If you haven’t had the chance to visit Christ Cathedral since its dedication last summer, you’re missing out – not only experiencing the magnificent cathedral, but visiting the Christ Cathedral Shop.
With the Lenten season nearly upon us, and Easter following, Catholics are guaranteed to need special-occasion gifts. Spring is the season of sacraments, including baptisms, first holy communions, confirmations, weddings and ordinations. The Christ Cathedral Shop is filled with thoughtful, unusual gifts for these occasions and more.
Baptism and First Holy Communion Gifts
When a new baby is on the way or being baptized, relatives of Catholic couples need look no further than the Christ Cathedral Shop’s baptism and new baby section.
Blue or pink crucifixes adorned with a praying child are $28.95, while candles and corresponding rosaries in yellow or blue cost $10.95. If you’re planning a celebration, you can buy 12 invitations for $5.95, and there’s baptismal wrapping paper and greeting cards priced from $3 up.
When a child’s first holy communion is underway, uniquely Catholic gifts available at the store include silver picture frames featuring chalices for $14.95 and rosaries in various colors with special holders and boxes ranging from $10 to $20.
Mass books, missals, and journals are appropriate gifts for nearly any occasion and can be found in simple paper versions or leather-bound keepsakes ranging from $25 and up.
Confirmation and RCIA Gifts
RCIA candidates and confirmation candidates deserve praise for their commitment and wisdom. The Christ Cathedral Shop has a selection of greeting cards for both RCIA and confirmation candidates, as well as wrapping paper unique to each occasion.
Confirmed, newly baptized Catholics will appreciate a crucifix adorned with the Old Testament quote, “For I Know the Plans I Have for You,” which runs $14.95, or a plaque adorned with the dove and the blessing, “Be Sealed With the Gift of the Spirit,” for $12.95.
Silver bracelets listing the seven virtues are included in the confirmation section of the store and cost $14.95, and there’s a wide choice of various picture frames, crucifixes, and rosaries that make perfect special-occasion gifts.
Wedding and Anniversary Gifts
The Christ Cathedral Shop has a section devoted to couples that features wedding and anniversary gifts, but throughout the store you’ll find thoughtful items that Catholic couples and families will cherish.
The store carries many books about marriage, including Kimberley Kirk-Hahn’s “Life-Giving Love,” for $16.99 and Our Sunday Visitor’s planning pamphlet, “Catholic Etiquette for Weddings,” for $1.50.
Crucifixes in silver or gold decorated with intertwined rings are $21.95, while his-and-hers rosaries in black and white go for $42 and up.
Culinary-minded couples will treasure “The Vatican Cookbook” for $34.99, which includes chapters on Vatican cooking history and favorite papal recipes. It’s in a rack near the snack section. Next to it you’ll find a $49.95 wood reading stand, perfect for keeping the cookbook safe from accidental spills.
Gifts for Priests, Deacons, and Religious
What do you give a newly ordained deacon, a priest celebrating his jubilee year, or a religious sister marking her birthday?
The Christ Cathedral Shop has a number of items specifically for priests and deacons, including hand-embroidered vestments on racks near the back of the store that can cost $200 to $400 or more, depending upon the fabric, season, and intricacy of design.
Roman collars are located nearby and are $50 and up, and stoles in various colors and fabrics are on a nearby shelf. Stoles are a thoughtful gift because priests are often asked to hear confessions on short notice.
The store offers a selection of pyx, or portable tabernacles used to bring the Eucharist to the sick or dying. Prices start at $18.95.
Also available are an impressive array of Bibles of all shapes, translations, and sizes, including pocket Bibles and large Douay Rheims editions.
Miscellaneous Gifts
The store features sections devoted to the saints, St. Joseph, Mary, and Jesus, and a wide variety of spiritual reading.
Those seeking inspiration can find it in the shelves dedicated to the life and writings of Mother Teresa. Those seeking to continue their Catholic education can find many books by noted apologetics, including “Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Heaven,” by Peter Kreeft, and a wide choice of books by Scott Hahn. Book prices vary.
There are many gifts suitable for Catholics who have lost loved ones, including bereavement books, funeral registries, and wood and metal inspirational signs and crucifixes. Myriad rosaries are on display in many sizes, shapes, and colors and materials.
Glass displays showcase handcrafted items, including beautiful olive wood statues and Last Supper displays that range from $199 to $1,399.
There’s even a thoughtful greeting card adorned with St. Francis consoling a grieving Catholic for the loss of their pet.
My research for this story required me to spend some time poking around the Christ Cathedral Shop, and I found it so enjoyable that I ended up promising myself frequent return trips.