Rosary Army: Free Rosary, Catholic Podcasts, and More

Last week, Rosary Army lost one of its soldiers. Joyce Malawey, also known as “Philomena” in the Rosary Army Forums, went home to be with Christ on Friday, April 28. As I never had a chance to interview her, I’ve pulled together the following collection of statements and stories that Joyce shared with us in the Rosary Army Forums. It’s just a window into her vast presence in the Forums, but I hope it’s enough to give you an idea of her wonderful personality.

Joyce was a slowly-retiring domestic engineer who lived in Missouri. At her peak, she made over 100 Rosaries a month for Rosary Army. During that time, if someone received a Rosary from Rosary Army (especially if it looked like it was hand-dyed) it was likely made by Joyce.

Joyce’s Favorite Rosary color:

Joyce: [I] fall in love with whatever I’m making. Then, if I do too many alike without a break, I suddenly get sick of it, and have to switch colors for a while. However, when all made up, they’re all beautiful.

Joyce being silly with Lisa (”Franciscat”), a News from HQcontributor and Rosary Army Forum administrator known for keeping topics very well-organized:

Joyce: Dear Lisa, My name is Joyce M. and I live about 100 miles south of St. Louis. I was wondering if you could send me information on how much you charge for your closet-organizing services. Do you work by the hour, or by the closet? Do you have references, and/or pictures? Do you do windows? How about floors? Please let me know ASAP.

How Joyce got started making knotted twine Rosaries:

Joyce: I went to a Eucharistic Congress in St. Louis. I think it was in 1999 or 2000. A group (2 ladies) had a booth showing folks how to make the twine rosaries with knotted crosses. For a 50-cent donation, you could get a hank of twine and a medal. It had John Paul II on one side and Our Lady of Poland on the other. I sat down and went through some knots with one of the gals, and I was off and running. I never laid it down, or I wouldn’t have remembered how.

I lived about 100 miles from [one of the ladies'] house, and whenever I would make a trip to see family, I would call ahead and order twine. She dyed her own, and had it cut, and included a bag of medals for me. I’d just say, give me $10 worth, or whatever. I was just making them and giving them away, ’cause I liked to. I encountered missionary priests on several occasions who were only too happy to take them to Belize or wherever.

My supplier eventually got tired of me (I guess), and gave me the name and number for FNT and the place where she got the medals. I think Teena said I first ordered in 2001. And as has been said recently, the rest is history. The majority of my rosaries go to RA. The yearly RCIA class each gets one. People ask for them for themselves and for gifts. A couple priests have asked for one. By the way, they are now made with crucifixes. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

A “Give Them Away” story from Joyce:

Joyce: I got the neatest gift last week: round-trip fare to Atlanta, from my oldest son. So.. I got to meet Greg and Jennifer and 4 absolutely gorgeous little guys!! Then, I was able to attend the Eucharistic Congress!! I’m so blessed!! It was a wonderful trip. The Congress was great! Terry Shiavo’s parents and her brother gave a moving testimony. Jim C. (Jesus, in the Passion) was one of the best speakers I’ve heard in a long time. He really spoke from his heart, and was so dynamic. I ordered tapes of the rest of the speakers, as I stayed in the RA both the rest of the time. Absolutely wonderful!!

ANYWAY, when I boarded the plane to come home, I was seated next to a preacher; probably of the non-denominational variety. He said he was a heroin addict, and Jesus had saved him from certain death at the age of 20. He was probably in his 60’s. He was an electrician by trade, and did this as a missionary in Haiti. I took out my twine and started knotting. He watched for a while before he asked what I was making. I answered, a rosary. He was excited to tell me that he’d never been to our ’service’ and assumed it would be like most other churches. Then, recently, he attended Mass, and was ‘wowed’ by it. He said he was surprised by all the ‘disciplines’, he called them. We had a really fine time talking about God in our lives.

He asked me, when he handed me his card, if I would pray for him. I answered, of course, that I would. Then I prayed to the Holy Spirit. Then, I dug in my purse, pulled out one of my packaged rosaries, handed it to him and said, this will remind you to also pray for me. He said he didn’t understand the rosary very well, so he’d have to study about it. I gave him the short version of the explanation. We continued our talking, and before we deplaned in St. Louis, he again thanked me for the rosary. What a hoot!!! It was one of the best experiences for me in ‘giving one away.’

Joyce was also included in an article about Rosary Army from the September 15, 2005 edition of The Georgia Bulletin. Here’s what was said about Joyce in that story:

Joyce Malawey is one of Rosary Army’s hardest working soldiers. She often sends in 100 rosaries a month. The 63-year-old from Missouri had attended a Marian conference in St. Louis and saw a group of nuns making rosaries and became intrigued. While searching for supplies, she came across Rosary Army, which, she said, was an answer to her prayers.

“It just really intrigued me,” she said. “I didn’t know why, but I knew this was what I was supposed to do.”

She said she is constantly making rosaries—in the car, at the doctor’s office, at home.

“I have a purse full of twine and full of rosaries in every stage of completion,” she said. “Rosary Army has been a real answer. I didn’t know what I was going to do with all the rosaries I was making.”

Malawey is also an active member of the Rosary Army Web site forums.

“One of the most fantastic things about this is the great camaraderie,” she said. “I feel like these people are family. We share so much of our lives with each other and can pray for each other and offer advice.”

Malawey even flew to Atlanta to meet Greg and Jennifer and attend the 2005 Eucharistic Congress, and believes that the rosary is a powerful prayer that could change the world.

“I truly believe that if we walked around and saw people praying the rosary all the time, a lot of our problems in this world would disappear,” she said. “I just really feel called to this.”

Want to read more of Joyce’s posts, or get to know other soldiers better? Join us in the Rosary Army Forums for more everyday soldier stories from folks making, praying, and giving away Rosaries.

Contributing: Lisa