Prayer Blanket Ministry

Recently a lovely Thank You card came in for the Prayer Blanket Ministry with an unexpected enclosure, a kind gift in support of the work they do. Their note gives witness to the comfort the blankets bring to their recipients. 

They said ~ 

Thank you so much for the gifts of love and prayer bestowed with the prayer  blankets. My husband and I both enjoyed receiving the blankets while recovering from cancer surgery. They remain at the foot of our bed today. 

We hope this helps you continue to bring peace and joy to others in need through the Prayer Blanket Ministry.
 

It's always fun to be a conspirator in a happy surprise! Our prayer blanket ministry recently collaborated with parishioner Gene Chavez to create a moment of comfort.

There you have it - a Beatitude moment - Blessed are you who are now weeping, for you will laugh. (Luke 6:21).

We're grateful for the support of our community as we pray and sew these symbols of support for those in need. 

Our Prayer Blanket Ministry received this note of thanks from a recent recipient of a blanket. It was made with Texas Longhorn fabric to honor a longtime connection to UT.
“... Please share with any and all who might have been part of this effort that I am both humbled and filled with gratitude...  Today has been a great day! It’s not every day that you can say that when one is battling cancer. But today is truly a great day!  My prayer blanket will stay close by my side. All the best!”

This week our ministry of prayer and creative craft shares some wonderful news from the recipient of a prayer blanket. Her experienced surgeons removed two tumors that, based on their years of experience had the appearance of malignancies. Uterine cancer was the feared diagnosis. Yet the pathology results indicated not one cell was cancerous - an unexpected and very happy surprise! The patient and her family were very touched to have received this soft symbol of our prayers and send their heartfelt thanks for your prayers. Thank you for praying for all on our Mass & Prayer Intentions list - it makes a difference.

We promised to share a statistic on the productivity of this group of talented givers. Here's that fun fact! They offered their time, talent, and prayers to create 29 Prayer Blankets in October alone at Prayer Blanket Ministry.

Austin is a city on the move - parishioners we've held dear move away to be near grandchildren or care for aging parents. Others move back home to Austin, and to St. Austin specifically. Not long ago, a couple returned home to our community. Separately they received anointings of the sick and we sent them prayer blankets. In their thank you, they wrote, "They are beautiful, but even more beautiful is that which they represent. We are blessed to be part of so caring a community. We know that our decision to return to St. Austin's was a good one."

Update: Little Samantha died in early January. 

Little Samantha is five and in chemotherapy. The mother of a recipient of one of our prayer blankets, shared a request for our prayers for Samantha. Her mother asked if it was possible for Samantha to be on our list for prayers and whether she could buy a prayer blanket for her little girl. She was being released from Dell Children's in Austin. They'd done all they could for her. She was traveling the next day to a hospital in Dallas in hope that they could do more. Pray for this little girl and for her family. Send them strength and hope

A note of thanks from a recipient who remains in need of healing prayers ~ "Thank you for being my Angels. You hold me up and help me along the way. In learning to accept my cancer diagnosis and learning to live with it. To fight the good fight every step of the way. And to be grateful for the chance to enjoy today, to love Lisa (my main Angel) and to be so thankful for our friends and family who care enough to check in and bless us with your prayers and blessings. I/we have already felt your love, God's love. Words simply cannot express ... but thank you so very, very much." ~ Gil and Lisa Roebuck

Miriam Mellon is pictured at the left with her son as they celebrated her recent birthday in San Antonio. It is Miriam who brought Prayer Blankets to our parish. The compassionately creative Prayer Blankets joined together for a celebratory reunion recently. They ask that we join them in prayer for our Miriam, and for her son and caregiver. Bring this mother & her family peace, comfort, and the solace of the love that binds them in a circle of care - first she cared for him, and now he for her.  

Please pray as well for all on our Prayer Blanket and Prayers for Healing
lists, and for the members of our Prayer Blanket ministry. The beautiful work Miriam first invited them to do continues - the prayers with which the work is done are powerful indeed.