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Hand crafted rosaries. Shared Stories. A Journey of Faith.
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Our Newsletter is here to share more about our mission, faith and the story behind what we do and what we make. We hope you join us each week to learn more about how this mission impacts our lives and those we serve.
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Moments of Grace
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This week I had surgery and felt enveloped in the prayers of so many.
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Rosary Reflection
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This week we are going to look at Paracord. How the strength, durability and versatility make for some very colorful rosaries.
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A Thought to Carry with You
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Something to ponder or journal on
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A Prayer for Your Week
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Heavenly Father, through the intercession of Pope St. Gregory the Great, grant us the heart of a servant in all that we do. Through the courage of St. Rose of Viterbo, grant us the boldness to share Your peace. Through the example of St. Teresa of Calcutta, help us to perform our daily duties with great love. And through the humility of St. Eleutherius, keep our hearts centered entirely on You. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
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Saints of the Week
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A short reflection on the Saints of this week.
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- Thursday - Pope St. Gregory the Great
- Friday - St. Rose of Viterbo
- Saturday - St. Teresa of Calcutta
- Sunday - St. Eleutherius of Spoleto
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Along the Way
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Earlier this year, I noticed a mole on my chest that I had never seen before. I wasn't too concerned about it at the time, and I had my annual physical coming up. I had my doctor take a look at it, and he felt that it was something that should be seen by a dermatologist.
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The dermatologist removed the mole to have it examined further. I was told that it would take a week for the results to come back, so we waited. After a week, we had not heard back from the dermatologist, so I decided to check their online portal. The portal had the results, and I was shocked to see the words "malignant melanoma." I think I was most shocked that the results were there showing I had cancer, but nobody had called me.
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So, I called them to find out what the next steps would be. Before doing that, we uploaded the report into an AI engine to get the results in layman's terms so we could better understand what it was saying. It all seemed favorable: it was caught early, it was slow-growing, and my immune system was fighting it. All good signs. However, because we were dealing with cancer and live so close to Boston, we asked for the results to be sent to Mass General.
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We knew right away that this was the right choice. They reached out to me the same day, and I had an appointment with the surgeon a few days later to discuss treatment. The surgeon agreed with the report that it was early-stage, so removing the skin around the area would be all that was needed. He said there was very little chance that it had spread to the lymph nodes, but he could remove one to have it checked out. We decided that it was better to have it all done at the same time rather than risk having to go back for another procedure. So, the surgery was set for the following week.
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Since my beloved is still not driving, we were blessed to have some good friends drive us into Boston on the day of the surgery. What a blessed day that was. Our friends were familiar with the surgical center, so they knew right where to go. I felt so pampered. From the moment I woke up until I got back home, everything was taken care of for me. Mine was the first procedure of the day for my surgeon, so I got right in. I barely had time to get nervous, but I did have some time to pray before they brought me to the OR.
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During that time, I felt surrounded by the prayers of the many people I knew were praying for me. Days before the surgery, I was able to go to confession and ask for a blessing from the priest. The night before, I was able to receive an anointing and was prayed over by men in my prayer group. I was swimming in blessings that day.
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The biggest blessing, though, was the sacrifice my beloved made by taking the trip into Boston to be with me. I have had a few surgeries in my time, and I know that having someone you love at your side is nothing to take for granted. It is a great blessing, and one that I am so grateful for.
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The surgery was a few days ago now, and recovery is never fun. This is something I would have never asked for, but through it all, I have been reminded of how much I am loved and how blessed I am in so many ways. The situation has not made me happy, but the blessings have brought me so much joy—and I'll take joy over happiness any day. Both would be nice, but I will always hope for joy.
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The Weekly Saint | Reflections for August 31 – September 6, 2026
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Welcome to this week's edition of The Weekly Saint. As we cross the threshold into September, the Church’s liturgical calendar brings us a beautiful group of guides. These holy men and women remind us that holiness is found in the quiet work of education, in steadfast leadership during times of transition, and in reaching out with tender mercy to those on the margins of society.
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Here are the feast days and saints guiding our reflections for this week
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Thursday, September 3: Pope St. Gregory the Great (c. 540–604)
The Servant of the Servants of God
We begin our mid-week reflection with one of the most remarkable leaders in Church history. Born to a wealthy Roman senatorial family, Gregory initially served as the Prefect of Rome before giving away his vast wealth to convert his family home into a monastery and become a humble monk.
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When he was elected Pope against his personal wishes, he faced a Rome ravaged by plague, flooding, and military threats. Despite weak physical health, Gregory reformed Church administration, sent missionaries to convert Anglo-Saxon England, stabilized Europe, and codified liturgical music (giving us Gregorian Chant). He was the first pope to adopt the official title Servus Servorum Dei ("Servant of the Servants of God").
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- Patronage: Musicians, singers, teachers, students, and popes.
- Takeaway for the week: Leadership in Christ's kingdom is defined by service, not power. How can you use your skills, time, or authority this week to lift up those around you?
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Friday, September 4: St. Rose of Viterbo (1233–1252)
Bold Faith in a Young Heart
On Friday, we honor a remarkable young woman who proved that age is no barrier to profound holiness. Born to a poor family in Italy, Rose began experiencing vivid visions of the Blessed Virgin Mary as a child and joined the Third Order of St. Francis.
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While still a young teenager, she took to the streets of Viterbo carrying a crucifix, boldly preaching repentance, peace, and fidelity to the Pope during a time of intense political turmoil. Though exiled from her city and initially rejected by the local convent due to her poverty, her joy, miracles, and unshakeable courage inspired her entire city before her death at just nineteen years old.
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- Patronage: Exiles, people rejected by religious orders, and youth.
- Takeaway for the week: Never underestimate the power of a quiet, bold witness. Even when you feel small or outnumbered, standing up for truth with kindness leaves a lasting impact.
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Saturday, September 5: St. Teresa of Calcutta (1910–1997)
Doing Small Things with Great Love
On Saturday, the Church celebrates one of the most recognizable witnesses of modern times. Born in Albania, Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu joined the Sisters of Loreto and spent years teaching geography in India. However, in 1946, while riding a train to Darjeeling, she received her "call within a call"—a deep spiritual experience where Jesus asked her to leave the comfort of her convent to serve Him in the "poorest of the poor."
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She founded the Missionaries of Charity, stepping out into the slums of Kolkata in a simple white and blue sari. Mother Teresa spent the rest of her life cradling the dying, feeding the hungry, and seeing the face of Christ hidden beneath the distressing disguise of human suffering.
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- Patronage: World Youth Day, missionaries, families, and Kolkata.
- Takeaway for the week: Mother Teresa famously noted, "Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love." Approach your daily work and chores this week as hidden acts of love for God.
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Sunday, September 6: St. Eleutherius of Spoleto (d. c. 585)
The Quiet Grace of Humility and Deliverance
We close our week honoring a 6th-century Benedictine abbot known for his profound humility and miracle-working prayer life. St. Gregory the Great, who was a close personal friend of Eleutherius, recorded in his Dialogues that Eleutherius raised a dead man to life and routinely delivered souls from spiritual distress through fasts and prayers.
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Despite these miraculous gifts, Eleutherius suffered from deep personal scrupulosity and temptation to pride. When praised for a miracle, he wept, recognizing that any good work came entirely from God and not his own merit.
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- Patronage: Monks, people struggling with pride, and those seeking interior peace.
- Takeaway for the week: Real strength comes from recognizing our complete dependence on God. When you accomplish a goal or handle a difficult task this week, offer a quick prayer of gratitude: "To God be the glory."
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A Prayer for Your Week
Heavenly Father, through the intercession of Pope St. Gregory the Great, grant us the heart of a servant in all that we do. Through the courage of St. Rose of Viterbo, grant us the boldness to share Your peace. Through the example of St. Teresa of Calcutta, help us to perform our daily duties with great love. And through the humility of St. Eleutherius, keep our hearts centered entirely on You. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
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Have a blessed and beautiful week of prayer!
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Let's Take A Closer Look At Our Paracord Rosary Beads.
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The first question we usually get when talking about our Paracord Rosaries is what is Paracord? Paracord is short for parachute cord. It's a lightweight and strong nylon rope that the United States military originally used for parachute suspension lines during World War II. Those who are familiar with outdoor survival would be familiar with paracord as it has become an essential part of any survival gear kit.
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Paracord is now made in every color and many different patterns. This makes for a fun way to make a rosary in anyone's favorite color.
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We have designed rosaries based on the color of the sari worn by the Missionaries of Charity, sports team colors, colleges and even superhero themed ones. The possibilities are endless! It is so much fun to design and make them.
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It was fairly easy to learn as they are almost identical to the other corded rosaries I had been making with the exception of the Ranger bead knots. These knots are used to make the center of the rosary and the loop for the crucifix. It's a rather complex knot to tie but it adds so much to the look of the rosary and we love the look of it.
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When we first started out making these the beads were difficult to find. Because the paracord is so thick the beads need to have a large enough hole to be able to string them onto the paracord. But we have found that as the popularity of paracord has grown, so has the variety of beads for them grown too. Recently we have even been able to find stainless steel beads. The original metal beads we were using were hollow. We loved the look and weight they gave to the beads.
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Then when we found the stainless steel beads that were solid steel we were blown away with the beauty and weight. The 550-pound strength of the paracord along with the solid steel beads gives the beads the feel of a physical weapon as well as a spiritual one!
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Paracord has also become a go to when making rosaries for kids. The bright colors and durability make them the perfect option for a kid's first pair of rosary beads. We have a few standard colors available on our website and we are always up for making a custom pair with whatever color options you can come up with. We will include a link to our Paracord beads at the end of the newsletter.
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Among my most treasured possessions are two old postcards. They aren't valuable in the way the world measures value. Their edges are worn, the ink has faded and more than sixty-six years have passed since they traveled from Italy to Massachusetts.
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But they are priceless to me.
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They were sent by my paternal grandfather, my Nonno Sabatino, from Badia di Frisa in Italy shortly after I was born in 1960. On the front of each postcard is St. Michael the Archangel.
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My parents, brother and two sisters had immigrated to the United States from Italy in 1956. Four years later, I became the first—and ultimately only—one of my Nonno's grandchildren to be born here in America.
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I don't know the entire story behind these postcards. My Nonno and my parents have long since gone home to the Lord, and there are questions I wish I had thought to ask while they were still here. But perhaps I don't need to know every detail to understand what these postcards represent.
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My grandfather was an ocean away from his family and his newest little granddaughter. He couldn't come to Massachusetts and hold me in his arms.
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But he could send his love.
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And he could send his faith.
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Not long afterward, a package arrived from Italy containing a pair of little gold earrings for me. It was—and still is—our family tradition for baby girls to have their ears pierced, and Nonno wanted his American-born granddaughter to have something from him.
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Years later, when I was seven, I lost one of those earrings while our family was visiting California. I was devastated. I still have its mate tucked safely among my treasured keepsakes.
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But I've come to realize that the greatest inheritance Nonno sent me wasn't something I could lose.
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Faith traveled across the Atlantic with my family.
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It lived in the prayers of my parents and grandparents. It was present in the holy cards, medals, statues and religious treasures they carefully saved. It was in Grazie a Dio and Se Dio vuole. It was woven quietly into ordinary family life.
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And perhaps that is why these postcards mean even more to me today.
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The prayer to St. Michael asks for protection in the battles we encounter along the way:
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St. Michael the Archangel,
defend us in battle.
Be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray,
and do thou,
O Prince of the heavenly hosts,
by the power of God,
thrust into hell Satan,
and all the evil spirits,
who prowl about the world
seeking the ruin of souls. Amen
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There are many kinds of battles in a lifetime.
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Some are spiritual. Some are physical. Some arrive through illness or uncertainty. Some are fought quietly in the heart where nobody else can see them.
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And lately, as my beloved and I walk through another season requiring trust, healing and patience, I find myself thinking about the people who prayed for us before we even knew we needed their prayers.
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Perhaps that is one of the beautiful mysteries of family and faith.
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We inherit more than names, recipes, photographs and keepsakes.
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We inherit the faith of mothers and fathers, nonno’s and nonna’s, zio’s and zia’s who placed their trust in God long before us.
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And then it becomes our privilege to carry that faith forward for those who come after us.
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Someday, Se Dio vuole, John and I hope to return to Italy and make a pilgrimage to Monte Sant'Angelo. I would love to stand inside the ancient sanctuary dedicated to St. Michael and think about my Nonno Sabatino standing there all those years ago.
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Perhaps I will never know whether he prayed there specifically for the little granddaughter who had just been born across the ocean.
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And more than sixty-six years later, the little postcards he sent are still reminding me that those we love—and the faith they planted within us—continue to accompany us along the way.
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A Thought to Carry with You
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Has there been a part of your life where you have experienced joy without happiness? Does joy without happiness even make sense?
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Until Next Week
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Wherever this newsletter finds you today, whether your heart is full of joy or carrying a burden known only to you, know that you are remembered in our prayers. May the Sacred Heart of Jesus fill you with His peace, the Immaculate Heart of Mary wrap you in her loving mantle, and the humble and chaste Heart of St. Joseph guide and protect you this week. Until we meet again, may God bless you and those you love.
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Links for this week's Newsletter
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