SW News: Members of a pious association in South Korea are engaged in an apostate of making rosaries that are later shipped to nations in Africa and Latin America to be distributed in mission outposts. The Rosary Consecration Association of Sanbon-dong Parish is engaged in this apostolate and its 35 members are working overtime this month, which is specially dedicated to the rosary.

Members of this apostolate also sell rosaries online to raise funds for the missions.

The team has been making rosaries for more than 18 months and they use new beads as well as those recycled from discarded rosaries. They are then sent abroad to missionary priests who distribute them to children when they receive their First Holy Communion.

The initiative of making rosaries began in February 2020, after the faithful had a discussion on promoting the prayer of the Rosary and supporting overseas missions. The idea was set in motion after the local church celebrated its silver jubilee. Their goal is to make 10 million rosaries for overseas missions.

Despite the Covid-19 restrictions, the team makes use of their spare time in making rosaries. They spend their days cleaning, sorting, and trimming old beads and making them into beautiful new rosaries. The rosaries are then arranged according to their shape and color. It takes each member almost two to three hours to make one rosary. Those sent abroad are usually designed in a manner in which they reflect the local culture and tastes. For example, Latin Americans prefer rosaries with red beads.

So far, the association has sent 1,600 Rosaires to missions in Papua New Guinea, Peru, and South Sudan. This year, missions in the Philippines and Papua New Guinea have received 600 rosaries each.

Sister Kim In-suk of the Sisters of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, who leads the apostolate, said, "Our members offer prayers together that those who will receive the rosaries become the driving force behind leading rosary prayers. The Blessed Mother takes care of us and we feel proud to honor her heart as we are able to deliver rosaries for overseas missions,"

This year they received up to 3,659,000 won (that is 3,059 US dollars) through the sale of rosaries.