A Strong Rosary Helps Give Soldiers Strength by Wayne Laugesen August 10, 2004 / ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Machine guns, killer knives, grenades and combat boots. These are the tools of modern combat warriors. “And rosary beads,” says Sgt. 1st Class Frank Ristaino, a former Marine and a recruiter for the Maryland National Guard. “Rosaries are readily available to any soldier in the military,” Ristaino said. “Just about any military chaplain hands them out.” Unfortunately, many of the standard rosaries distributed by chaplains don’t hold up so well in combat situations, because of weak strings or chains. They come in pastel...