When most of us think of Beatrice, we inevitably think about her public virtuoso piano performances and how the power of her music inspires us, causes us to reflect, and adds a few moments of joy and tranquility to our hectic lives. 

That’s not all Beatrice does to bring happiness to our lives. 

In addition to her musical generosity, Beatrice privately made a significant contribution that enabled the Parish Council to purchase the altar curtain you see every Sunday at the liturgy.  Perhaps the most significant symbolic moments during the Badarak occurs when the priest meditates one-on-one with the Lord behind the closed curtain.  He is re-inacting the last supper as he washes his hands, cleans the chalice, and prepares for communion.  Once he has completed this symbolic ceremony, the curtain is opened and the congregation can approach the altar and receive communion. 

In addition, unknown to most of us, it was Beatrice who noticed that every visiting priest who came Sunday after Sunday had to bring their vestments with them so they could perform the Badarak.  It was Beatrice who ordered 10 pieces of the vestment wardrobe from New York, had fabric selected, sent the material to Armenia where a specialist in vestment sewing carefully created each item, and finally, had the vestments delivered back to Minnesota. 

The next time you are at the Badarak, you might want to pay special attention to the vestments and the curtain and take a moment to thank Beatrice for her generosity.