MGA Singapore – Crafting Knotted Rosaries
On Saturday 1st May, we held our 2nd MA Community Building Day for 2021. As the month of May is the month of Mary, a rosary making session was planned for our community building followed by mass to bless the rosary and to commission Montfortian Associates to spread devotion to our Lady and recitation of the Holy Rosary.
We had about 20 participants and everyone arrived at about 9 am to have breakfast. There was indeed no shortage of food as many people brought something to share. We even had some piping hot Chinese dim sum with home sourced chili sauce.
Brother Damian started the rosary making session by showing us certain videos on rosary making.
Thankfully, he then declared that he had a simpler method and showed us how to make the knots that would resemble our rosary beads. He, however, cautioned that we must always maintain the distance between the knots. Bro Damian was deft with his hands and his knots came out beautifully consistent. Those of us following his guided instructions soon fell behind as we had to unpick our knots and re-knot again, not once but quite a few times.
Once all ten knots were complete, Bro Damian showed us how to make the crucifix using a similar knot technique. It was then that the scales fell from our eyes. We realized maintaining the same distance between the knots would leave us enough rope to make the knots for the crucifix!
We were tasked to make two rosaries but quite a few of us only managed to complete one. We however promised ourselves we would make a second rosary and took some extra rope home. The rosary making session ended with all handcrafted rosaries collected and placed in an organza bag with our names for the blessing and commissioning ceremony that would take place at mass.
Fr. Edward Seah presided at mass and as 1 May was also the Feast of St Joseph the Worker, he commemorated St Joseph as the exemplar of a man whose sanctification comes from working for the glory of God. After holy communion, Fr. Seah blessed all the handmade rosaries. Zerah, the President of Montfortian Associate then called out our names individually. We came forward to receive our blessed handmade rosary which Zerah commissioned each of us with the words “let us crown ourselves”; to which we each responded, “with the roses of the rosary”.
It was an uplifting moment as we prayed after the commissioning for the graces of the Mysteries of the life and passion of our Lord to come down into our souls and into the souls of those we touch. With this we were each sent to spread devotion to our Lady and the Holy Rosary.
Immediately after mass, we adjourned for a spicy curry lunch and a carrot cake dessert donated by one of the participants at our Evening of Prayer with Montfort. For many of us, it is a first to be making our own rosary and more importantly commissioned to spread our love and devotion to Mother Mary.
As we build community and meditate through this rosary-making activity with the Blessed Mother, we pray for the Holy Spirit to grant us a deepening desire to love as Jesus loves. Each MA is on mission to make Jesus and the Blessed Mother known & loved by befriending the last, lost and the least around each one of us. What a good start to give our hand-made rosaries and accompany them as prayer intercessors too!
By Ambrose Chua, Montfortian Associate and Paulette Lirio, Outreach Sub-committee of the Montfortian Associates Movement
