When I was a child at St. Michael’s, my mother helped facilitate the palm cross making event, through the women’s group at the parish. I enjoyed watching her as she went through the process of preparing the palms. She would first go to collect the palm branches to then cut off the leaves to carefully wash them and lay them in the sun to dry. To make this preparation process easier, the St. Michel’s women’s group eventually planted special fan palms on campus near the Parish Hall, to make the harvest of the palms leaves, for this special event, easier.
I enjoyed watching her teach those who came to the event, giving them at times multiple step-by-step instructions. With one cross at a time, eventually we made enough to give out to the parish on Palm Sunday. The making of the crosses was such a beautiful labor of love, a wonderful way to spend time together in fellowship, as we worked together in glorious preparation for Palm Sunday.
I am thankful to the women’s group at St. Michael’s who started this event for the church and its parishioners. It’s lovely to have the tradition of 50+ years continue on in this current age, as my niece Debra Saenz holds the baton and will be teaching the palm cross making this year. I’m looking forward to seeing you all at the 2015 palm cross event!
Written by Ginny Unanue, Archives Minister.
