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Rosary ministry
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The Visitation Rosary Makers Ministry began in 2016, creating traditional single chain rosaries, some in school colors or patriotic colors, as well as ladder rosaries, rosary bracelets, Knights of Columbus rosaries, special occasion rosaries, and everything else rosary! Ministry members make personalized rosary items to give as gifts, and also fill orders of items requested by others. Our non-profit ministry also performs free rosary repair the first weekend of every month after all masses, and offer our handmade items to sell to raise money for Pro-Life and other organizations, many to help children. Other churches regularly host us for a weekend of masses for free rosary repair and fundraising sales as well. We donate approximately 450 rosaries to Haiti every year, and to others in need of rosaries, as well as rosary baskets for fundraisers. We usually meet the first and third Thursday of each month from noon to 3 pm, and the first Wednesday of the month from 5 to 8 pm. See bulletin for possible changes.
For more information, contact:
Lorene Bryan at (815) 671-1970 or LorenePalgenBryan@gmail.com.
Please notify if it will be your first visit so we can bring enough starting supplies. -
What is a Ladder Rosary?
A ladder rosary (pictured above) is a type of rosary whose origin comes from Mexico. It is named "ladder" because the beads are turned sideways and linked into a chain rather than to one another, making the beads look like rungs on a ladder. THe ladder has a very long history in the scriptures and tradition. Jacob sees a ladder in the Old Testament, representing the ascent to God. Jesus appropriates this imagery to himself, the Ladder between heaven and earth. St. Benedict speaks of the Ladder of Humility, by which we climb to God. St. John Climacus speaks of the Ladder of Divine Ascent, the rungs being the different virtues leading to union with God. The Marian significance was also drawn out over time. St. Dominic experienced a vision of souls climbing into Heaven on the rosary. St. Francis de Sales had a vision of two ladders to Heaven: a rather steep one directly to Jesus, and another, far less steep, towards the Blessed Virgin Mary. In the vision, St. Francis de Sales heard Jesus say, "Tell your people to come to me by this ladder, by way of My Mother." The Russian word for rosary means "ladder," and Michaelangelo's "Last Judgment" in the Sistine Chapel shows two souls being pulled out of purgatory by a rosary!