About Our Family
Hello and welcome! We are the Breens, the family behind Magdalena Baptismal Robes, and we are grateful to you for supporting our small business!
Josephine began sewing at age 4 and has been in love with the craft ever since. She started her formal apprenticeship at age 13 under her mother, Krista West of Krista West Vestments. Between the variety of materials and delicate techniques used in their construction, Josephine has always had a special love for sewing baptismal robes and gowns. She is honored to create these beautiful garments for the newly illumined. Lukas provides much of the behind-the-scenes technical and order support, but he can occasionally be found doing hand finishing work on robes (his grandmother taught him well!). Our daughters Myriam and Clara aren't quite tall enough to reach the sewing machine pedal yet, so they entertain each other while Mama's working. We're pretty sure they're both taking notes.
We reside in Brookline, Massachusetts, where Lukas is in the seminarian program at Hellenic College Holy Cross. When we're not working or studying, you can find us enjoying the many parks in the Boston area, walking our dog, or chanting all together at church (Myriam and Clara are both junior members at the chanters' stand).
Of course no introduction to our family would be complete without mentioning our namesake, St Mary Magdalene. She is a wonderful patron saint to Myriam, so we decided to ask her intercessions and blessings when it came time to name our business. St Mary, pray for us!