Catholic shops have the hard-to-find Catholic gift items

DETROIT — The store may be quiet on Wednesday morning during the first week of Advent, but Amy McGuckin knows better.

She knows it’s only a matter of time before a panicked shopper will be asking for a much-sought-after copy of G.K. Chesterton’s “Manalive.”

But chances are, McGuckin and the Assumption Grotto bookshop staff have it, and plenty of other things a shopper didn’t even know they wanted.

“Easter and Christmas are far and away our busiest times,” said McGuckin of Assumption Grotto Gift Shop and Bookstore in Detroit. “During Advent, we have people rushing in looking for that perfect gift. Sometimes we have men who show up on Dec. 24, saying they need to buy some things for their wives.”



For many Catholics, the perfect gift might be right under their nose; or just in the local parish shop. Especially for more specialty items.

“Fr. (Eduard) Perrone said in 2006 he wanted more books in the shop,” McGuckin said. “We’re told we have books that aren’t readily available at Barnes and Noble. A lot said they would get them on Amazon, but they want to support a local store.”

Outside of having particular items, Catholics shops across the Archdiocese of Detroit tend to have staff readily available to assist shoppers with finding that perfect gift, regardless of wherever a family member of friend may be on their faith journey.

“Generally, people come in with no idea at all what they want,” said Breege Regan-Kelly at Celtic Cove Catholic Bookstore’s newly opened location at 1120 S. Lapper Rd. in Oxford. “We try to get them to think about what they need, and we show them what we have available.”

Kelly said small items like rosaries, saint medals and prayer cards are the perfect Catholic gift, even if that gift is not what they originally had in mind.

“We try to work with the customer, finding something they are comfortable with buying and giving to someone; we’re not trying to pressure them,” Regan-Kelly said. “Usually, after they have been in the store, they will find something they weren’t even thinking of that makes the perfect gift.”



Beth Collison is the owner of Faith@Work, a Catholic shop in Troy that carries everything from children’s books to Nativity sets to saint cards. Collison said the more popular gifts this year have been children’s books and Nativity sets, but it really depends on for whom the gift is intended.

“It really depends on who they’re shopping for,” Collison said. “If they are buying a gift for Christmas, we have appropriate ornaments for that. For people who are newly married, a crucifix on the wall for a new home is always a nice gift.”

Across the archdiocese, books, by local and nationally known authors, seem be the big seller. At Assumption Grotto, the parish gift shop expanded its literature section from six to 22 shelves.

“We have a book full of sermons by St. Francis de Sales that we have to keep ordering, and everyone loves reading Bishop Fulton Sheen,” McGuckin said. “Usually, customers are coming in to buy Catholic basics, like scapulars and rosaries. After then, then we get into more practical gifts. You don’t want to just give a giant book by Chesterton to an uncle who doesn’t practice anymore.” Christmas shopping is not limited to just the Advent season, as many shoppers chose to visit stores throughout the year, such as the Solanus Casey Center Gift Shop or the gift shop at the National Shrine of the Little Flower Basilica in Royal Oak. At Shrine, gift shop manager Jack Hoolehan said most sales take place during scheduled tours of the basilica.

“We see a little more foot traffic during Advent, but our tours do the biggest sales,” Hoolehan said. “We have tours from Ohio, Pennsylvania, Canada and Chicago. We set tours up and after that we make sure the gift shop is open.”

Hoolehan said Christmas tree ornaments are the biggest sellers at Shrine, particularly ones that commemorate the pilgrimage they took to the Royal Oak basilica.

“We try to stay away from Nativity scenes and sell more generic Christian items, like Christmas bulbs or crosses,” Hoolehan said. “We also have pictures of the pope, Mary and Joseph that are really popular, but they’re popular year-round. Another big seller is the small automobile rosary that hangs from your mirror; people from out of the area really like that, regardless of what season it is.”

For those worried they’re falling behind in their Christmas shopping, you’re not alone; many Catholic shop owners have noticed a slow start to the season, citing outside factors such as the election and unseasonably warm weather that hasn’t gotten people into the Christmas mood yet.

“We’ve noticed that people are just starting to shop for Christmas after a slow start, probably because of the election,” said Sheila Churchill, manager of Churchill’s Religious Goods and Gifts in Toledo, Ohio.

“At the moment, all the Advent candles got bought out, all the blue books of Advent we had got bought out, the Magnificat Advent companions,” Churchill said. “Everyone is always updating their Nativity sets. Last year, the Willow Tree nativity set was really popular.”

Outside of the essential “go-to” Catholic gift items, many Catholic stores have small pieces of Christmas tradition that are almost impossible find anywhere else but a local Catholic shop.



“Christmas wafer are a really big sell for us,” said Matthew Klopp, owner of G.A. Fuchs Church Supply in Madison Heights. “It’s a Polish custom that we sell all over the country. We help people who walk into the store, but most of them are looking for something really specific, especially around Christmas and confirmation time.

“Right now, with Advent just starting, we are really selling a lot of Christmas decoration, figurines, angels and Nativity sets. Christmas décor seems to be on everyone’s minds right now, but I imagine more people will be coming in soon. When in doubt, a New American Bible or the Catechism of the Catholic Church is always a good gift. If not, a nice little crucifix; you can’t go wrong there.”