MARJIE MACK (St. James's Prayer Shawl Ministry): I started knitting in high school. My mother taught me, and the first thing I made was a sweater with a pattern -- black and white sweater. I was very proud of it. And then I hadn't made anything else until last year, when I started with St. James's prayer shawl ministry.We start with a prayer.
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN #1: Let us begin with a moment of silence.
Ms. MACK: We've probably made 100 prayer shawls over the last year -- given them to all sorts of people, some as far away as Africa. A lot of times we knit in threes to symbolize the Trinity. It could be three rows at a time; it could be three stitches at a time.I've always been one who's had trouble expressing my grief or sorrow. Sometimes it's hard to know what I can do for someone besides pray for them.
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN #2: I've just found out she's got breast cancer. She's, like, 23.
Ms. MACK: At the blessing service the priest will say a prayer of blessing.Reverend EILEEN HOUSE (St. James Parish): May God's grace be upon these shawls, warming, comforting, enfolding, embracing in good times ...
I recently started one for my friend Debi because her husband had been diagnosed with cancer, and I wanted to give Debi some kind of comfort. And she told me how much her husband Carl would really appreciate having a prayer shawl of his own.
DEBI FROCK: When we first found out that Carl had pancreatic cancer, we had just been to the doctor, and he told him that he had, at best, a year to live. We just looked at each other, and we said, "Who can we call to pray for us?" We've gotten a hundred or more cards from people, and most of them say, "We're praying for you."
Ms. MACK: As you spend time in prayer for this person who you're going to give it to, the shawl symbolizes that you care for them, that you love them and that, you know, God loves them. And we hope they receive it that way.
