SMITHFIELD – When Tom Fantasia noticed that a local Catholic goods store was going to close, he found a calling.
"We wanted to do something more to help our faith and we wanted to rescue the store," he said. So he and his wife Ivette, along with their five children, decided to purchase the business.
That was last December, and since then the Fantasia family has given the business, now called Stella Maris, a new life. In mid-October, Father Roger Houle blessed the store, now in a new location just doors down from the original in a strip mall on Cedar Swamp Road, in a small ceremony attended by family, friends and staff.
Stella Maris is Fantasia's pride and joy: "'A lot of stores call themselves Christian, but we're Catholic," he emphasized.
The shelves feature books by Catholic authors and books about the Catholic Church. There is everything from reference books about the Church's history to children's books to a slim volume called "Can a Catholic Be a Democrat?"
Another unique offering is a shelf stocked with Papal writings and Encyclicals, many of which are not available in the average Barnes & Noble. "We screen them so you can be sure that there's nothing that goes against the Catholic faith," Fantasia said.
Stella Maris also offers a wide array of religious jewelry, art, and statues, many of which are produced by local companies.
Looking for the perfect card for your priest's birthday? Stella Maris has cards tailored to every religious occasion. "We wanted to show the beauty of the faith," Fantasia said. "We're trying not to be a dusty old [store]... we're trying to show some life and vitality."
T-shirts with Catholic imagery and movies with Catholic themes are for sale. There is also a growing section of movies available to rent and, in an effort to reach out to religious education teachers in the diocese, Fantasia can also provide and help set up a projector and screen for larger viewings.
He and his family want to take the store beyond simple retail into evangelization. "When they come in, they come looking for a First Communion gift, and we hope to be able to teach them," he said. Many of the books available, he hopes, will "give [customers] a reference point if someone questions their faith."
He said that working in the store and getting to know its client base and hearing people's stories has given him hope. "We see a lot of little tiny miracles," he said.
Stella Maris
9 Cedar Swamp Road
Smithfield, RI
(401) 231-0074
Hours: Mon, Tues, Wed, Fri 10-6
Thur 10-8, Sat 10-4.
StellaMarisCatholicStore.com
