Clinging crosses bring peace and comfort

Behold the wood of the cross, on which hung the salvation of the World. O come let us adore him.
 
The cross is a given in each of our lives. To receive and to hold a clinging cross is a gift, a comfort, a hope in Christ Jesus.
 
The ministry of the clinging cross began at the Church of Corpus Christi in Bismarck in November 2011. At first, the clinging cross was purchased and blessed by a priest and given to anyone who needed one—the sick, suffering, hurting, dying—or anyone having trouble in their lives.
 
Soon those manufactured crosses would, instead, become a ministry for Don Scherr, parishioner at Corpus Christi, who began handcrafting the crosses in 2012.
 
Earlier that year, Don became very sick and didn’t even have the strength to stand on his own. He was then diagnosed with pancreatic, kidney and thyroid cancer. He saw doctors at Mayo Clinic who initially sent him home when doctors, at first, couldn’t do anything for him. After returning to the clinic for surgery, his prognosis improved.
 
“During my recovery, I had taken some crosses that I had made over to Fr. Becker [pastor of Corpus Christi Church] to have him bless them. During the visit, he asked me to see if I could make the handheld version, knowing the peace and comfort it can give to someone.”
 
Don had always done some woodworking, making cabinets and other items including different kinds of crosses for this grandchildren for their special moments at their birth and baptisms and such.
 
Don agreed to test his skills making the crosses as Fr. Becker requested, but said some of his first attempts at it weren’t quite right. “I couldn’t quite get them to fit in the palm just right,” he explained. “Then I was watching one of my grandkids playing with Play-Doh one day and that’s how we figured out how to get the curve just right to fit in the palm.”
 
Many people are moved to tears upon receiving the cross that serves to help unite their pain and suffering with the Lord. The cross can serve to deepen their faith and knowledge in the fact that God loves us always, that we are His and belong to Him. The cross is also a sign of Christ’s sacrifice for us with His death and resurrection.
 
Don explained the gratification he feels when he learns that the cross ended up in someone’s casket on their final journey, which tends to happen quite often. “I had a friend who didn’t go to church and when he became ill, I was reluctant to give him one of the crosses, but I did anyway,” Don explained. “It ended up in his coffin at his funeral. It was so satisfying to see what an impact that cross had on him.”
 
Don makes between 600-700 crosses each year, making them about 50 to 75 at a time. “I always have a batch going.”
 
The crosses are branded with the words “Corpus Christi” the church name that translates to the Body of Christ. They are made of all kinds of wood. “My first choice was walnut, but sometimes I find interesting types of wood when we travel,” Don said. He’s also experimented with whatever he can find. “Once I even cut down an apricot tree and a cherry tree that I had in my yard, saved the limbs, and then used that to make some of the crosses.”
 
The crosses are given to people through the parish or to people who have approached Don to request one. The crosses have ended up with people all over the country and beyond. He takes them on his travels just in case someone might need one. “I still have to travel to Mayo Clinic for checkups every six months, and I always run into someone there who needs one.”
 
Don explained the joy he gets from seeing the comfort that the crosses give is payment enough for his time and materials. “I’ll never sell them and will gladly give one to anyone who wants one,” he said. “It’s peaceful to make them and it’s the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done in my life.”