Prayer Shawl Ministry
St. Patrick Prayer Shawl Ministry was started in approximately 2010. We are a small band of ladies who get together every other Monday evening to work on our current projects and share our ideas and patterns. We discuss the needs of the parishioners and our community.
Though our ministry, we have supplied hats to the homeless and oncology patients, shawls, lap afghans and scarves to our own parishioners, people who are in nursing homes or homebound, people who are facing surgery or people who have lost loved ones. We have sent items to the VA Hospital we have made preemie blankets for "Footprints," a ministry which serves premature babies in various local hospitals. You can see some examples of our work in our photo gallery.
Each time we meet we say a prayer which ironically was written by a lady from "St. Patrick Parish" in Texas. We are reminded every time we say this prayer that all those people who have been blessed by our gifts continue to be in our thoughts and prayers.
If you want to join this group or need more information, contact Mary Evans via e-mail.
Prayer Shawl Ministry News
Tue Oct 03, 2025
St. Patrick's Prayer Shawl Ministry is heading into our 12th year.
We have given away over 2,986 items since our inception. Our current members include:
Mary Evans
Jimmie Chicarello
Margaret Kernan
Pat Roden
We have a former member return (Barbara Thompson) and another friend who has helped us this year, Mary Clements.
Besides giving 30 prayer shawls to our own parishioners and friends, we have reached out to the Birmingham VA Palliative Care and the VA Nursing Facility in Tuscaloosa. We gave hats to the Ronald McDonald House and prayer shawls to Magnolia Ridge Nursing Home. We are currently making hats for the Laura Crandall Brown Foundation.
We ask that our parishioners help us pray for all the people who have been given gifts over the years, including those who have left their earthly home and are in their eternal home.
Longtime Parishioner Says Hello
The Prayer Shawl Ministry which meets at St. Patrick is still busy providing love "From the Hand to the Heart of Those in Need".
Recently, Mary Evans and her friend visited the Town Village Vestavia Hills Retirement Community and paid a visit to longtime parishioner, Anthony Sicola. During their visit, Mary delivered a hat she had made for him and also some shortbread. Anthony was very happy and surprised. To bring a bit more cheer, they gave him two balloons and a card that was signed by parishioners who attended both weekend Masses.
Mary commented, "He was surprised and happy. I lost count of how many times he said 'tell the people at St. Patrick that I miss them and love them very much'".
While there, they also delivered 15 prayer shawls to residents of the retirement community.
What a wonderful gesture of love and a great example of this amazing work of this special ministry.
Prayer Shawl Ministry Prayer
Dear Lord, Bless these needles that they stay strong and light so they don't tire the hands that wield them; Bless this yarn with strength and softness that it will form a cloth of warmth and comfort; Bless these hands with strength and skill so they may make well crafted gifts; Bless this heart with strength and perseverance so I will see this work through to bring comfort to those in need; But most of all dear Lord, Bless the wearer of this cloth with strength and comfort that their burdens may be lightened and their hearts gladdened with the realization that they are loved.
St. Patrick Church - © 2012 All rights reserved by Darcy Horon -Siepman
