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Comfort
blankets are given to anyone who requests one, whether
for family or friends. We have sent some as far away
as Iraq. |
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Volunteers needed
to sew
and Decorate
The Comfort Blanket Ministry is in need of
volunteers to sew the comfort blankets together, and
all that is needed is a straight stitch.
Also, parishioners are needed to pick up and
decorate the squares for the comfort blankets. The
squares are located at the doors of the church.
Comfort Blanket Ministry
We meet on Wednesday from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm
in the small hall. Our workshop days are filled
with much activity: cutting, decorating, sewing,
talking, laughing and enjoying lunch together. All are welcome. Come and share the blessings
received by participating in this ministry of comfort.
The story
below explains how the Comfort Blanket Ministry
began in our parish. Blankets can be requested by
anyone for anyone at any time by calling
724-776-1357. You are also invited to come and serve
in our ministry by picking up a square found in the narthex and taking it home to
decorate.
We invite you to join in this ministry by stopping by
and picking up a square to decorate. If you have an
interest in sewing, know of a parishioner who might
need a comfort blanket, or would like to help in any
other way, call Barb
at 724-776-1357.
We
are always accepting donations of light colored
cotton material.
The Story of St.
Ferdinand's Comfort Blanket Ministry
"I feel my parish is covering me with
their love." Gertrude Woodward
Gertrude was a faithful, lifelong parishioner until her
death in February 2003 at the age of 85. She was
diagnosed with cancer in December 2002 while visiting
her daughter in Kentucky. She stayed with her daughter
until her death. I wrote and called her on several
occasions and while she was happy to be with her family
she did miss the parish. We wanted her to know how much
we loved her and supported her, even from hundreds of
miles away. When she received her comfort blanket right
before Christmas she and her family were deeply moved.
Gertrude had herself volunteered in this ministry.
There are so many stories like Gertrude's that show how
many lives have been touched by this ministry. Perhaps
the most important one is the one that first inspired
it.
Helena Rock was a member of St. Ferdinand's R.C.I.A.
team. She was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease in
2000 and eventually had to enter a nursing home. Even
though her physical presence in R.C.I.A. became
impossible, she was a constant spiritual presence for
the team and we wanted her to know it. Helena was
feeling down because her failing health limited her from
the R.C.I.A.'s activities. April, 2002 would be the
first time she could not attend the Holy Saturday Vigil
as we welcomed our new members into the church. Her
birthday would be in April and I wanted the team to do
something special for Helena. I had an idea and shared
it with the team. I gave them each a 12 inch square of
material and asked them to decorate it with a message
for Helena. We would then take the squares, sew them
into a blanket and give it to her for her birthday.
They welcomed the idea and responded with much love and
enthusiasm.
As I was sewing Helena's blanket together, I thought of
other people in need of comfort. I wanted to spread this
gift to them. But I needed support from many areas,
especially the entire parish so it could truly be a
parish wide ministry where everyone could be involved.
I called my dear friend, Catherine Robinson, another
member of the R.C.I.A. team and shared the idea with
her. She was immediately supportive and offered to pray
for me as I approached Father Gallagher. When I brought the
idea to him he was very enthusiastic and gave me his
whole hearted consent.
In April, 2002, I put an article
in the bulletin informing parishioners of the new
ministry and invited them to either come in and help
or take materials home to cut into squares.
The response was so generous it was inspiring. At the beginning of Advent, we had six thousand squares. We placed them in baskets in church and invited
the parishioners to take the squares home to decorate
with a picture or a message of hope and love. The squares would be returned and placed in a
basket in the sanctuary as a gift to the Christ child
during the Advent and Christmas Season.
January
2003, parishioners
continued to cut, sew, decorate, donate, shop for, wash
and iron material. Some folks decided to meet every Tuesday and the Comfort Blanket
Ministry "workshop" began. The ministers share creative ideas, stories,
laughter, lunch and prayers for each other. In the beginning of Lent, 2003, 74 blankets
were hung in our church for the Lenten season. As the blankets covered the walls we felt
embraced by God's love and the love of our parish.
This truly is a ministry every parishioner can be
involved.
People continue to decorate squares and leave
them for the Comfort Blanket ministers to sew into
blankets. Each
square is so precious to look at. To know that an individual or a family took the
time to decorate a square is so heartwarming. As of May 2008, 3,900 blankets have been completed. They have been sent as far away as
Mexico
and to many other homes in our country, wherever
someone needs to know God's comfort is with them. This simple, yet profound ministry has touched
many lives and hopefully will continue to do so. I am grateful to my parish family and the
Catherine Robinson Foundation for their overwhelming
support of the Comfort Blanket Ministry.
In His Peace,
Barb McCarthy
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