By Angela E. Pometto
Herald Staff Writer
(From the issue of 11/11/04)

"Providence brought us together and is keeping us together," said Cecilia Balog, co-owner of the Pashcal Lamb Catholic Bookstore in Fairfax, referring to Donna Biegler and Roslyn Barry. Not only have these three women been running a successful business for the past 17 years, but they are all married to retired military men and share that bond.

Cecilia’s husband, Robert Balog, served in the Army for 25 years. They met in college. He was in the West Point Cathedral choir, and she was in the College of Mt. St. Vincent glee club. They met at a joint concert. Three years later, they were married.

He was later deployed to Vietnam where he served for a year. Robert has now been retired for 11 years.

Loren Biegler, Donna’s husband, served in the Navy for 33 years. Donna was a civilian employee at the Great Lakes Naval Center when she met her husband of now 40 years. He served on a ship off the coast of Vietnam during the war. Loren retired in 1992.

Roslyn’s husband, Kevin Barry, served in the Coast Guard for 25 years before he retired as a captain in 1990. His work as a Coast Guard attorney kept him out of the wars. Roslyn met Kevin on a blind date at a Knights of Columbus dance. They were married a year later.

"I’m a definite believer in love at first sight," Roslyn said.

All of the military families moved repeatedly during their service, but the wives admit this was a blessing.

Cecilia grew up in New York City in a "sheltered environment," she said. "I always thought I would live in New York all my life." But being married to a military man opened her up to many different possibilities. It was also ideal for raising their two children, who were old enough to appreciate the few years they spent in Europe, she said.

"You mature very quickly," Donna said, when your husband is away when your second child is born. The challenge of dealing with a two-year-old and an infant by herself "made me the person I am today," she said.

Roslyn was a nurse, so it was easy for her to find work wherever they traveled. She received her certification in several different states.

"The military career makes you open to people," she said. "You don’t have time to wait for friends to come to you."

Cecilia was the first to see the need for a local Catholic bookstore in the Fairfax area. She and Donna were working as secretaries at their parish, St. John Neumann in Reston.

People would often call wanting to know where to find gifts for first communion and baptism, Cecilia said. There was a need that wasn’t being met.

Her husband was in Korea at the time, and she was interested in starting a shop. Neither she or Donna had any retail experience.

"It was a real leap of faith," Cecilia said, although she admits to always having an interest in Catholic books that has continued to grow through the years.

Donna said that it felt instinctive and natural. Cecilia needed investors and workers, and Donna and Loren answered the call.

And with God’s guidance, the idea quickly became reality. Within eight months, the two Catholic women opened the Paschal Lamb.

The hardest part was finding a place, Cecilia said. They started with 500 square feet and now have 2,300.

"We have been blessed," Donna said.

"We learned how to operate the cash register the day we opened," Cecilia said.

Cecilia said the three husbands are supportive of the shop. They helped during each of the three moves the shop has made, and they’ve helped with the building maintenance.

Cecilia and Donna knew Roslyn from the parish, and she joined forces with the store three years after it opened. She was ready to work a day job after many night shifts as a nurse.

Religious articles have strong effects on people’s lives, Cecilia said. Besides the teaching value, "it focuses their lives in the right direction," she said. "It’s very humbling that you’re given a responsibility of spreading the kingdom in a real way."

"We’re helping people with their faith," said Donna. "There are lots of people looking for answers," she said, adding that the answers can be found in many of the Catholic books they stock.

The store also offers "a faith-filled, trusting environment," Roslyn said.

"Our customers are long-standing customers," Roslyn said. "Which is not a common thing at a store." They’ve watched children grow from babies to teens and transition from weddings to baptisms.

Particularly during this time of war, these women are able to empathize with the young wives and parents who have loved ones in Iraq. They keep a list at the front counter of people serving overseas. Now well over eight pages, the customers put the names on the list and the women pray.

"We remember how difficult it was," Cecilia said, adding that she was constantly worried when her husband was away but was sustained by the prayers of others.

"We share a camaraderie in the military," Roslyn said.

The common bonds keep these women together — being military wives and working at the Catholic bookstore — prompts Roslyn to say, "I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world."