'The Shepherd Who Didn't Run' Blog Tour: Day 10, Marge Fenelon

The reason it's hard to describe Marge Fenelon is because she has her hand in so many cookie jars!  Marge is a Catholic author, blogger, speaker, journalist-- not to mention Catholic radio personality. 

And I am proud to call her my friend... I hope you enjoy her Q & A conversation with me, from her blog -- over at MargeFenelon.com!

 

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The Shepherd Who Didn’t Run – 

Q&A with Author Maria Ruiz Scaperlanda

I’m incredibly excited to tell you about a new book written by talented author Maria Ruiz Scaperlanda! 

I had the great privilege to review and endorse The Shepherd Who Didn’t Run: Fr. Stanley Rother, Martyr from Oklahoma (Our Sunday Visitor, December 2015 $19.95). I’m grateful to have been given a sneak peek at this amazing story that is so craftily written and compelling that I couldn’t put it down.

I’m also grateful to have been granted a Q&A with Maria and to share it with you as part of The Shepherd Who Didn’t Run blog tour! I love author Q&As because they give me a chance to look behind the scenes of the book, to learn the interesting anecdotes and little-known facts that went into the making of a great work like this one.

So, without further ado, I invite you to sit down with Maria and me and take a look behind the scenes of The Shepherd Who Didn’t Run.

Q: Every book has an interesting back-story about how the concept came to be. What is yours?

A: First of all, thank you so much for helping me spread the story of Father Stanley Rother, Marge!  I very much believe that he’s a saint for our time. We need the inspiration and example of good holy men and women like him, so thanks for helping me tell more people about him!

Now, about the book, since I was commissioned by the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City to write this, which is not that interesting of a back-story – I’ll answer the question in terms of the title!

In a letter to the Catholics of Oklahoma that was published in the two diocesan newspapers that final Christmas (1980), Father Stanley described the hardships and violence that the community was enduring.

The reality is that we are in danger. But we don’t know

when or what form the government will use to further

repress the Church…. Given the situation, I am not

ready to leave here just yet… But if it is my destiny that I should

give my life here, then so be it…. I don’t want to desert

these people, and that is what will be said, even after all

these years. There is still a lot of good that can be done

under the circumstances.

 He ended that Christmas letter with this beautiful quote,

The shepherd cannot run at the first sign of danger. Pray for us that we may be a sign of the love of Christ for our people, that our presence among them will fortify them to endure these sufferings in preparation for the coming of the Kingdom.

He truly was the shepherd who didn’t run!  To the end, Father Stanley wanted – and chose –to be God’s presence to his people. That’s why he’s such a beautiful example for this Year of Mercy. He lived the way of mercy.

Q: What was your biggest challenge in writing the manuscript?

To read the rest of my Q & A with Marge, just click here!