February 2024 marks the 27th year since my conversion to Catholicism. It was an issue I struggled with for several years, being a former Lutheran, and originally Baptist. I had a problem with the "idolatry issue", especially concerning the Blessed Virgin. My stepsons were coming home from school with questions I could not answer, and for their sake, I began catechism lessons. The more I studied the catechism, I understood this issue differently. One of the students in my Bible study group made this comment: "What better way to get to the heart of a Man, than through His Mother." I wanted all of our family to feel unified in our religious beliefs since my younger sons were attending preschool at our parish. I felt a great urge to be married within the church, for my selfish reasons, and for everyone involved.

Shortly before my confirmation, I purchased for myself a lovely rosary made from crystal Aurora Borealis beads. I did not know how to pray the rosary yet, but I was going to learn! When my confirmation Mass was over, Father Byrnes presented me with another rosary, one made of Job's Tears. My oldest son fawned over the gift and said he would like to have one on his confirmation. Many years ago, after searching several shops, I gave up on the idea of locating a Job's Tears rosary for him. After all, I had some time until his confirmation.

In the meantime, I contacted Our Lady's Rosary Makers, hoping they would have a lead. They did not, but I ordered a kit for the mission cord rosaries and also the wire rosaries. In no time at all, I was making rosaries myself and quite pleased with the feeling of stewardship it gave me.

A grandmother who attended daily Mass with my youngest son and me asked me to make single-decade rosaries for her prison ministry. I gladly obliged. Then my first grader asked if I could teach his classmates how to make the rosary. I solicited the help of another mother who attended Mass with me, and we were on a roll! I began to think of us as "the rosary ladies". After first grade, we went to the Kindergarten classes. When the new school year started up again, the second grades made rosaries for the missions in Fiji. We received a wonderful letter from the priest, stating that the rosaries arrived a few days before the students' First Communion, and they were able to give each of them a new rosary. They even sent a picture of all of them proudly displaying their rosaries.

Each school year, we visited the classrooms and continued to make rosaries for donations to the various missions and pro-life groups. After the 9/11 Tragedy, the second graders made rosaries to send to a Catholic parish near the World Trade Center. The children were so pleased to be helping others. One year the kids made a personalized rosary to keep for themselves.

To help fund my mission rosary project, I began selling the wire rosaries at my sons' school, for First Communion and Confirmation gifts. Soon I was selling on eBay (momof5boys1) and began my massive collection of unusual rosaries. A local Catholic store purchased my rosaries and sold them in their store and on their website.

Aside from raising funds for the mission projects, I pray that my efforts will further the devotion to the rosary and the Blessed Mother. It gives me great joy to know that my creations are in the hands of people all over the world, and are being used to strengthen their commitment to their faith, Our Lord Jesus Christ, and His Mother. May the Holy Spirit come down upon me and continue to bless me with this gift for years to come, and may our Heavenly Father find pleasure in my works.

Incidentally, my family now has no shortage of Job's Tears rosaries!

God Bless and Peace be With You,

The Rosary Lady