Women in All Saints Parish share faith by making Last Supper earrings

A group of about 30 women in All Saints Parish in Dearborn County made about 500 sets of earrings featuring an image of Leonardo da Vinci’s fresco “The Last Supper” in a positive response to the opening ceremony of the Summer Olympics in Paris that was interpreted by many as mocking the image. (Submitted photo)

By Sean Gallagher

When the opening ceremony of the Summer Olympics took place on July 26 in Paris, many people around the world, believers and non-believers alike, were shocked by what appeared to many to be a mocking of the famous fresco, “The Last Supper,” by Renaissance artist Leonardo da Vinci.

Countless people quickly took to social media to either condemn the event or to defend it. Bishops in many countries and the Vatican itself issued statements expressing dismay.

The response at All Saints Parish in Dearborn County to the opening ceremony was a little different.

Father Jonathan Meyer, who serves All Saints and the other three parishes in Dearborn County, preached a homily on July 28 reflecting on the meaning of the famous fresco and reiterating the importance of the Eucharist in the Catholic faith.

All Saints parishioner Sara Yunger, knowing of the opening ceremony and having heard Father Meyer’s homily, didn’t go to her computer keyboard or her smartphone.

She instead turned to a favorite craft of hers—making handmade earrings with a flare of faith.

In a short time, she designed a set of earrings featuring the image of the famous Last Supper fresco and gathered about 30 women she knew to make close to 500 sets of them.

All Saints Parish funded the $200 project, and all of the earrings were distributed at no cost to parishioners on the weekend of Aug. 10-11, the last weekend of the Paris Olympics.

Yunger, 46 and a mother of seven, was glad to respond to this cultural challenge to the faith in “a positive, peaceful and creative way.”

“By wearing the earrings, we are showing everyone that we love and revere the precious gift that Jesus gave us in the most Holy Sacrament,” she said.

Yunger was also excited by seeing so many women come together so quickly to share the Gospel in a positive way.

“It brought me a lot of joy to see so many people who truly love their faith be willing to sacrifice their time to make something like this happen,” she said.

Father Meyer saw the work of the Holy Spirit in making this project go from a simple after-Mass conversation he had with Yunger to it involving dozens of women making and disturbing nearly 500 sets of earrings in a matter of days.

“God calls us to use our gifts and talents,” he said. “Most gifts and talents are positive and can, with the Holy Spirit, be used to glorify God and his Church. There are countless ways we can use our talents for good.

“Fashion and art have been used for generations to communicate a message. I am proud of my ladies for owning the moment.”

Although the earring project came to fruition and was completed in about two weeks, Father Meyer hopes the lessons from it will be long lasting.

“In the midst of trial and difficulty, there is always a positive choice that can be made,” he said. “Preaching the Gospel in difficult situations does not always involve debate, yelling or confrontation, but can be silent, simple and creative.

“I think this also speaks volumes about the power of a group of women getting together, sharing their faith and setting a tone and example of joy.” †