Ruth and Gerry Masserant use the seeds of Job’s Tears to make the beads, their rosaries have been distributed ‘all over the world.’
As a student at St. Mary Academy, Ruth Masserant was introduced to the rosary in 1951.
A priest told the story of Our Lady of Fatima in Portugal, which touched on religious apparitions three young children experienced in 1917.
“The talk greatly influenced me,” Ruth said. “I started praying the rosary often.”
So moved by the experience, she decided that when she one day married, she and her spouse would recite the prayer every night.
In 1953, when she married her husband, Gerry, she sought out to make her decision a reality. For the last 65 years, the couple from Frenchtown Township have done just that.
But their devotion to the rosary extends beyond the act of prayer. For several years, Ruth and Gerry have harvested Job’s Tears they grow on their land to make rosary beads.
The plant produces seeds that are shaped like tears. The seeds were used to make some of the first rosaries and are named after Job, a man whose story is told in the Bible. He endured great loss but retained his faith.
“Every year, Job’s Tears have been included in our garden among the corn, tomatoes and all the vegetables,” Gerry said.
The two have been making rosaries since 1975 when they received Job’s Tears seeds from Angie Magolan of Wyandotte.
Magolan carted around an Our Lady of Fatima Statue that would visit houses for a week at a time. Whenever she visited a house, Magolan would pray the rosary and always gave two rosaries constructed from the seeds.
For article, click below:
