St. Charles Borromeo hopes prayer ribbons will start 'blooming' on trees outside churches

Story by Beth Donze
Photos courtesy of St. Charles Borromeo Parish
 
Parishioners of St. Charles Borromeo Church in Destrehan are hoping their simple gesture of prayerful solidarity and hope will unite people while they are physically separated from their churches during the pandemic.
 
“S.I.T.” – an acronym for “Special Intentions Tree” – invites all individuals and families to take a ribbon of any color, write their petitions on the ribbon, and tie it onto a branch or trunk of a tree in front of their church.
 
With the permission of their pastor, Father Mixie Arcuri, St. Charles Borromeo parishioners launched their visual prayer effort on the afternoon of March 28 in front of their own church at 13396 River Road.
 
The first of the ribbons, placed on low-lying branches of a crape myrtle tree, asked for the protection of healthcare staff and for financial stability in a time of job loss. One ribbon implored: “Jesus, help me to trust in you.”
 
At St. Charles Borromeo, a Ziploc bag of blank ribbons has been stapled to a sign explaining the prayer effort. The sign also includes a powerful message from the Book of Philippians: “Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God” (Phil 4:6).
 
St. Charles Borromeo enthusiastically invites all people of faith across the Archdiocese of New Orleans – both Catholics and non-Catholics – to write their prayer petitions on ribbons and display them on trees in front of their places of worship. Please consult with your pastor first to gain permission and so that logistics can be determined.
 
“We want everybody to feel united at a time people are feeling disconnected from their parish churches,” said St. Charles Borromeo's S.I.T. project organizer, who requested anonymity.
 
“When you pass by a church, even though you might not see people there, you will see your prayers and the prayers of others, and know that your intentions are being seen and prayed for continuously.”

Beth Donze can be reached at [email protected].