The Knit Purl Pray Ministry at Saint Paul the Apostle Brings Comfort and Hope, One Stitch at a Time

Tucked into the rhythm of parish life at Saint Paul the Apostle is a ministry whose work speaks yarn—crafted into shawls, blankets, and tiny squares of comfort that carry a powerful message: You are not alone.

The Knit Purl Pray Ministry, led by Diane Oster, gathers twice a month—once in the afternoon and once in the evening—to create items of comfort for people facing hardship, loss, or simply in need of a tangible reminder of God’s presence. “Our main activity is making prayer shawls,” said Oster. “Some are knit, others crocheted—any shape goes. People choose their own patterns or find something free online. Most of them are made in adult sizes, but we also do lap blankets for people in nursing homes, and even small comfort blankets for children through Project Linus.”

Oster wasn’t the original leader of the group—she inherited the role a few years after joining the parish in 2016. But her leadership and deep compassion have helped the ministry flourish, now involving 39 people. “Not everyone can come to meetings,” she said. “Some craft entirely from home. But we’re united by prayer and purpose.”

Each meeting opens and closes with prayer. “We give thanks for being together, for those who taught us this art, and we pray for one another,” Oster said. “If someone in the group is struggling, we lift them up. As we work on shawls, we encourage people to begin each one with a prayer for the person who will receive it. Sometimes we know who it’s for, other times, only God knows.”

Prayer You Can Hold

The prayer shawls are gifted to parishioners experiencing loss, particularly during the All Souls Mass. “We put about 60 to 70 shawls on the back pew,” Oster explained. “During the service, people are invited to take one home if they are experiencing grief. This past year, people brought photos of their loved ones, and when you looked around and saw all the faces, you understood—so many in our community are hurting. How could you not do something to help?”

The ministry also provides hats for chemo patients, blankets for a parish nurse who visits people in need, and commemorative items like white shawls for those baptized at the Easter Vigil. Recently, they began making pocket prayer shawls—three-inch squares with a puffy cross stitched in the middle. “We keep a basket of them in the gathering space in all colors,” Oster said. “They’re a reminder to have courage and that your life matters.”

Sometimes, the impact of their work is made known in the most unexpected moments. “One time, a gentleman and his wife came up to me and another ministry member after Mass and said, ‘I want you to know what you do matters,’” Oster recalled. “He had been diagnosed with brain cancer and was told it was likely terminal. He was planning his funeral when he received one of our prayer shawls and not long after, went into remission. I’m not saying the shawl healed him, but it gave him hope. It let him know that someone outside his family was praying for him.”

These stories abound: a friend grieving her husband, a college student taking a bit of home to campus, someone job hunting who needs courage. “You give them a shawl and say, ‘Wear this when you’re searching. Know that someone’s praying for you to find the right opportunity.’”

Crafting Community and Faith

Within the group itself, friendships and fellowship have blossomed. “We have a mother and daughter in the group, a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law too,” said Oster. “Several of us also sing in the choir, help at the soup kitchen, or take part in Bible Study. Any ministry that combines prayer with creating something tangible—these experiences have a way of linking people.”

Oster, who admits she’s more comfortable in small groups, says leading this ministry has also deepened her own faith. “Sometimes my prayers are scattered,” she shared. “But stitching, if you do it prayerfully, can become meditative. You empty yourself of all the things competing for your attention, and you begin to hear God’s voice again. This ministry has taught me to slow down and trust.”

The Knit Purl Pray Ministry welcomes both beginners and experienced crafters. Simple patterns are shared to help newcomers, and patience is always part of the process. “People have been crafting for others for generations—it used to be out of necessity,” said Oster. “But even today, if you’ve been given the gift of knitting or crocheting, and you can use it to help someone’s life be just a little bit better… why wouldn’t you?”

The Knit Purl Pray Ministry meets on the first Tuesday of each month from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. and again on the third Tuesday from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. in the gathering space at Saint Paul the Apostle. You don’t have to attend meetings to participate—home crafters are always welcome.

If you know someone in need of a prayer shawl or would like to request one, contact the parish office. Shawls are also made available at special liturgies and events throughout the year.

As Oster says: “The more you pay attention to what others are going through, the more you realize we’re here to be the hands and feet of Jesus. Sometimes a prayer shawl can be the angel someone’s been waiting for.”