April 6, 2018 at 1:53 p.m.

Creating one small sign of Advent


By MAUREEN MCGUINNESS- | Comments: 0 | Leave a comment

With the help of a small wreath, St. Joseph's Church in Rensselaer is standing up to the malls and shopping centers that began their Christmas merchandising even before the first trees began to lose their leaves.

Under the leadership of Sister Julia Mary Werner, RSM, pastoral associate for administration, 70 parishioners are making wreath pins that serve as a reminder of the Advent season.

"My primary goal is to help people take back Advent," said Sister Jule (as she is known to parishioners).

Door, then more

The idea for the pins originated three years ago when Sister Jule's housemate, Sister Kathleen Pritty, RSM, principal of St. Joseph's/St. John's Academy, decided to hang a wreath on the door of their house as a symbol that they were preparing for Christmas but not celebrating it yet. The wreath had purple and pink ribbons, representing the traditional colors of the Advent candles.

The following year, when Sister Jule was preparing for the parish's Christmas boutique, "I thought if you can put a wreath on a door, you can wear them." It was then that she made the first pin.

The next year, she and two parishioners made 300 wreaths to sell at the parish's Christmas boutique and after Mass. They found they couldn't keep up with the orders.

More galore

Then last February, Sister Jule said, "I thought if this can work for 300, maybe it can work for 20,000."

In March, parishioners began meeting to make the wreaths to sell this Advent. More than 70 parishioners have been involved. Groups of people have met each week to make the wreaths that now come in two styles -- the original with hand-stitched bows, and one that has small purple and pink flowers.

Parishioners have surpassed Sister Jule's dream of 20,000 wreaths and have already turned out 23,880 wreath pins. Orders have been steady, with calls coming from as far away as downstate. St. Peter's Hospital has ordered more than 1,000, a total also purchased by another parish. Sister Jule reports that 5,000-plus pins have already been sold.

What for?

While the goal of the wreaths is to help people reclaim Advent, Sister Jule said the project has another goal. The parish is hoping the sale of the pins can replace the funds that Bingo used to generate for the school.

The parish held its last Bingo on New Year's Eve 1997. The parish had budgeted $30,000 a year from the game, but in recent years, it became increasingly difficult to raise that amount from Bingo.

Pin-makers said they have been attracted to the project both for the opportunity it provides to reclaim Advent and for the opportunity to assist the school.

Corps

"Lately, things have become so commercial," said parishioner and wreath-maker Margaret Baum. "It gets out of proportion. We are on the road getting ready for Christ, and Santa Claus has taken over."

Dan Lioi and John Cavanaugh said they became part of the wreath-making efforts because of the personal invitation of Sister Jule and because they wanted to help the school.

"We did away with Bingo, so we have to raise funds," Mr. Lioi said. "It's important to keep the school going." Mr. Cavanaugh agreed to the importance of helping the school. "There are some good kids around," he said.

Lore

During a recent wreath-making "marathon," Mr. Lioi and Mr. Cavanaugh sat with 9-year-old Phillip Savrine and his 13-year-old sister Elizabeth, students at the school. The children said that participating in the wreath project has helped them appreciate all of those supporting their school.

"It feels really good," Phillip said. "It's good that a lot of people are trying to raise money." Elizabeth added, "It shows you should give back."

The students said that they have learned about Advent as well. "Christmas isn't just 'gimme-gimme-gimme,'" Phillip said. "It's the day Christ was born."

Encore

Many people in the parish have supported the project in one way or another, Sister Jule said. For example, when she celebrated her 40th anniversary as a Sister of Mercy, she asked that in lieu of gifts, people contribute to the wreath supply fund. She received $1,000.

The supply fund also receives a mysterious donation. "We have a box [marked] `Pennies for a Purpose.' Every week, we get a $10 bill shaped like a heart," she said.

Some parishioners have taken to the wreath-making wholeheartedly. For example, Iona McDade has affixed 10,000 pins onto the back of wreaths and makes them at home as well. Sister Jule told about a family that meets each Friday night to make wreaths. It consists of a grandmother, her three adult children and two adult grandchildren. Sister Jule estimates they have made 12,000 pins.

(Sister Jule hopes that the wreath pins help remind people of the importance of Advent. In addition to wearing the pin, she suggested, those wanting to celebrate Advent could find out what their home parish is doing, attend daily Mass when possible, spend an extra 10 minutes in prayer and do some Advent reading. The Advent wreath pins, which are copyrighted, can be purchased only through St. Joseph's. To place an order, call Sister Julia Mary Werner at 463-4401.)

(11-19-98) [[In-content Ad]]


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