LARKSVILLE – A total of 328,250 rosaries and counting.
That is the astounding number of rosaries that a small group in Luzerne County has created over the last several decades.
Twice a month, the volunteers meet at Saint John the Baptist Parish to assemble each rosary by hand. Each is carefully crafted, using beads, wire, and clasps, and then sent to individuals in need – whether that be people facing illness, suffering, or those who simply seek to deepen their faith.
“I just love the Blessed Mother, and I’ll do anything for her. Making the rosaries just gives you such great satisfaction,” Barbara Morris said.
Morris began making rosaries more than thirty years ago at the former Saint Hedwig Church in Edwardsville. She says the rosary-making effort that has now moved to Saint John’s Church is a beautiful and peaceful way to serve others.
“The Blessed Mother needs us to do her work, and we just love doing it,” she added.
Maryann Suda still remembers joining the rosary makers group 21 years ago when she was looking for something to do in the evenings.
Suda considers each rosary she makes an offering of prayer, knowing it will find its way into the hands of someone who needs it.
“It just makes you feel good to know that you’re able to give (out) these rosaries, or have these rosaries sent to others, so they can also learn of our Blessed Mother and her goodness and the love she has for us,” Suda said.
While initially sent all over the world, many of the rosaries that the group makes now stay in the United States. Rosaries have been donated to schools, pro-life efforts, soup kitchens and many other places, providing a tangible way for people to connect with their faith through prayer.
As the group continues its work over the decades, the commitment of its members remains unwavering. Gathering regularly, many of the volunteers have become friends, sharing a sense of purpose and connection.
“You feel the love and feel the devotion that everybody has,” Jessica Lee said.
“It is not just members of our parish. We have other parishes that come to help us. We all know each other somehow,” Rose Feddock added. “Everybody seems to know everybody.”
With each bead strung, and every rosary sent out into the community, those participating in the rosary-making effort know their work is a reminder that acts of faith, no matter how small they seem, can ripple out into the world in ways that are both profound and far-reaching.
“The rosary is our weapon of peace,” Morris said.