Ranger Rosaries

This ministrys purpose is to pray for peace, pray for service men and women and their families, and make rosaries to be blessed and shipped to troops serving in harms way and to those being treated in military hospitals and to their families.

The Ranger Rosary Ministry originated in February 2003 at St. Marys parish in Annapolis (www.rangerrosary.com). It soon spread to St. Johns in Columbia. In June 2004, a group formed at Resurrection. Parishioners at the three churches have made over 80,000 rosaries and sent them to chaplains in every branch of the armed services stationed all over the world, (but especially in Iraq and Afghanistan). And we continue to receive orders for more rosaries! Resurrections group alone has already shipped more than 13,000. These rosaries provide hope and remind the servicemen and women that God and His Mother, the Queen of Peace, are watching over them and their families.

This is a wonderful opportunity for every member of the parish  old and young, families, the homebound  to be involved in working for peace. There is a job for everyone: counting beads, measuring parachute cord, bagging kits, actually making the rosaries, and praying for peace.

Groups meet the second and fourth Thursday evenings of the month at 7:30-9:00 pm, and the first and third Wednesday mornings at 9:30 am in Multipurpose Room 4, on the ground floor below the gym.

Financial support to buy supplies (including cord, beads, crucifixes, prayer cards, scapulars) and to mail shipments comes solely from private donations. Making and shipping a rosary made of parachute cord and opaque plastic beads, along with a Rosary Guide and Divine Mercy prayer card, cost approximately $1.00 per set. If you would like to held fund this ministry, donations designated for Ranger Rosaries may be sent to the church office.

The group also maintains a prayer list of those on active duty in the military, safely returned, injured, or killed. You can submit that persons name and branch of service to Andrea Clancy at  or Sandy Heim at

COORDINATOR: Julie Walton, 410-461-4603

Daily Commitment to Prayer and Fasting

Vital to our mission for peace are prayer and fasting. Fasting can be as simple as giving up one thing a day  your morning coffee, that afternoon pick-me-up coke, a favorite TV show, an angry response. Prayer is opening yourself to, and placing yourself in, the presence of God. As you pray, please include these petitions:

In union with Your Heart, Lord, we pray:

 Surround our servicemen and women, and all who serve, 
with your peace and protection.

 Surround their families with your comfort.

 Surround all world leaders with your wisdom to understand 
and follow your will.

 Surround our world and all who suffer from war and violence 
with your healing.

 Surround our hearts, our families, our country, our world with your love.

As we draw nearer to the heart of God, yielding more and more of ourselves, Gods presence and power can flow out of us and fill our world which desperately needs His love, peace and healing.

Comments from Chaplains

Thanks to communications assistance from the Archdiocese for the Military Services and the National Guard Chaplain Service, we continue to receive may requests from chaplains for these rugged style rosaries, scapulars and Catholic pamphlets. They are greatly appreciated by our troops, who, as they carry and pray the rosary, feel the love and comfort of Our Ladys protection. In their time of danger, the Mother of God will help them.

In thanksgiving for your past support, wed like to share a few of the comments we have received from chaplains we have supplied:

From the Chaplains Assistant to the Rhode Island Air National Guard: Our base is predominantly Roman Catholic and we are always running out of rosaries. I am a Vietnam Era veteran and can tell you, personally, how important your support is to the service men and women. I am grateful to all the members of your group and your parish for all you do for us.

From the Chaplain on the USS Nimitz: The Ranger Rosaries will be very much appreciated by our crew. Most of all, however, I thank you for the prayers which you and so many others offer for our young folks. They have a tremendous responsibility on their shoulders, and they labor at great personal expense and risk to themselves and their families. All prayerful support is very much appreciated.

From the Chaplain at Lemoore Naval Air Station in California: Thanks again for the rosaries, scapulars, and pamphlets. They are a huge success! We have personnel who deploy primarily on the Reagan, Stennis, Lincoln, and Carl Vinson aircraft carriers. They are constantly at the tip of the spear. Truly appreciate your support, prayers, and commitment. Would appreciate regular shipments of rosaries, etc.

From Two Army Chaplains in Iraq: Anything we put out is eagerly snatched up. Black and green are the most popular. And Your rosaries are the physical, tangible symbol of Gods peace and provision and give our soldiers a sense of stability and hope when the world around is dark and chaotic. Thank you and your parish for being the hands of Christ in ministering to our people.