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Inside
NCR
Stoles
with panache, poetry with bite
It all started with Uncle Lynns ordination. Cynthia Simonds,
the quilter, with a little help from her mother-in-law and various
sisters-in-law, made him a stole. In case you are into this, each side of the
stole was made up of four bargello panels and the result was
gorgeous -- she said so herself.
Then Simonds, who lives in Bristol, Maine, did a stole for Fr. Ray
Picard for baptizing her daughter Elizabeth. He liked it, she
explains superfluously, so for his birthday she made him another. Then it was
the turn of her husbands Aunt Shirley -- Im not making this up --
to be ordained. To nobodys surprise she got, thats right, a stole
that ranged in color from vibrant reds to rich burgundy to glorious
purples. Then, when her friend Annemarie had a baby, the baptizing priest
got a stole. You get the picture.
Then commerce raised its head. Fr. Picard -- remember, he already
has two Simonds stoles, at least -- suggested she sell the stoles (not his,
others). Picard even posed as a model for publicity pictures. Simonds
quilting talents are matched only by her genius for publicity.
When she saw Nothing Sacreds Fr. Ray on the
Rosie ODonnell show (which, needless to say, she loves), she had an idea;
she phoned until she found the Sacred costume department where they
said theyd like a purple stole for the Advent show, which, after reading
all this, you may have already missed.
But thats not all. They liked the purple one so well, the
Nothing Sacred people ordered another, in ivory, for the Christmas
episode.
And heres the Simonds difference, in her own words:
When [the stole] was gone [to Hollywood], I again felt hopeful about what
I had sent. It became more than 22 ivory fabrics for I had interwoven some of
myself in all the stitches. The whole truly was more than the sum of the parts.
I hope they can feel how much of me is in each stole. I sent them hope and joy
and strength to continue their journey through television into our
homes.
What other TV program can boast of love like this?
The saga continues. TV programs practically everywhere are being
canvassed. Seventh Heaven, a drama on WPIX in New York, has ordered
one -- ivory with a touch of gold (God is in the details). By the
time you read this, the pope may be wearing a Simonds stole. Or, if you want
one yourself, shes at 207-677-3093. Theres more to it than
stitching. I know this because I live in a house where quilts are made and
they, too, are more than the sum of their stitches.
Meanwhile, the inimitable Sr. Rose Tillemans of Minneapolis is at
the poetry again. Her latest collection is Questions of a Cradle
Catholic, 16 short poems, all questions because imprimatur is not
needed for questions, only for answers. For example:
When Jesus said, Upon this rock I will build my
church, Did Peter begin a Vatican search? Was a Roman site with all
its glory Any part of the Jesus story? Does Jesus wonder about the
Vatican And what prelates there are really at again?
The booklet is available for $2 (though more would help), which
will help support Peace House, a storefront gathering place for the poor and
homeless where Tillemans works. Write to The Underground Press, 2300 E.
Franklin Avenue #215, Minneapolis MN 55406. Where else would you get poems like
this?
For those of us uncanonized Will some system be
devised Whereby all our friends and kin Might know if we are out or in?
National Catholic Reporter, December 12,
1997
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