While people may not discuss it, or even be aware of it, there is an ever increasing amount of elder abuse in Rhode Island and around the country.

“I am partially retired now, but in my previous career I worked for the state Division of Elderly Affairs, now the Office of Healthy Aging. In my work there I was very aware of the issue of elder abuse and have attended the awareness events held by St. Elizabeth’s in past years,” said Kathy McKeon Bastia, the originator of the Prayer Shawl Ministry at St. Mary’s Church in Cranston.

Besides being a parishioner of the church, she is also a member of its ladies’ group, the Regina Coeli Society.

“When I joined five years ago, I offered to get a prayer shawl ministry started. Prayer shawls are handmade, knitted or crocheted, and given to ill or elderly members of the parish. They are tangible signs of comfort and support from the community. Prayer shawls are not unique to Catholic communities – they are found in many denominations,” Bastia said.

Bastia was made aware of the fact that close to a dozen folks, men and women, had been given temporary shelter by St. Elizabeth Community to remove them from abusive situations while attending the annual awareness event.

“So, it was a little like a light bulb went on two years ago when I heard that. Perhaps it would give comfort to these folks who are uprooted and victims of abuse to have a tangible sign, like a prayer shawl, from folks who are praying for them,” she said.

Bastia took the idea to the Regina Coeli Society and the ladies were in full support.

“Then COVID hit, so our donation to St. Elizabeth’s is a year later than expected. One good thing about COVID, we were all home with nothing to do but knit and crochet,” she said.

The prayer shawls that were blessed on June 12 at St. Mary’s will be delivered to St. Elizabeth’s Haven for Elder Justice.

“My hope is that by having this initiative at St. Mary’s we have raised awareness among our parishioners of the terrible tragedy of elder abuse and perhaps brought some comfort to folks in need,” she said.

The St. Mary’s Prayer Shawl Ministry is about three years old now and most of the shawls are taken to parishioners who are in the hospital, in hospice or sick at home.

This batch of purple shawls were made especially to support the St. Elizabeth Haven for Elder Justice, particularly to be given to elders who seek shelter from abuse in one of the St. Elizabeth facilities.

Each of the 13 purple shawls that will go to St. Elizabeth’s have a special prayer card attached designed for victims of elder abuse.

It reads: “We pray that this prayer shawl will / Heal your body, Calm your fears, Raise your spirits / May you feel God’s loving embrace around you / And know that you are not alone / Know that those who made this shawl / Will keep you in their prayers.