Sister Marita Rother, left, and Tom Rother, right, carry a framed photograph of their brother, the Rev. Stanley Rother, at a Mass in honor of his memory in July 2006 at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Okarche. (THE OKLAHOMAN ARCHIVES)

The Rev. Billy Lewis, pastor of Holy Trinity Catholic Church, said the day of celebration for the Rev. Stanley Rother will include a Mass with Archbishop Paul S. Coakley and Archbishop Emeritus Eusebius Beltran as celebrants. Other activities include a tour of the church cemetery where Rother is buried and a tour of his childhood home, plus a Knights of Columbus Carnival following Mass.
Rother, 46, was killed July 28, 1981, by unknown assailants in Guatemala. A native of Okarche, Rother was serving as pastor of the Santiago Atitlán parish in Guatemala at the time of his death.
Rother’s legacy has been celebrated both in Oklahoma and in Guatemala for many years since his death. A special Mass has been held at Holy Trinity, his home parish, each year around the anniversary of his death.
In 2007, the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City began the formal process to have the martyred priest declared a saint in 2007. Rother would become the first Oklahoman canonized by the Roman Catholic Church if the archdiocese’s hopes are realized.
Lewis said the canonization efforts for Rother bring an added dimension to the annual Mass and celebration in his honor.
“I think the whole idea of Father Rother’s move toward sainthood is pretty surreal for people,” he said.
“As things happen in the cause, I think people are becoming more aware that this is huge.”
Organizers of the July 28 activities said T-shirts honoring Rother will be sold throughout the day.  Also, singer-songwriter Jamie Biller will perform “The Shepherd Cannot Run” from her album of the same name. Biller has said the 2010 album was inspired by Rother’s life.  Lewis said the day will include activities for all ages, particularly due to the addition of the Knights of Columbus Carnival. Lewis said the decision to blend the planned carnival with the celebration for Rother will make the day extra special as people come together to recognize the slain priest’s devotion to his faith and his life of service.