Who Can Make Rosaries?

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JBottero

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This may not be right forum, my apologies…

An odd question?

My wife and I are not Catholic.

My wife is an expert bead artist, has in the past been employed by jewelers to restring pearls (which is really an art). She works with high quality stones and beads, and hand knots her strings.

Many of our friends are Catholic, and several have asked her to make them Rosaries. We’ve done some research to understand the construction and meaning (which I think is quite fabulous).

But we have a nagging question: Are there religious rules as to WHO can make rosaries? Is it permissible for a non- Catholic to make rosaries?

My son converted to Catholicism 10 years ago before he married his wife who is Catholic (though they are not extremely religious, they attend mass regularly and send our grandchildren to Catholic School), and my wife has considered making her a rosary.

But is it proper? Are there rules about who can make rosaries? Would this be permissible from a religious perspective for a non-Catholic to make a rosary for a practicing Catholic?
  • Jake
 
Anyone can make one. I know a few places on line where you can order the kits and tools.
 
Until they are given a proper blessing, rosary beads are just that: beads. IOW, until they are given a proper blessing, they are a commodity that may be (and are) bought and sold like any other commodity.

Most rosaries are mass-produced in anonymous factories (some of which are probably in China … ), so it would be difficult to think that there could possibly be any restriction on who would be allowed to make them.

Personally, I think a hand-made (and professionally hand-made yet!) Rosary would be a lovely gift. 🙂
 
Thanks!

I assumed that it was the case that, as malphono said, until they are blessed, they are simply beads. And as malphono also says, many are made places where labor is cheap but not Christian…

It makes sense, but I think it’s important to know the “rules” and understand the purpose behind a religious object.

Even though my wife and I are not Catholic, it adds value to the object to make it with love and consideration, and know what its meaning is…

THANKS FOR YOUR HELP!
 
JBottero said:
Thanks!

I assumed that it was the case that, as malphono said, until they are blessed, they are simply beads. And as malphono also says, many are made places where labor is cheap but not Christian…

It makes sense, but I think it’s important to know the “rules” and understand the purpose behind a religious object.

Even though my wife and I are not Catholic, it adds value to the object to make it with love and consideration, and know what its meaning is…

THANKS FOR YOUR HELP!
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I think it would be such a beautiful gift for your wife to make! And I know that you don’t have to be catholic to SAY the Rosary, so making one is certainly just fine. I bet it will turn out incredible. If your wife googles “custom rosaries” she will get a great idea about different crucifixes, center medals, etc. Sounds like she’s already well versed in special beads!
 
Making Rosarys can be done bye anyone, but when you make them,IT should be for the
purpose of getting people involed in the HOLY ROSARY, which OUR BLESSED MOTHER
is asking us to say, for the purpose of peace in the world, for the salvation of man and for
the salvation of our soul,s.
I made Rosary before,and would sent them to the Missionarys Sisters of Mary Immaculate, which they would sent them to their Missionarys in Kenya, were they are
trying to get them devoted to the Rosary. For we know that the more people,that say
the Rosary, the more Jesus is plesae.
God bless, all those that make Rosarys,so that OUR LADY, will be please, knowing that their doing waht makes her happy
GOD BLESS :gopray:
 
Post some pictures when your finished. I really want to see how they turn out 🙂
 
There is a fabulous online site called the Rosary Shop, you will need to google it as I am not ept at cut and paste. The site is American, but it has a huge range of “findings” the centre pieces and crucifixes, which can be hard to source if you live in the antipodes (like me). I adore the pretty rosaries as do most women, but I have found a lot of people really like the corded simple (working rosary, so to speak) as they can be carried in the pocket and don’t rattle in the workplace. Workmates can get really antsy over religion.
 
Yes, workmates can . . .😉

I was once upbraided for having a rosary out on my desk by a fellow, who was a formerly practicing Catholic.

So I did what St Dominic did, got up and put the rosary around his neck in the hope that his demons would leave him.

They apparently did . . . :o

Alex
 
Alexander_Roman said:
Yes, workmates can . . .😉

I was once upbraided for having a rosary out on my desk by a fellow, who was a formerly practicing Catholic.

So I did what St Dominic did, got up and put the rosary around his neck in the hope that his demons would leave him.

They apparently did . . . :o

Alex
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Thats awesome! Also like Saint Louis de Montfort 👍
Zacdecat said:
There is a fabulous online site called the Rosary Shop, you will need to google it as I am not ept at cut and paste. The site is American, but it has a huge range of “findings” the centre pieces and crucifixes, which can be hard to source if you live in the antipodes (like me). I adore the pretty rosaries as do most women, but I have found a lot of people really like the corded simple (working rosary, so to speak) as they can be carried in the pocket and don’t rattle in the workplace. Workmates can get really antsy over religion.
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There is another great one called Dakota Rosary Works. I dont think they sell kits though.
 
I make rosaries, usually for people I am already praying for.

Just a thought: If your wife does decide to make rosaries, as she’s doing it she could pray for the person she is making it for. That makes the gift more than just a rosary. It becomes a gift of prayer, and a visible sign of the prayers she has given for that person.

She could also ask a priest to bless it when she is finished. You might have Catholic friends who could recommend a priest.

I really love your reaction as you learned more about the rosaries. Thank you for sharing that and uplifting my day.
 
JBottero said:
This may not be right forum, my apologies…

An odd question?

My wife and I are not Catholic.

My wife is an expert bead artist, has in the past been employed by jewelers to restring pearls (which is really an art). She works with high quality stones and beads, and hand knots her strings.

Many of our friends are Catholic, and several have asked her to make them Rosaries. We’ve done some research to understand the construction and meaning (which I think is quite fabulous).

But we have a nagging question: Are there religious rules as to WHO can make rosaries? Is it permissible for a non- Catholic to make rosaries?

My son converted to Catholicism 10 years ago before he married his wife who is Catholic (though they are not extremely religious, they attend mass regularly and send our grandchildren to Catholic School), and my wife has considered making her a rosary.

But is it proper? Are there rules about who can make rosaries? Would this be permissible from a religious perspective for a non-Catholic to make a rosary for a practicing Catholic?
  • Jake
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Hi Jake,

In 2005 my teenage nephew lived with us for a year. We enrolled him in a Catholic high school despite the fact that he’s Muslim. During his year at Our Lady High he made a corded rosary with the assistance of the sister who taught his religion class. Due to a combination of language barriers (English is his distant second language) and an unfamiliarity with Catholicism, he really didn’t understand what a rosary is or what it’s used for, and he was too embarrassed to get clarification from us. Instead, he showed the rosary to the imam at the mosque he attended, who filled him in. 😛

He got the rosary blessed by the priest who officiated the last mass he attended with us, and gave it to me before he went back back home.

So, simply based on my experience I think anyone can make a rosary as long as it’s done with care and love.
 
Praying while making rosaries and painting icons is a long-established practice in the Christian East.

An icon-painter, for example, is obliged to fast and attend Divine Liturgy/Mass in the morning and Communion.

In the East, the proper preparation for Holy Communion also involves saying the entire Divine Office of the day.

Then, the icon-painter will pray over his brushes and other utensils before getting to work.

The wood on which the icon will be “written” is anointed with holy water.

Alex
 
karow said:
Hi Jake,

In 2005 my teenage nephew lived with us for a year. We enrolled him in a Catholic high school despite the fact that he’s Muslim. During his year at Our Lady High he made a corded rosary with the assistance of the sister who taught his religion class. Due to a combination of language barriers (English is his distant second language) and an unfamiliarity with Catholicism, he really didn’t understand what a rosary is or what it’s used for, and he was too embarrassed to get clarification from us. Instead, he showed the rosary to the imam at the mosque he attended, who filled him in. 😛

He got the rosary blessed by the priest who officiated the last mass he attended with us, and gave it to me before he went back back home.

So, simply based on my experience I think anyone can make a rosary as long as it’s done with care and love.
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Down the street from where I am right now is a Korean Catholic who makes rosaries and chaplets of all kinds.

He also makes quite beautifl 108 bead Buddhist rosaries for his Korean Buddhist friends.

They are made of cedar wood and end in a tassel - nothing more.

I have one of these which I will use for praying the Jesus Prayer or any other.

Alex
 
JBottero said:
Thanks!

I assumed that it was the case that, as malphono said, until they are blessed, they are simply beads. And as malphono also says, many are made places where labor is cheap but not Christian…

It makes sense, but I think it’s important to know the “rules” and understand the purpose behind a religious object.

Even though my wife and I are not Catholic, it adds value to the object to make it with love and consideration, and know what its meaning is…

THANKS FOR YOUR HELP!
Click to expand...
This is such a marvelous answer and so understanding and sensitive. (I know us “guys” aren’t supposed to be sensitive…:D)

Indeed - the Love that is put into a gift is perhaps the greatest value in it. Just ask any parent who got a drawing or a dandelion from a 5 year old…👍

Peace
James
 
karow said:
Hi Jake,

In 2005 my teenage nephew lived with us for a year. We enrolled him in a Catholic high school despite the fact that he’s Muslim. During his year at Our Lady High he made a corded rosary with the assistance of the sister who taught his religion class. Due to a combination of language barriers (English is his distant second language) and an unfamiliarity with Catholicism, he really didn’t understand what a rosary is or what it’s used for, and he was too embarrassed to get clarification from us. Instead, he showed the rosary to the imam at the mosque he attended, who filled him in. 😛

He got the rosary blessed by the priest who officiated the last mass he attended with us, and gave it to me before he went back back home.

So, simply based on my experience I think anyone can make a rosary as long as it’s done with care and love.
Click to expand...
Awwww, that’s the sweetest story. :’)
 
JBottero said:
It makes sense, but I think it’s important to know the “rules” and understand the purpose behind a religious object.
Click to expand...
God bless you and your wife, and grant that the rosaries will strengthen the bonds of love and friendship between you two and the recipients of what I’m sure will be beautiful rosaries. 🙂

The only thing is you probably want to tell the recipients whether or not they have been blessed, so they know whether to take it to get it blessed. It’s probably easier for them to do it than for you, but it will be handy for them to know either way, and it might be awkward for them to ask. 🙂

–Jen
 
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