Friar Joseph Dorniak designed a crozier for the Most Reverend Michael T. Martin OFM Conv., Bishop of Charlotte. (Friar Joseph is the illustrator of the Greccio and the O Antiphons booklet.) The crozier, resembling a shepherd’s crook, symbolizes the bishop’s role as shepherd of his diocese. Friar Peter Tremblay spent about 120 hours crafting the crozier.
The staff is black walnut while the central medallion is hard maple. 24 karat gold leaf gilds the San Damiano Crucifix. The cord and knots were carved from synthetic ivory. Friar Peter also crafted the brass connecting hardware and built the carrying case of black walnut with a satin lined interior.
This was the most meaningful thing that I have ever made in my workshop. Michael is a friend, a brother, and a huge mentor of mine. I have always wanted to use my hobby to make sacred objects and the opportunity to craft a crozier has been incredibly exciting and rewarding.
The crozier was presented to Bishop Martin at the Shrine of St. Anthony in Ellicott City, MD, on November 14, 2024, at the beginning of a Mass celebrating 24 jubilarians, who have a combined 950 years of service, from the Our Lady of The Angels Province.
This crozier is a gracious gift not just from the hands and creativity of two of our friars, it is a gift from the heart from all of our friars that I will treasure for a lifetime. A sincere thank you to Peter and Joe for designing and crafting such a wonderful gift that is such a powerful symbol of the episcopacy that I am coming to better understand each and every day.
(Images and story from olaprovince.org)
