Editor’s note: This story originally ran in the Horseshoe Bay Beacon in Horseshoe Bay, TX.

The parishioners of St. Paul the Apostle Church in Horseshoe Bay, TX last week gave their pastor, Fr. Ruben Patiño, C.S.P., a pleasant surprise to mark the one-year anniversary of the end of his cancer treatment. 

At the close of 5:30 p.m. Mass Saturday, a group of parishioners presented him with a king-size quilt made up of “Rubenator” tee shirts and photos printed on fabric of versions of the famous Virgin of Guadalupe painting. 

The “Rubenator” tee shirts were originally the idea of parishioner and Horseshoe Bay resident Charlie Fox, who is a cardiology nurse practitioner.

“Things like these shirts are very helpful to patients who are going through extended, difficult treatment,” Ms. Fox said. “They serve to reassure patients that they are not alone and that there are many people who care about them and support them in their journey.”

The parish’s women’s organization, WWICS (Women Working in Community and Spirit) had the purple tee shirts created in the spring of 2019 shortly after Fr. Ruben started his cancer treatments. 

They were worn by members of both St. Paul’s and the broader Horseshoe Bay community to show support for him during his eight-month treatment for Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. 

To make the quilt, several months ago WWICS members collected tee shirts from parishioners and sent them to quilt maker Janelle McDaniel, of Dallas, TX. 

Ms. McDaniel used the shirt fronts interspersed with fabric images of the Virgin of Guadalupe to create the front of the quilt. The back side of the quilt features a center section with the words of the Hail Mary prayer.

WWICS members Claudia Haydon and Debbie Frazier led the project.

Fr. Ruben has been cancer-free since his treatments ended in November 2019.