Prayer Shawl Ministries

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gloryb

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Hi,

My church recently started a prayer shawl ministry.

shawlministry.com

As I crochet I joined the ministry but am wondering about the meaning. We are to pray for the recipient and at the end of the process the priest will bless the shawls at a regular Sunday Mass.

From the beginning I wondered about the term “prayer shawl”. Why is it different from a gift made and given with a prayer for the recipient? I find it is because every stitch is to be made with spiritual energy. This is done by doing the work surrounded by a spiritual environment such as music and even candles. We are not to use our idle hands to make this shawl if we are watching tv or doing anything which would not seem spiritual (doctor’s waiting room, etc).

Now I wonder about the ministry. I want to make shawls, but I do not believe I am infusing any spiritual energy. Indeed I can make more if I include all available moments, not just spiritual ones. I can still pray for the recipient before, during, and after.

Sounds a bit new age to me.

Any experiences and/or opinions.

Gloryb
 
It does seem a little weird to me, too. I mean what do you do with a shawl?

BUT I have to tell you when I was sick it would have meant the world to receive something like this, just so I knew someone was thinking of me and praying for me.
 
gloryb said:
I find it is because every stitch is to be made with spiritual energy. This is done by doing the work surrounded by a spiritual environment such as music and even candles. We are not to use our idle hands to make this shawl if we are watching tv… Sounds a bit new age to me.
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Hmm, yeah it sounds a bit “new age” to me, as well.

I can maybe understand it from the perspective, that the purpose is to do the work… in union with God. And it might be difficult to do so, if you’re “multi-tasking”. Having said that, though… I often make my Rosary’s with the TV “on”. (but the TV is usually on EWTN… so, I’m getting spiritual instruction, while I work).

I would express your concerns to your parish priest… and see what his opinion might be. In the meantime, know that you’re doing something really wonderful, for the good of others. God bless you. 🙂
 
gloryb,
my wife was part of the prayer shawl ministry in our parish.

There is nothing magical about the shawl itself, nor spiritual energy put into it, other than the fact that you are saying a prayer for the person, with each stitch. Thats a lot of prayers.

Then once the shawl is completed, its brought to the person who was prayed for, and they are wrapped in it and told that the shawl was made for them by a person who prayer for them during its construction.

The real purpose of the prayer shawl is the gift of love, given to the person in need.

At every wrapping that my wife attended, the person who received it, big rugged men included, broke down crying in appreciation in knowing that some one cared enough to do such a loving thing.

God Bless
Jim
 
The real purpose of the prayer shawl is the gift of love, given to the person in need.
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At every wrapping that my wife attended, the person who received it, big rugged men included, broke down crying in appreciation in knowing that some one cared enough to do such a loving thing.
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I agree. Our parish has the same service. The makers of the shawl meet once a week, pray & knit or crochet. The pastoral administrators who attend the wrapping say that it is for them a very moving experience. Sometimes they say, they can feel the work of the holy spirit.

Such a gift for those hurting and suffering…
 
If I were sick or grieving a loss, I can’t imagine anything better than being given a concrete example of someone’s love and prayers for me.

I love this quote from St. Teresa of Avila and it seems to apply here:

Christ has no body now on earth but yours,
no hands but yours,
no feet but yours,
Yours are the eyes through which to look out
Christ’s compassion to the world
Yours are the feet with which he is to go about
doing good;
Yours are the hands with which he is to bless men now.
 
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