By Brenda Tirado-Torres - Florida Catholic

Photographer: ANA RODRIGUEZ-SOTO | FC

Daisy Vizcaino, 67, puts the finishing touches on a lapghan during one of the twice a month meetings of Loving Stitches, a ministry of Mother of Our Redeemer Parish in Miami.

MIAMI � A year ago, Rosy Drake was looking for opportunities to keep Maria Benitez, her elderly mother, active.

Drake was concerned that Benitez, who enjoys good health, could not participate in church events because service options for seniors were very scarce, almost non-existent. A nursing home was definitely not an option, and Benitez was reluctant to spend her days at a senior day care center watching others play dominoes or gossiping.

�Other people � young and adults � have ministries, festivals and other opportunities to participate in parish life,� explained Drake, who works as secretary and receptionist at Mother of Our Redeemer Parish in Miami. �But opportunities decrease for our elderly. We must offer alternatives to older persons who want to help the Church by sharing their gifts and services, so that they will know that they are very much appreciated and seen as vital active members of the community.�

At age 91, Benitez stitches and even teaches other people interested in learning. Having met other elderly women who longed for opportunities to feel helpful, Drake approached her boss, Father Jaime Acevedo, pastor of Mother of Our Redeemer, and asked for his permission to begin a ministry that would invite those ladies to get together a couple of times a month to stitch lapghans, blankets used particularly by persons in wheelchairs. The fruits of their labor would be offered to members of the community who are sick.

Photographer: ANA RODRIGUEZ-SOTO | FC

Salom� Sira, 72, spools some yarn during one of the twice a month meetings of Loving Stitches, a ministry of Mother of Our Redeemer Parish in Miami.

Father Acevedo said he received the idea with great enthusiasm.

�I learned that I should not obstruct what could be the work of the Holy Spirit; if someone came with a serious proposal for a ministry, even if it seems like a strange idea, I should consider it and pray about it,� Father Acevedo explained. �I was excited about the opportunity of making these ladies feel able and useful in our community, while serving and praying for the sick.�

Once Drake got authorization from her boss, Loving Stitches ministry was born. This month, the ministry celebrates a year of service through opportunities that elevate the dignity of its members and improve their quality of life.

At the moment, Loving Stitches has 15 members between the ages of 50 and 91. They gather two Saturdays a month from 10 a.m. until noon at Mother of Our Redeemer, where they pray and enjoy each other�s company while stitching lapghans for the sick. Members with more experience, among them Benitez, also teach their art to other persons who are interested, but who do not know how to stitch.

Since its beginnings, the group has made and given away almost 100 blankets. Those who are at the receiving end know that there is a community that keeps them in their prayers. These days, Loving Stitches of Mother of Our Redeemer parish makes lapghans for sick persons in the parish, for patients at two nearby hospices, and for residents at several assisted living facilities in the Miami Gardens area.

In order to obtain materials, each member of Loving Stitches must look for three godparents who will sponsor her with $5 every month, �but we also take donations from people who wish to sponsor the work of these ladies,� Drake said.

Photographer: ANA RODRIGUEZ-SOTO | FC

Maria Benitez, 91, center, looks over a lapghan being crafted by Gina Moya, right. With them is another member of Loving Stitches, Marlene Lopez.

For Marlene Lopez, who has been a member of Loving Stitches since its beginnings, stitching blankets for the sick has become a spiritual experience.

�When I stitch a lapghan, I pray and think about the person who will receive it,� said Lopez. �I think about their health, about how the person might be feeling. I do not need to know who that person is. The fact that this blanket will go to someone who needs it is enough to make me feel good.�

Drake said she wishes that other people will feel motivated to start Loving Stitches ministries in their parishes.

�We would love to have other churches joining these efforts,� said Drake. �There are other organizations all over the archdiocese waiting for lapghans but our ministry can�t keep up with the demand.�

�This ministry also reminds our parish that getting old doesn�t mean becoming disabled or useless,� said Father Acevedo. �Elderly persons have the ability to remain physically and mentally active. We are very proud of these ladies and their ministry. We thank the Holy Spirit for inspiring them.�

For more information about Loving Stitches or to learn how to begin a group at your parish, call 305-829-6141 or email [email protected].