Faith in just one gift at St. Collette Catholic Church.

BRUNSWICK — Did you know that Saint Colette Catholic Church in Brunswick has a gift shop? Lily and Grace Catholic Gift Shop sells many kinds of items that are not only religious, but seasonal and can't be found anywhere else. Among the items available are many sacraments, weddings, baptisms, first Holy Communion and confirmation. Also, there are other nonreligious and religious items, such as religious statues and pictures, greeting cards, rosaries, garden statues, holy cards and an assortment of miscellaneous items. The rosaries are one of the best-sellers, as they are made by a woman at St. Colette. The store caters to all holidays. If there is an item that a customer is looking for that the shop does not carry, the item can be specially ordered. The Lily and Grace Catholic Gift Shop was started by the pastor at the church, the Rev. William Krizner. He was having difficulty purchasing some religious items that he wanted and believed that if he were to open a store, he would be able to buy them wholesale, which would be easier. Father Krizner named the gift store after his sheepdogs — Lilly and Grace. Currently, the shop is run by Kathy Pellegrin, a retired teacher. Pellegrin enjoys "finding the perfect gift" for her customers. She said she loves working at the gift shop. "When I walk into the gift shop, I think that it just looks so inviting and is a comfortable, happy place to be," she said. "Lily and Grace Gift Shop is unique because we carry items from many different venues at reasonable prices. The goal of the gift shop is not to make a profit, but to be an ideal place for our parishioners and surrounding parishes to shop for religious items." Due to the pandemic, the Lily and Grace Gift Shop has made some adaptations. Everyone must wear a mask when they enter the building and there is a sanitizer station at the entrance. Pellegrin frequently sanitizes the register and surrounding areas as well. The shop also offers phone orders for pickup, with only three or four people allowed in the gift shop at once. "Customers appreciate our gift shop because they have the convenience of shopping before or after Mass," Pellegrin said. "Many times, customers stop in after mass because they need a gift or card for a party that they are going to later on in the day. They are happy to find religious gifts for special milestones in their religious life." Lily and Grace Catholic Gift Shop is located at 330 W. 130th St., Brunswick. Contact Pellegrin at kpellegrin@stcoletteparish.com or call the gift shop at (330) 273-5700. Mia Dolan, a freshman at Brunswick High School, is one of more than 50 student "backpack journalists" (grades six-12) in the award-winning BEAT Video Program.