FOREST CITY — Sometimes there’s nothing more comforting than a warm blanket or shawl – especially one crafted by hand with love for someone in need. Members of the Prayer Shawl Ministry Team at Immaculate Conception Parish have become experts at providing this comfort to our brothers and sisters in need – particularly the sick, the homebound and other people in vulnerable situations.
Over the course of 10 months during the Diocese of Charlotte’s 50th anniversary year, the prayer shawl team has made and delivered 50 prayer shawls to members of the parish community who are homebound, bereaved or in adult-care facilities, hospitals, hospice care and residents at a local pregnancy resource center.
On Oct. 17, the ribbon was tied on the last of their 50 prayer shawls, and the shawls were blessed by the church’s pastor, Father Herbert Burke, and Deacon Andy Cilone. During the time they were working on the prayer shawls, the team prayed for each recipient, remembering all those in the parish who were sick or lonely, or who just needed a pick-me-up.
This project came together as a suggestion from one of the members of the Ladies Guild at Immaculate Conception Parish, Betsy Jackson. The team is a small one, but the purpose was pure, so the fingers were nimble.
Occasionally a parishioner not able to come to meetings would send in a finished product for the team to pass along.
— Penny Watkins. Photos provided by Father Herbert Burke.