Parish Rosarians Blessed by Weekly Devotion to Mother Mary

As Catholics, we are blessed to be able to cultivate a special relationship with the Blessed Mother — sharing with her our times of joy and sorrow, finding inspiration in her graceful obedience, and placing our trust in her intercessory prayer on our behalf. One of the simplest, yet most fulfilling ways to show our devotion to Mary and bring our intentions to her and our Father in heaven is by praying the Rosary — and this prayer experience is truly rewarding when it is shared in a group! Here at St. John Before the Latin Gate, our Rosarian Ministry invites people to gather each Wednesday at 10 a.m. to pray the Rosary.

Johanna Tayrien and her late husband, Bob, began the tradition of hosting a group Rosary here in 2005. In the beginning, about four people would meet at the couple’s home each week. Over the years, this ministry has truly blossomed. Today, there are over 20 “regulars” who come to the Wednesday Rosary each week!

Johanna’s devotion to Mother Mary goes back to 1991 when she and Bob made their first of eight pilgrimages to Medjugorje. That trip led them to quit their jobs and start a business making and selling rosaries and scapulars. With their great love for the Blessed Mother, forming a Rosarian Ministry came naturally to the Tayriens.

“I’ve seen many miracles happen through the Rosary,” Johanna says. “Mary — and God — are calling us to pray the Rosary daily because of the many miracles that have happened. Recently, the prayer that was sent to our group was for the grandson of a parishioner. He is doing well now, and the doctor said it was like a miracle. Of course, I like to say it’s all of our prayers. There are many stories of these miracles in our Catholic faith.”

Sandy Pickett is the current coordinator of the Wednesday Rosary. The group now adds the Chaplet of the Divine Mercy — another Catholic devotion prayed on rosary beads — to their time together. Each time they meet, the group keeps in mind the prayer intentions of those present and those on the parish prayer list.

Among the many graces that come with gathering in prayer are the strong friendships that are formed.

“I had a friend come for the first time recently,” Johanna says. “She felt like she already knew everyone because it’s such a welcoming group. You could be there for just one day, and anybody there would do anything for you.”

Having experienced firsthand the immense spiritual benefits of group prayer, Johanna is quick to encourage all parishioners to come to give it a try. There is no need to know how to pray the Rosary or Divine Mercy Chaplet before coming. For anyone new to these prayers, following along with CDs or YouTube videos is helpful at home, and the Rosarians provide printed resources at their gatherings.

With May, the month of Mary, just around the corner, this is the perfect time to try a new devotion to the Blessed Mother.

“We have new people all the time and we know people don’t know everything we say, especially with the Divine Mercy, so we have information that we give them,” Johanna says. “I didn’t know how to pray the Rosary until I was an adult. I was in my 30s, and I had to learn it because my son was leading it at the church! For anyone who comes on Wednesday that doesn’t know the Rosary, we give them a pamphlet. Everyone is super welcome.”

Grateful for the gift of our Rosarian Ministry, Johanna hopes that this group will continue to grow in love and faith for years to come.

“This is something parishes need,” she says. “We want everyone to come. Prayer is absolutely answered.”

Are you interested in praying the Rosary and Chaplet of Divine Mercy as a group? The Rosarians meet in the church at 10 a.m. on Wednesdays. All are welcome to come, listen and participate as they are able. We hope you will consider spending some time together in prayer to our Blessed Mother and her Son! For more information, please contact Sandy Pickett at 918-766-5844 or skpickett@yahoo.com.