Even as a young schoolgirl, Diomira held a deep longing to keep God’s house beautiful. She took delight in filling her church with the fragrance of fresh lilacs, roses and wildflowers. As a young woman, she took it upon herself to respectfully wash and carefully iron the delicate altar linens, to ensure that the Sanctuary was always spotless.

She continued this until she left for Canada in 1959, at age 37, quietly leaving behind a new altar cloth that she made in thanksgiving.

In Ottawa, St Anthony’s Church became her second home. Instinctively, she gravitated to the altar, taking a mental inventory of the linens, appreciating what was there but also noting that certain essentials were missing. Following her heart – or maybe her call in life – Diomira lovingly began a routine that she has maintained for fifty years: Giving freely of herself and her talents to our church.

Creative Sewing

Most of the of altar linens and matching tabernacle veils meticulously stored in the sacristy have been made by Diomira, each designed and embroidered to reflect the Liturgical Seasons and special holy days. For this past Advent, the period before the birth of Christ, she sketched an empty cradle on the purple background and embroidered it exquisitely. Next to it she delicately stitched a white lily representing Mary in waiting, she the symbol of the world waiting for its Redeemer. For Easter, last year, Diomira chose the phrase “I am the Way, the Resurrection and the Life” which she patiently traced on the fabric, later outlining each letter with harmonious trim. One has to wonder how many times the tiny needles are threaded by fading eyesight, how painstaking it must be to sit in the same position for hours to ensure that the project is finished, how prayerful each day becomes. Besides these intricate cloths, are the every-day white ones that are regularly taken home to be attentively washed and pressed. Once, upon leaving after a visit, I was deeply touched when I noticed the perfectly ironed altar linens laid out to ensure that they would not be creased.

The lace curtains for the wrought iron doors on both sides of the altar and the privacy drapes for the confessionals are made and maintained by Diomira.

Then there are the intricate outfits for The Infant of Prague – in red, gold, green, purple and white. The statue originally came from a museum, in broken pieces. Fr. Antonio Dupuis skillfully restored it and asked Diomira to dress The Infant. Many are the faithful who pray fervently in front of this statue. Many are the hours that Diomira sensitively devotes to designing, sewing and embellishing the tiny outfits to portray both the gentleness and the majesty of The Infant. With an artistic eye, she collects fabrics, trims, beads, and embroidery threads of gold, silver and rainbows (boxes and boxes of these) and then, with that rare natural ability to put together ordinary items into a thing of beauty, she creates to her heart’s content, humming or singing upstairs in a now-spare bedroom. By the way, as her children can attest, Diomira doesn’t start her day like most of us: she gets up with a song on her lips, singing the second her feet touch the ground.

The Nativity Scene

At St. Anthony’s, the tradition of celebrating Jesus’s birth with a Crèche started with Padre Antonio Dupuis and, after his passing, has continued through Diomira. The Crèche begins to take shape late November, from dark wintry mornings to snowy – and dark – late afternoons in the quiet solitude of our empty church. Diomira prays for inspiration as she recreates Bethlehem’s night sky with the temperamental mini-lights that try her patience. She re-lives the Christmas Story and incorporates into the scenes memories of her own trips to the Holy Land. The rest, she fills in with whimsical abandon. The Nativity Scene becomes alive and magical for all who come to see it. It is certainly a touching moment to listen to the comments of both the very young and old as they visit the Crèche. Comments such as: “Aren’t the stars beautiful!”, “But where is Baby Jesus?” (this usually heard before Christmas Eve), “Is the lake ever shiny!”, “Each year the Crèche seems more beautiful!”, “I can’t imagine the amount of work that goes into this!”…

Il Presepe takes on a different look every year, but it is always a labour of love. Unfortunately, it has to come down only too soon after the Epiphany, and once again the figurines, the evergreens, the sheep and camels are lovingly re-wrapped, carefully placed in labeled boxes and stored away with great hopes for next year. There’s a reason why it’s nightfall when Diomira calls for a lift home… And many times she simply prefers to walk the ten blocks, with a spring in her step.

Not only at Christmas but also on other special occasions, like St. Anthony’s Day and Thanksgiving, our church is resplendent with festive additions that seem to magically appear. The beautiful flowers and plants are kept fresh and vibrant; the altar is set as prescribed and without blemish. On Good Friday, Diomira adds a very meaningful touch: a striking arrangement of tiny, delicate plants, usually in the shape of the cross. These are wheat berries that have germinated and grown for about forty days in a dark environment; deprived of sunshine, they remain white or light green, symbolic of our human need for the life-giving Light of Christ.

Other Commitments

Long ago, Fr. André Carrier asked Diomira to help with the readings in Italian and, eventually, to serve mass as altar boys and altar girls became fewer and fewer. To this day, she faithfully keeps her turn with a clear knowledge and understanding of liturgical traditions. As a Eucharistic Minister she reverently distributes Communion on Sundays.

Diomira holds dear the many devotions she experienced as a child and so she still walks in St. Anthony’s Procession -- the entire route, rain or shine, no umbrella -- leading the participants in song and prayer. On Holy Thursday, she keeps vigil with other faithful parishioners, repeating the Rosary. She assists the celebrants during the annual memorial Mass at Pinecrest Cemetery and visits the funeral home in our community to offer comfort to the bereaved family and a prayer for the loss of their loved one.

Through her contributions Diomira has helped make St. Anthony’s one of the most beautiful churches in Ottawa. Upon entering it, both parishioners and visitors feel a sense of peace, beauty and belonging.

It is said that serenity, joy and a sense of wonder are the qualities of a person at peace with oneself and the world. These attributes are manifested in Diomira. She is a woman of gentle spirit but of resolute personal convictions who lives her faith deeply. Dignity, grace and humility walk with her.

For Diomira it is a privilege to be able to dedicate herself to St. Anthony’s church and she is humbly grateful to God for the strength she continues to receive in serving him in this manner. She treasures the wonderful support that her dear husband lent her and thanks the Servite Fathers for their trust.

We all have a story that defines who we are as individuals. We hope that through this short write up, we were able to capture a part of Diomira’s story. Thank you, Signora Diomira, for all you have done with so much love and dedication. You are an inspiring example for us all.

Antonietta Mariani Joanne De Franco in co-operation with Marianna Contestabile