The Cathedral Gift Shop Offering Wonderful Gifts for All Occasions

When Elizabeth Johnson and her husband, David, arrived at the Christ the King parish office for a meeting, Elizabeth had no idea that she would be leaving with a ministry that has enabled her to share God’s love with parishioners and guests.

Elizabeth, along with a team of dedicated volunteers, operates the Christ the King Gift Shop that sits in a small nook in the church. The hours are before and after the Saturday vigil Mass, as well as all the Sunday Masses. The shop offers a wide variety of Catholic items, such as rosaries, crucifixes, sacramental gifts for celebrations like First Communion, as well as saints medals, saints prayer cards, Bibles, journaling books, and baby gifts. There will be a variety of items on hand that are perfect for Mother’s Day gifts.

How Elizabeth came to this ministry is a story unto itself. When she and David were waiting for a meeting to begin, Katie Sheppard, Director of Advancement, began chatting with them. Then Katie asked Elizabeth, “I have a question — would you want to run the Gift Shop?”

“I said, ‘Let me pray on it,’” Elizabeth says. “But Katie said, ‘I need to know now. Today is the deadline for the Stewardship Renewal, and I don’t have the Gift Shop in it.’ I said, what if I said ‘no?’ and Katie said, ‘We’d take it down.’ So, I said ‘yes.’ I didn’t want it to close. It just kind of happened.”

Elizabeth may have been influenced by the large crocheted portrait of Jesus that was standing in the parish office at the time. It has been dropped off at the office by an unknown donor, and now, as Elizabeth says, “it kept staring at me.” When Katie said Elizabeth could have the portrait, she accepted it. The portrait now hangs in the Gift Shop.

“It’s kind of like Jesus is watching over everything,” Elizabeth says.

As patrons look over the items for sale, Elizabeth and the volunteers have the opportunity to teach the meaning of the items.

“There are stories behind those things, and there are meanings behind things,” Elizabeth says. “We give away little medals, and when kids can say a prayer, like the Our Father or Glory Be, they get a coloring book. It’s beautiful to hear them.”

Plans are being made to have custom items available, such as rosaries and pocket coins, available only at our Gift Shop.

The Gift Shop has been closed for two years as a result of pandemic restrictions. When Katie asked Elizabeth if she would take over the operation, Katie knew that Elizabeth often shopped at a Catholic book store in town and would be familiar with items to sell.

“She’s really taken it from a closet to something that’s open each weekend,” Katie says. “Merchandise just spills out the door. She’s always looking for new things to purchase. It’s really become a stopping point for people coming out of Mass. They stop, talk and shop. It’s become such an evangelization tool for the parish.

“She has so much energy and enthusiasm,” Katie adds. “She is evangelizing and teaching while she’s selling and meeting so many people.”

Elizabeth attributes much of the shop’s success to the volunteers.

“I have volunteers who really help to get it up and running,” she says. “They’ve been very helpful. One volunteer told me, ‘I’ve had so many graces since I started working here!’”

The shop has been blessed and Elizabeth is working to have it dedicated to the Blessed Mother.

“We’d like to do that,” Elizabeth says. “There is a sculpture of Mary right above the shop.”

Elizabeth invites all to stop in before or after weekend Masses to see what is available.

“The best gifts are God gifts,” she says. “It’s a privilege to do this. Anything being done for God is a privilege.”

Anyone who would like more information about items available at the Gift Shop may contact Elizabeth Johnson at 317-408-2794 or bethtsky@gmail.com.