Wrapped in Prayer: A Community's Promise to Mothers and Babies

As the Pastor at St. Rose of Lima in Ephrata, Father César Izquierdo has long championed the dignity of life supporting new mothers and their babies, acknowledging the beautiful gift that each child is, and the need for community to help them grow well. Several from Father Cesar’s parish joined him in this endeavor by creating beautiful “prayer blankets” to show families the love and care of Our Lord, as well as that of the St. Rose of Lima community. While some are quilted, and others knitted or crocheted, they all share one essential thread: they are prayed for and blessed before being given to local babies and their mothers.

Recently, Parochial Vicar of St. Rose of Lima parish, Ruben Melendrez, came across a beautiful picture of St. James, folding mothers and their children into the protection of his mantle. He created a homily around the Feast of St. James and shared that and the image with the parish.

Moved by the homily, PREPARES family companion, Cyle, created a beautiful gift for a family she was companioning. The parents had recently delivered their third daughter, after enduring three heartbreaking miscarriages; one before each of their daughters was born. Anna, the mother, was greatly moved when Cyle presented her with the picture of St. James, a prayer blanket, and Father Ruben’s homily. The gift made Anna and her family feel truly loved and supported by God and their St. Rose of Lima community.

Prayer blankets are far more than simple gifts—they are tangible expressions of love, faith, and community. Through the PREPARES ministry at St. Rose of Lima, more than 200 of these blankets have become a promise—a commitment to uphold the dignity of life from its very beginning. Each blanket carries with it the devotion of the person who created it, the blessing of the priest who prayed over it, and the care of the family Companion who delivered it. When a new parent receives one, they encounter not just warmth, but the profound assurance that their child and their family are embraced by a community rooted in faith and compassion. “When mothers wrap their babies in these blessed blankets, it's like Mary wrapping baby Jesus with love,” explained Father Ruben.

These blankets symbolize hope, tenderness, and the unwavering presence of God in life’s most vulnerable moments, just as the PREPARES ministry does. We are currently underway with the 2026 “Open Your Heart” Appeal and we hope that all will give generously, providing mothers like Anna with companionship, baby supplies, hope, and sense of community that all families deserve. DONATE TODAY