Rosaries: darned near indestructible

National Catholic Reporter ^ | 3/11/2005 | Arthur Jones

[sinkspur]

The rosary's origins are a subject for fine, if esoteric controversy. That's not the way this conversation is headed. Nonetheless, possibilities are that the rosary was adapted from the worry beads of wandering desert tribes, or imaginatively.

Perhaps someone strung together stones for Paul the hermit. Sozomen tells of this 4th century ascetic who threw away a pebble each time he recited one of his 300 daily prayers. There's a possibility, judging from an edict from a 9th century synod in England, that the first rosary -- by whatever other name -- may have been entirely Pater Nosters.

During the Second World War, G.I.s on the frontlines often had rosaries that were made of knotted string. Silent, the enemy couldn't hear the rosaries jangling in a pocket, and they were darned near indestructible.

The modern rosary is arguably heading for it's one thousandth birthday, give a couple of centuries this way or that. It has become eminently adaptable. So adaptable is it that a quarter-century ago I wrote a booklet that was a "social action" rosary, each bead counted for something: shoes, electric light, laughter.

In County Clare, Ireland, there's a rosary museum. My recollection is there was once one in the United States, too.

But the tale here is more practical that these bits of information.

As visitors to this spot may already know, I once a week say the rosary over the phone -- a truncated and adapted version -- with my 96 year-old mother-in-law, Beatrice. She of the Irish accent. We do but one decade, but what a decade. And whenever I mention this fact in conversation, which occasionally happens, people say, "Wow, that's great. But what do you actually do?"

Well, what we do is begin at the beginning. With the cross.

Then the first bead is always the Our Father bead for whichever member of the family is suffering, whether from sickness or bereavement or whatever. Given that the good Mrs. O'B has nine children, a gadzillion grandchildren and almost an equal number of great-grandchildren, there's usually a minimum three names for the Our Father. Beatrice remains very current on who is ailing.

The first Hail Mary of the three is always for the youngest members of the family. The second Hail Mary is for the extended family, and their extended families. And that's probably two-thirds of the Western hemisphere with strong representation in Latin America and Asia.

The third Hail Mary is for the oldest members we know of that extended brood. Given that Bea's two sisters are 94 and 90, they have pride of place. My contribution is my 86-year-old uncle. And this bead's also for those feeling secret hurts or sorrows, or feeling isolated.

Straight through the Glory Be and then we hit the medallion for the first Our Father of the decade. That's the warm up. Off we go with the 10 swinging Hail Marys (swinging in the sense that a good spiritual is rousing). We're a class act. Under other circumstances we could hire ourselves out for poorly attended wakes to provide the oomph! There were indeed professional "beadsmen" a few centuries back, hired to stand saying the rosary in chill castles while the lords feasted and did whatever else lords do.

One significant thing about Bea's and my rosary saying, I note, is that we never say one for me and never say one for Bea.

So I'll leave Bea to you. She's in hospital as I write getting over pneumonia. Send along a Hail Mary -- I know she'll hear it. She may be 96 but she misses nothing.

[Dominick]

During the Second World War, G.I.s on the frontlines often had rosaries that were made of knotted string. Silent, the enemy couldn't hear the rosaries jangling in a pocket, and they were darned near indestructible.

I find the string rosaries hold up great in my pocket, and every chain rosary except my Knights of Columbus one has broken eventually. I am going to remember that story!

[Okies love Dubya 2]

I have made flex wire rosaries, which are pretty resilient compared to the chain link ones. Granted, they still clink together but they look pretty :)

[NYer]

In County Clare, Ireland, there's a rosary museum. My recollection is there was once one in the United States, too.

How interesting! We were taught as children never to throw away sacramentals. Recently, I had a jeweler repair one of my rosaries. I inherited it from my great grandmother!

I also keep a rosary under my pillow. These are prayed every night for family, pastor & parishioners, friends & freepers, and especially forthose who have been forgotten. Here is a wonderful Rosary story. Hope you enjoy it!

* * * * *

 It was Wednesday June 5, 2002, when I received a call on my pager. "Father Antonio, there is a woman who is dying here at the hospital in Ann Arbor. Her family is asking for a Catholic priest to come and give her the last sacrament. Can you please come?" "Sure." It would be the first experience to anoint someone after 10 months of priesthood. My ministry as a priest was more focused on giving Jesus Christ to His people through the Eucharist (saying Masses) and the Sacrament of Reconciliation (hearing confessions). I was also offering spiritual direction to a good number of people.

I drove 15 minutes from home. I arrived at the hospital and entered the room. There was a woman lying in her bed, dying. Her eyes were closed. Her family was gathered around her: the husband, the sons and their wives. They were comforting each other. I opened the book of prayers and prepared the oil.

We prayed. I anointed the woman. After the sacrament of Anointing of the Sick, I asked the family to pray with me the rosary. I believe that the presence of Mary can give great comfort for the woman’s soul. The husband approached me as if he was embarrassed. He whispered saying: “Father, my wife never believed in rosaries. She never prayed the rosary. She never liked it.” “She will like it now,” I said it, with my Lebanese accent and a Maronite spirit. We started praying the rosary. When we reached the 4th sorrowful mystery, the woman opened her eyes. The sons approached their mother to see what was going on. They were crying, amazed. At the end of the Rosary, I asked the sons: “What did you see?” “Her eyes were filled with peace,” one of her sons answered. I knew that Mary was present. I knew that she comforted that woman. It didn’t matter whether that woman prayed the rosary in her life or not, whether she liked it or not. It doesn’t matter for Mary for she is a mother not a judge. Mary, who was present under the cross at the moment of Christ’s death, is also present at the moment of our death. This is why we pray: Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

[nickcarraway]

NCR knows what a Rosary is? Count me surprised. Don't tell me they know what a Novena is?

[Coleus]

friends & freepers, and especially forthose who have been forgotten >>

Thank You.

[Jaded]

Wow.

[firebrand]

The one in the United States is in Oregon, along the Columbia river, between the Halles and Portland. Can't remember the name of the privately owned museum now. My eyes almost jumped out of my head when I saw these.

[firebrand]

Dalles, not Halles.

[NYer]

What a wonderful story ... thank you for posting it.

Along the road they saw a small roadside shrine honoring the Blessed Mother (common to roadside areas in that part of Europe.)

Throughout Italy, even the smallest town, has a shrine to the Blessed Mother, as you enter and leave it. Sometimes, on long stretches of road, one also finds a small shrine. It is not unusual to see fresh flowers in small jars, before these shrines.

[Rosary]

kEEP EM COMING LIKE THAT ---
yES THE ROSARY THE POWER IN SAYING IT KNOWS NO BOUNDS!

[ultima ratio]

Are posts such as this what we Catholics have been reduced to discussing? Is all controversy banned, even if it is well-reasoned and scholarly and fair-minded?

[Religion Moderator]

Is all controversy banned, even if it is well-reasoned and scholarly and fair-minded?

What is not wanted are the flame wars - personal insults, denigration and demeaning of others and their faith traditions, name calling, and the like - which is what most of your "discussion" threads lately have degenerated into. If that is, to you, a "reduction" then you need to find another place to "vent".

I have given warnings publicly; I have given warnings privately. The Trad v. N.O. war will not be won or lost at Free Republic. At least not the way most of you have been fighting it. If you can remain civil and courteous with each other I don't care what topics you discuss. So far, however, I've seen no evidence that many of you are capable of that.

No more warnings. If you insist of having it your way, you can have it elsewhere.

[ultima ratio]

I have never engaged in personal insults. I have deliberately and consistently kept cool when others have attacked me. Check those who have sparred with me and with other traditionalists. Review the posts of the thread you pulled previous to the Michael Davies piece. You will see the rudeness and insults are coming from one direction only. I kept my cool when called heretic or schismatic and worse.

In any case, I have just posted a Michael Davies article that was scholarly and fair-minded. I offered NO comments whatsoever, I just posted the article, a well-respected piece that could not possibly be considered offensive since it dealt with an important matter seriously and politely. Yet it was pulled.

It would seem the mere fact that such an article might attract intellectually stimulating discussion should be a reason to keep it posted, since that is the reason for the forum in the first place--as long as that discussion remains reasonable. What should be banned instead are those individuals who use such posts as the pretext to hurl insults.

[vox_freedom]

Michael Davies was the penultimate traditionalist Catholic and I never heard him utter a mean spirited sentence, or write a rude paragraph or personally attack folks without giving proper evidence and cause. He was almost-to-a-fault positive, without ever compromising on what he knew to be right. And, he challenged those who deserved it, including those in positions of power in the hierarchy. He was a scholar and his published works deserve study and consideration. Not to use a trite phrase, but I knew Michael Davies. He was a friend of mine.

BTW, for real personal insults one only needs to go to the Condi Rice FR thread at:
Condi Mildly Pro-Choice

[sinkspur]

Are posts such as this what we Catholics have been reduced to discussing?

This is just a nice story about an old man saying a decade of the rosary with his 96-year old mother, from a rather liberal newspaper.

I thought it was informative; I had no knowledge of the string rosaries used by the military.

The problem with FR is the problem with life: we just all need to lighten up and appreciate the very good things we have in common.

[Salvation]

How to say the Rosary

[Salvation]

What is wrong with praying????

[Salvation]

**The problem with FR is the problem with life: we just all need to lighten up and appreciate the very good things we have in common.**

Amen to that!