Many Sisters of the Precious Blood make art and crafts, and while the forms of their creations vary widely — carving, painting, quilting, singing and many more — they share in common a means of communion with others, and a way to reflect the beauty of God.
Our faith and tradition promise that angels guard and guide us throughout our lives. Likewise, the Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us that:
“… the whole life of the Church benefits from the mysterious and powerful help of angels” (334);
“In her liturgy, the Church joins with the angels to adore the thrice-holy God” (335); and
“From its beginning until death, human life is surrounded by their watchful care and intercession. ‘Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd leading him to life’” (336).
Angels come in a near-infinite range of shapes and sizes — from paper cutouts to crystal figurines that sell for hundreds of dollars. Any angel can be a gift from the heart, but often those made by hand are the most special.
After retiring from full-time ministry, Sister Jean René Hoying decided to take on a “little project” to keep busy. She had learned to crochet in the 1950s, as a student at Precious Blood High School, the Congregation’s former school also known as Fatima Hall.
“I loved it,” she said. “I just like to make things. And with crochet, it’s like riding a bike — once you learn it, you’ll never lose it.”
After her retirement in 2014, she saw a crocheted angel from a craft fair and thought, “I could do that.” A friend found instructions on Pinterest — and what began as a little project quickly evolved into the creation of 15 handmade crocheted angels made over a period of several months.
At Christmas that year, each angel was gifted to a friend or family member. One remains at Salem Heights, the Congregation’s central house in Dayton.
“Whenever I made one, I prayed for the person who would receive it the whole time — with every stitch,” she said.
Some of the angels are best suited for display at Christmastime, with red and green ribbon and other seasonal flourishes. But others feature more neutral decoration and adorn family and friends’ homes all year long. As with most Sisters of the Precious Blood, Sister Jean René’s daily schedule in retirement has proved just as full as it was in active ministry — if not more so — and her roster of volunteer ministry projects precludes her from making more angels for now.
But when every stitch is a prayer, those 15 angels have brought with them a multitude of blessings that last throughout the year, and for years to come.
— Story by Mary Knapke
