'The Shepherd Who Didn't Run' Blog Tour: Day 5, Fran Rossi Szpylczyn

The next stop on 'The Shepherd Who Didn't Run' book Blog Tour is a special one. It even includes a connection with a priest from New York who not only knew Father Stanley at Mount St. Mary's Seminary, but was even ordained on the same day as him (for two different dioceses)!

I owe a world of thanks to Fran Rossi Szpylczyn, who arranged for me to connect with Father Tom Connery, and who has been a huge supporter and encourager as I researched and wrote this book!

Fran Rossi Szpylczyn is a well known Catholic speaker and retreat leader, as well as writer and blogger. She works as the Pastoral Associate for Administration at the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Glenville, NY. Fran's work can found at her blog, There Will Be Bread. She is also a contributing author for the Homilists for the Homeless series from Clear Faith Publishing, as well as a regular contributor to Give Us This Day. She lives in Clifton Park, NY with her husband Mark. 

So without further ado...

The steadfast shepherd of Santiago Atitlán

The path to sainthood consists of many steps. One of those steps to make sure that the person’s life story and cause is well known. Up until now, you may have never heard ofFather Stanley Rother, but based on the wonderful new book, The Shepherd Who Didn’t Run, Father Stanley Rother, Martyr from Oklahoma, I hope and pray that will change!

My own involvement with this project began some time ago. Catholic journalist and author María Ruiz Scaperlanda told me that she was writing a book about Father Rother. This caught my attention because a priest that I know went to seminary with Fr. Rother, so I was familiar with him. One thing led to another and this provided me with the opportunity for me to connect Maria to Father Tom Connery to further her research.

So who was Stanley Rother? This book will sweep you away as you learn more about this man of humble beginnings, growing up in rural Oklahoma on a farm. Expected to carry on the farming tradition himself, he surprised his family when he announced that he wanted to be a priest. Scaperlanda introduces us to  “shepherd who didn’t run,” even as he struggled academically at seminary. His quiet persistence could not keep him from failing, but other doors open as he finds himself at a different seminary – with very different results.

Moving at a lively pace, this books leads the reader through the events that lead Father Rother to the village of Santiago Atitlán in Guatemala. It was here that Father Stanley grew into Padre Francisco, as he was known, and ultimately called Padre Aplas. Although he once struggled with Latin in the seminary, he learned Tz’utujil, the language of the local people. His devotion to those he served was legendary, and his quiet and faithful presence was treasured.

Artwork from Trinity Stores

There are so many rich details, so many moving anecdotes and stories to take in. It was the kind of book that had me fighting sleep so that I might go on. To read of someone of such humble faith who lived a life of incredible service is a gift, and a motivator. As I turned each page, I kept thinking of the many similarities between Pope Francis and Father Stan,  with their gifts of simplicity and the desire to serve others in the name of Christ.

And was in serving that Rother was assassinated. Guatemala was a land scarred by a long civil war and social unrest. In that unrest, what could be more dangerous to than a priest who brought dignity and hope to the people he lived amongst. He was killed because of his goodness. Father Stanley Rother was a steadfast shepherd, formed in and following Christ, a man who did not waver when it came to giving it all for God.

My review of this book does little justice to the story of this amazing priest and martyr. The real story is found in the book itself, a book that I hope you will read and share with others. One of the things that struck me in my advance reading was the power of the book for adult and high school level catechesis, as well as vehicle for parish book clubs. It will also make for excellent Lenten reading, prayer, and study.

To read the rest of Fran's review and blog post, just click here! 

my 5 things, thing

I found out through my writer friend Jen’s blog (Ms. Conversion Diary herself) that there’s a thing going around called The 5 Things Thing, where bloggers share 5 things about themselves that readers might not know about them.

Thanks to Jen, I enjoyed also reading two new (to me) bloggers, Micaela Darr and Mary's Better than Eden. And -- since I don’t know who has or hasn’t participated yet, I’m going to tag some of my favorite and dear bloggers. We’ll see who joins the fun. 

Consider yourself tagged: Roxane, Marge, Donna-Marie, Mary, Fran, Renee, Woodeene

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Here are 5 things you may not know about me:

Thing 1 + I started college at the ripe age of 16. 

No, I’m not any sort of intellectual prodigy member of mensa. Moving to the U.S. from Puerto Rico was pretty traumatic and confusing for me as a teenager—and I never understood or fit into the “American high school culture.”  It’s still shocking to my children, for example, that I never went to a high school dance.

Dropped into this “Sixteen Candles” and “Mean Girls" culture, my solution was to graduate early, and go straight into college! I began my first semester at Louisiana State University the summer immediately after graduating from Robert E. Lee High School (Yes, we were, indeed, the Lee High Rebels! But THAT’s a different story).

Thing 2 + I received a vocal music scholarship to attend LSU.

I had a fantastic and pretty heavy accent as a Spanish speaking teen dumped into the U.S. public school system way before there was such a thing as an ESL program. I used to, literally, beg God to take away my accent!  But—singing, especially in a full choir, I felt that I belonged. My voice blended with others and my accent was not an issue.

At church and school, I was a member of various choral ensembles until Michael and I were married. At LSU and at the University of Texas, where I eventually graduated from, I was a member of each university's Concert Chorale.

Thing 3 + I have a tattoo.

Five years ago I had major surgery on my right wrist. Several surgical procedures, including a titanium plate and fusion of my hand bones, resulted in an impressive and most would say pretty ugly 5-inch scar straight on top of my predominant hand. (I have a 2^nd titanium plate in my body, but I’ll save that story for another fun facts list!)

Because of the many physical issues and surgeries I have endured in the past six or so years, a few years ago I designed a red Camino de Santiago pilgrimage cross that I had tattooed directly opposite of my wrist scar, on the inside of my right hand.  Since I don’t see the point of having a hidden tattoo, this is a visual reminder for me that my chronic autoimmune condition is my current and permanent life pilgrimage.

Thing 4 +  I have lived in our current house for 17 years! 

This may seem like a boring fact to most of you, but it’s a downright miracle for me.  As refugees, my family of origin moved around a lot, and so did Michael and I during the first half of our marriage.

Here are the numbers: From K-11, I attended 7 schools and lived in 9 different houses.  But the total number of houses before the one that I live in right now (counting prior to attending school and after marriage) is a whooping 20 houses!

Thing 5 + I collect sand. 

Since I’m an island girl, it’s no great surprise that I love to surround myself with all things related to the beach, from shells to a 15-gallon fish tank next to my desk. My sand collection started as a way of bringing home a visual reminder of some of my favorite beaches. Then, my children and their friends added small samples from far away places that they have visited. And now my friends will often take the time to grab a Ziploc or plastic bottle and fill it with sand from exotic beaches I only dream of visiting, like Hawaii and Tanzania

Not only can sand differ in coarseness, but it can also have different colors! It’s fascinating. I am constantly learning about it—and forgetting, then learning again J

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What about you? What’s a fun thing about yourself that most people don’t know? Why don't you surprise us and share with us here?!