After her childhood friend, Patty passed away six years ago from bone cancer, Sister Mary Ann Mishurda received a visit from Patty’s husband, Ralph.
Ralph knew that both Patty and Sister Mary Ann loved to embroider. So when they met, he handed her two satchels of a quilt and thread. “Patty said that she wanted you to have this,” he said. Sister Mary Ann recognized the quilt as one that Patty had been working on for 12 years – a gift for her grandson, Jesse.
Stunned, she said to Ralph, “I know what I want to do – finish this for Jesse in Patty’s honor.”
Sister Mary Ann, who serves as pastoral associate at St. John Neumann Parish in Lubbock, Texas began her mission of love about six years ago when the quilt was about half completed. It depicts Noah’s Ark and pairs of animals.
“There is a lot of stitching to be done,” says Sister Mary Ann. When she finishes, she will give it to Jesse, who now is 18. There is no doubt that Jesse, who was raised by Patty and Ralph, will be thrilled to receive it since as a child he spent many hours watching his grandmother create her labor of love.
“Be devoted to one another in love; give preference to one another in honor.” (Romans 12:10)
