VALPARAISO – As tools and weapons are made to be instruments for construction or defense purposes, some local faithful know firsthand how to equip a prayer warrior with an essential implement – a rosary.
Recently, in the workshop of Mary’s Rosary Makers of St. Paul, a group of ladies concluded a regular meeting with the praying of the Glorious Mysteries. Their affinity for the biblically based series of meditative prayers highlighting key events in the lives of Jesus and the Blessed Mother, and the hope of changing society for the better, keep them coming back to the 29-year-old home-grown ministry.
There are no supply chain issues with rosaries at the Valparaiso parish, as members maintain a store chock full of cord, beads, crucifixes and related prayer literature. With the support of donations to defray the cost of materials, they apply their handiwork to stock church lobbies and fulfill requests from near and far.
“I’ve been a rosary maker for a really long time but when I got involved in the St. Paul Respect Life committee, they were the ones that helped by donating pamphlets and prayer cards – that’s how we are able to make the packets,” said Yolanda Garza, who is also a St. Agnes Day Services Center volunteer.
Garza has become a sort of road warrior, making deliveries to local church groups and sending parcels to international ministries that have requested rosaries. The St. Paul catechist often joins in pro-life and other local public prayer rallies.
Garza praised the wisdom of the Church in designating October as the Month of the Rosary, a special time for Marian devotion, as well as Respect Life Month; “Putting the two together” she believes can change hearts and minds through the prayerful example of Catholics.
“I’m just glad our efforts are going to support what we pray for, which is the protection of the unborn,” said Garza.
A co-founding member of Mary’s Rosary Makers, Pauline Creutzburg has been weaving cord and stringing beads with the group since 1995. However, the St. Paul senior has been an advocate for prayer since early in her life, when she faced various challenges.
Creutzburg believes that at a personal level and society-wide, prayer can assuage any problem. She is familiar with Our Lady’s promises from her 20th century apparitions, which advocate turning to her son Jesus in prayer and sacrifice.
“It was a request of Our Lady of Fatima, that all of this trouble in the world would not be here if people would just say the Rosary,” Creutzburg said. “But some of those Communist ideologies have shown up again, even in our own country.”
Through nearly three decades, Creutzburg said the group has made thousands of rosaries. The cord weavers started in the home of co-founding Mary’s Rosary Makers member Theresa Dougherty and later moved into a dedicated room adjacent to the St. Paul Clothing Center ministry. Late members such as Marie Gesmond were instrumental in keeping the prayerful fellowship productive.
“We wouldn’t have gotten this group started without them,” Creutzburg said of the co-founders. “I thank (the late) Monsignor John Charlebois for giving us this space. We advertised in the church bulletin about the group … and the ladies showed up.”
Countless rosary designs are in circulation throughout the world. The basic layout of prayers including the Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be has remained consistent for hundreds of years. Pope St. Pius V approved the prayers in their present form in 1569 and established the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary to commemorate the victory of Christian naval vessels over invading Turks in the Battle of Lepanto on Oct. 7, 1571.
Throughout the centuries, the faithful, including canonized saints, have referred to the Rosary as an essential element for a prayer arsenal. St. Padre Pio said, “The rosary is the weapon for these times.”
Mary’s Rosary Makers use strong cord and plastic beads for most of their handiwork. Occasionally, they construct rosaries with metal chains and other materials for the prayer markers. From shelving units filled with colorful beads, the craftspeople make designs according to representative themes.
Garza explained that the group is “one of the only ones who do what we do,” producing color-coded rosaries with a pro-life theme of red and white, symbolizing the loss of life through abortion and the opportunity for women to repent of their decision.
An aqua and white rosary symbolizes the peace brought through the faithful’s response to the intentions of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
The group – mainly women with the occasional visit by a member’s husband, or St. Paul pastor Father Douglas Mayer – supports each other in many ways. They offer an ear to hear each other's concerns, and celebrate together, such as for the recent birthday party honoring Dougherty, who turned 95.
Creutzburg and Garza said they are happy to also see young women and guests from other parishes join their merry rosary-making group. Senior members such as Dougherty, they noted, are known for ensuring that each rosary meets strict quality control standards – such as requiring knots to be smooth like Slinkies and not bunched up.
Ultimately the group wishes to be known for sharing the prayerful idea of “To Jesus through Mary.”
“At 2 p.m. when we meet, we all know it’s time to pray the Rosary. That’s when Theresa (Dougherty) asks for petitions,” said Garza. “She always adds that, ‘we are going to pray for all our members who are not here.’ That’s how we begin and end.”
The group’s leaders said rosary makers are working at capacity but welcome the opportunity to mentor others or accept donations. Interested parties may inquire at the St. Paul parish office to leave a message by calling (219) 464-4831.
Caption: Volunteer crafters Yolanda Garza (left) and Pauline Creutzburg (right) examine knotting on a cord in the Mary’s Rosary Makers workshop at St. Paul parish in Valparaiso on Sept. 28. The ministry where parishioners make the sacramentals from cord and beads was founded in 1995 and continues to accept requests for rosaries from local churches and groups in the U.S. and abroad. (Anthony D. Alonzo photo)