ST. MARYS – For the past few years, Pam Pauline has bought
oplatki – or a Christmas wafer – to share with her family and
friends.
The thin wafers embossed with Nativity scenes are a Slovak
tradition. The communion host-like items, are eaten on Christmas
Eve and are hard to find. Pauline knows of one local place she can
buy these treasured items – the gift shop at St. Joseph
Monastery.
An open house will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at
Sisters’ Gift Shop – “Trifles and Treasures” – and Sisters’ Ceramic
Shop at St. Joseph’s Monastery. There will also be a Sweet Shop
which will include sweets as well as homemade sauerkraut.
“It’s a nice gift to give to people,” Pauline said of the
oplatki.
The gift shop is one of the few places around where people can
buy religious items, both holiday themed and others for throughout
the year.
“Keep the Christ in Christmas,” Sister Margoretta, OSB,
said.
For Sister Margoretta, knowing what people may be looking for is
key.
“Knowing what to order … something people will like and want,”
she said. The day of the open house is the busiest of the year at
the gift shop.
The shop has plenty of stocking stuffers such as Rosary beads
and prayer cards. There are books and ornaments and plenty of
angels, a favorite of many customers.
The shop also has advent wreaths and calendars; advent starts
Dec. 3. People can also buy blessed hay for their Nativity
scenes.
Pictures of the Last Supper line the wall of the gift shop.
“It’s a good gift any time of year,” Sister Margoretta, the gift
shop manager, said.
There are also many different statues, including one of St.
Joseph which is a favorite of people trying to sell their
homes.
“It’s hard to keep that on hand,” Sister Margoretta said.
“Realtors send people up here.”
In the jewelry section, a miraculous medal or cross is a
favorite of women, while men gravitate towards the four-way cross
or cruciform. The Sacred Heart is at the top, St. Christopher on
the right, Miraculous at the bottom, and St. Joseph on the
left.
Other items in the gift shop include children’s books, baby
items and knitted or crocheted items such as hats, mittens, scarves
and dish cloths, which Sister Margoretta said are a “big item.”
For some, the best part of the store is the flea market in the
back.
Down the hill at the ceramics shop, is a gold mine itself.
Sister Augustine, OSB, a 91-year-old nun, has been doing
ceramics for about 40 years.
Among her prized works are “Gussie Specials,” items she
decorates with the leftover paint.
These items are so popular, she can barely keep them in
stock.
She is also known for painting forget-me-not patterns on the
pieces.
This year, Sister Augustine has done the Nativity donkey
ornament, which will be available at the open house. Only 25 are
available.
The card attached to the donkey includes a line written by
Sister Augustine herself. “This humble animal carried Jesus and
Mary on their long journey to Bethlehem.”
Sister Augustine does the ceramics from start to finish, pouring
the mixture into the molds through painting the finishing
touches.
“When you open a kiln, there’s blessings and sorrows,” she’s
been known to say.
There’s also miracles, as it turns out, in ceramics.
Sister Augustine explained that one of the kilns broke down.
“I was looking for a second-hand one,” she said. “I couldn’t
come up with one.”
But word got around about her predicament and one morning, she
found a new kiln outside the shop door.
“I never found out who left it.”
All of the money raised goes to the monastery.
