“You created every part of me, knitting me in my Mother’s womb. For such handiwork, I praise you. Awesome this great wonder!”
Psalm 139:13-14
The Work of Human Hands
“Ora et labora”, a Latin phrase meaning— pray and work or “pray and labor.”
It refers to the practice of working and praying. A prayer shawl is a labor of love in prayer and work. The shawl maker always begins with prayer. Prayer is continued throughout the creation of the shawl. The shawl maker spends approximately 20 hours knitting and praying to create each shawl. The entire ministry prays over the shawls and a priest blesses the shawls before the shawls are gifted. The blessing ripples from person-to-person, with both the giver and receiver feeling the unconditional embrace of God! The Prayer Shawl Ministry is a faith sharing community.
Mission
The mission of the Prayer Shawl Ministry is to provide hope, comfort, and healing. It is a unique way of reaching out to the community in a very tactile way. A prayer shawl can be seen as a symbolic “hug” from God.
This ministry brings comfort and caring to individuals in need of healing through the gift of a hand-knit or crocheted shawl. The shawls are prayed over while volunteers make them and are then blessed by our Sacramental Priest when they are completed. Made independently.
Time commitment: Done at own pace.