Parishioner makes new canopy for Eucharistic processions at the Cathedral of the Madeleine

IC photo/Linda Petersen

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The Eucharistic canopy made by Cathedral of the Madeleine parishioner Ellen Sanchez will be used for the first time at the celebration of the Feast of Corpus Christi.

When the Cathedral of the Madeleine celebrates the Feast of Corpus Christi on June 19 it will do so with a Eucharistic canopy handmade by Ellen Sanchez, a 93-year-old parishioner.  

Sanchez was asked to make the canopy at the request of Father Martin Diaz, rector of the cathedral.

“It was Father Martin’s dream to have a canopy for the cathedral, and when I showed him one I owned, he had me ask Ellen if it would be possible,” said Lorena Needham, the cathedral’s administrator of liturgy and music.

Going from a picture in a catalog and examining Needham’s canopy, Sanchez designed and sewed both the canopy and a cope (a liturgical vestment) over the course of a week recently, out of a liturgically appropriate patterned silk fabric acquired by the parish. While she found it easy to sew the canopy, the cope was a little more challenging because of its rounded edges, she said.

Although Sanchez has relined many of the vestments used by the priests at the cathedral, this is the most ambitious project she has undertaken.

The challenge was inspiring, she said, and “They all liked it really well, so I thought that maybe I did a good job.”

The canopy and cope is the just latest project for Sanchez, who was a professional seamstress for 32 years before her retirement.

More than 25 years ago, she began voluntarily repairing the cathedral vestments. Along with caring for the vestments, she has sewed costumes for parish Christmas pageants and statue covers for the parish. She also sewed much of her family’s clothing when they were young.

She has turned over her key to the cathedral a couple of times when she had surgery , “but they always give it back to me when I go back to church,” Sanchez said.

She plans to continue her service “as long as the old machine will fire up,” she said. “I enjoy doing it and as long as I can, I will keep doing it.”

Sanchez is assisted by her daughter, Linda Beck, also a cathedral parishioner. Beck herself does not sew, but regularly helps her mother set up so that she can sew what is needed.

“I think she is absolutely amazing,” Beck said. “She never stops, she is perpetual motion.”

Sanchez also organized the cathedral’s coffee hours for many years and staffed the counter where the cathedral sold religious articles after Mass on Sundays.

“She has always been of service,” Beck said. “That’s her life; that’s what she wants to do, to be of service to the parish.”

Fr. Diaz expressed his appreciation for Sanchez’ service.

“Ellen has a gift for sewing. It’s her way of serving the community and her way of giving back to God using the gifts and talents God gave her,” he said. “I think it’s certainly a labor of love and a gift not just for the community, but a gift back to God.”

Needham said she hopes the canopy and cope will be used for Eucharistic celebrations and processions at the cathedral for many years to come.

The materials for the items were funded by Knights of Columbus Council 602.