Last night, I went to see the movie American Martyr The Stanley Rother Story with my friends Barbara and Robbi. I didn't know anything about Father Stanley before I saw the movie and was very excited to see it. There were only the three of us in the theaternfor quite a while and we thought that we might have a private screening of the film. Before it began, however, three more people arrived.
The movie was narrated by Martin Sheen who gave an overview of Father Stanely's life in Oklahoma, his time at the seminary and most importantly his work in Guatemala with the indigenous people of the Central American country. His call to serve was very moving and his mission was inspiring. He not only brought Catholicism to the people of the country but also taught them to farm which fed the impoverished area and helped the local economy. Their love for Father Stanley was apparent on their faces as they talked about him and by their continued work in his name.
The ending was very tough. Father Stanley returned to Oklahoma during the Guatemalan Civil War as he knew many priests that had been murdered by the Guerrilla Army. Even though he was glad to be with his family, he felt God calling him back to the country that he had been serving in for thirteen years. He arrived in time for the Easter celebration knowing he was a marked man. He continued to serve his people until July of that same year when he was killed by masked gunman. The film was incredibly tragic, but awe inspiring at the same time. It was all that I thought about today and I felt incredibly blessed to have seen it.
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