‘Brand new baby’ entering spotlight

Rother Shrine set to host national convention


In Archbishop Coakley’s 2019 Pastoral Letter, he called on all in the archdiocese to “Go Make Disciples!”

Fittingly, perhaps, that call is coming full circle as the Blessed Stanley Rother Shrine is set to host the National Association of Shrine and Pilgrimage Apostolate Convention, which presents its theme: “Go and Make Disciples.”

The shrine has already impacted the plea for discipleship locally. Now it figures to play a part in spreading that message, with those attending the conference – set for Sept. 15-17 – likely to return home to their dioceses proclaiming what they’ve seen and learned.

“We’re a brand new baby,” said Miguel Mireles, executive director of the Blessed Stanley Rother Shrine. “Barely 2-years old. And with nearly a quarter of a million people coming to visit, our shrine is becoming better known.

“Being with NASPA really exposes us to other colleagues that are in the industry and how we do things bigger and better. And we want to show off what we’ve done here.”

Mireles played a major role in bringing the convention to Oklahoma City.

During the 2024 NASPA convention, held in St. Augustine, Florida, the board voted Mireles to be part of the NASPA board. It was the decision to add Mireles to the board that made a significant difference in the decision to place the convention at the shrine.

Carol Bezak, director of NASPA, told the Sooner Catholic in a phone interview that Mireles’ efforts in highlighting what the Oklahoma City shrine is and could become going forward was critical.

“Miguel is proactive and interested in the mission of NASPA,” Bezak said. “After all, the Blessed Stanley Rother Shrine is fairly new and we haven’t seen it yet. So, we are very excited.”

And while Bezak said the board thought it over for a short while, it was concluded that while there are approximately 100 shrines in the U.S. – including the Shrine of the Infant Jesus in Prague – it made sense that the Oklahoma City shrine would be a great location to host their convention because of its unique qualities and its newness.

“I know our convention being there will help spread the word” about the Blessed Stanley Rother Shrine, Bezak said. “And any other shrines that come to participate will leave and talk about it at their shrines.”

Speaking on behalf of NASPA, Bezak said Mireles’ offer was much appreciated, as it takes approximately a year to plan and prepare for the following year’s convention. So far, the schedule lists several speakers, including Father Don Wolf, rector of the Rother Shrine, giving the opening keynote speech. Also speaking will be Father Michael Baggot, a professor of bioethics at the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum in Rome, Italy, and Archbishop Coakley, who will address the convention on the final day. 

Mireles said more speakers are likely to be added to the three-day schedule.

Bezak, who is also the director at the National Shrine of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel in Middletown, New York, said before the Oklahoma shrine was selected for this year’s convention, she did not know a lot about Rother. 

“It’s sad the way he died,” she said. “Like so many of the other missionaries who lost their lives” spreading God’s message.

Deacon Rob Blakely, director of pilgrimage at the Blessed Stanley Rother Shrine, said he is pleased that NASPA’s presence this fall will shine a light on the shrine. 

“We’re looking to bringing people to Oklahoma City who normally wouldn’t come to Oklahoma City,” Blakely said. “And show them our hospitality. Show them the shrine that we’ve built.

“We’re in the early planning stages, but we have it all laid out and ready to go.”

Blakely pointed out that even though the Blessed Stanley Rother Shrine is a diocesan shrine, it will become a national shrine after a decade of being a diocesan shrine. Still, NASPA accepts the Rother Shrine as part of its membership. This, he said, in light of there being “more established shrines” that could have hosted as well.

“As a new shrine, we want to bring all that knowledge (of other directors) here, absorb their knowledge,” Blakely said.

This includes, he said, discussing the basics of operating a shrine from “the gift shop … to roof maintenance” and everything in between.

The timing of this year’s NASPA convention is also notable, Blakely said, in that the Catholic Church has a new pope – the American-born Pope Leo XIV – and the excitement among the faithful is “burning bright.”

The conventioneers have a lot on their three-day schedule.

“We’re doing a special Mass with them, with the archbishop, and taking them to Cattlemen’s (Steakhouse) for dinner and bringing them here for a tour,” Blakely added.

Bezak said she senses there is a “lot of excitement,” adding that this is her first trip to Oklahoma. 

 “I am really looking forward to visiting the shrine,” she said.

When it comes to promoting the shrine, Mireles said exposure via social media has been one of the biggest ways they have exposed the public to the Blessed Stanley Rother Shrine.

“And not just necessarily us,” he said, “but our friends who come and share videos on TikTok and make TikTok videos and those videos go viral, nationally.”

Many social-media videos highlight Tepeyac Hill, the shrine’s recreation of the hill in Mexico where peasant Juan Diego encountered the Virgin of Guadelupe in 1531. The videos made on Tepeyac Hill, at the shrine, have generated as many as half-a-million views, Mireles said.

Asked if he sees repeat pilgrims, he said he does and that daily Mass features as many as 80 people throughout any given week.

For Mireles, networking with other shrine operators during the convention will be key.

“How do we keep our shrine looking our best? How do we keep the energy and the spirit, the encounter with Christ, with Blessed Stanley? How do we keep that fresh?” he asked. “When you are among friends, you learn new things.”

And while many people have heard the phrase “The Oklahoma Standard,” Mireles said that when the NASPA board and others are here in September “they will experience the Oklahoma Standard. Because that is what Blessed Stanley is about, too. He gave his life. He just wanted to help people … (w)hen in need, we wrap our arms around the community.” 

Mireles said the NASPA event is going to give the shrine a real boost, and deservedly so.

“We’re proud of this shrine. We’re proud of Blessed Stanley,” Mireles said. “And archbishop, too, wants to welcome all. The shrine is for everyone. We want to share the shrine and being with NASPA has been a great opportunity.”

For more information go to catholicshrines.org/2025-convention.

Andrew W. Griffin is a freelance writer for the Sooner Catholic.

The Bl. Stanley Rother Shrine, museum and gift shop are located at 700 S.E. 89 in Oklahoma City. The museum showcases Bl. Stanley Rother’s life and ministry. Learn more at rothershrine.org. Photos Andrew W. Griffin/Sooner Catholic.