During the pandemic, Sister Anne Ralston, SNDdeN, purchased one-of-a-kind card kits and joined online classes with artisans from across the country.
Divine inspiration flows freely through the fingertips of today’s Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, conveying a creative charism first established by foundress St. Julie.
“As a young woman, Julie was admired for her beautiful embroidery and lace…. Julie's handiwork was also sold in the Billiart family store.” (from Born into a Simple Farming Family.)
Spirituality that’s visual, tactile, and ethereal
“Everyone has a creative soul,” Sister Anne Ralston, SNDdeN, says. She adds: “We simply need to find ways to express it.”
Sister Anne manages the Mount Notre Dame Health Center Gift Shop. The lifelong crafter also sews, cross stitches, crewels, scrapbooks, and paints with watercolors. Most recently, she learned to fashion two- and three-dimensional cards using Swarovski crystals.
Blessed Brushstrokes
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Sister Carol DeFiore, SNDdeN's work in watercolor and ink is known throughout the Congregation. Former Congregation Provincial Leader Sister Teresita Weind, SNDdeN, once requested Sister Carol design Christmas cards with messages scripted in several languages. The cards were sent to Sisters across the globe. |
When Sister Carol DeFiore, SNDdeN, takes brush and pen in hand, she delivers hope-filled and cheerful messages to family members' and friends' mailboxes. Her handmade notecards express “a gift that God gave me,” Sister Carol says.
It’s a gift she’s known since childhood and has used in ministry. “Even as a little girl, I drew flowers…I took advanced art courses in college,” Sister Carol recalls. Sister Carol taught art (and music) to first through eighth graders.
Craft Circle
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Health Center Craft Circle |
Every Monday, Sister Florence Maier, SNDdeN, joins a circle of Sisters for an hour of knitting, crocheting, embroidering, and needlepointing. Sister Florence specializes in the Japanese art of Amigurumi. (Amigurumi is similar to crochet but involves working solely in the round.)
Nine regular Craft Circle members “talk about everything under the sun,” Sister Florence remarks. The talented corps transforms hanks of yarn and spools of floss into baby blankets, hats, soft toys, and wall hangings – available for purchase.
Published in the 2023 Annual Report, Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur Ohio Province