Earlier this year, we shared a story about the Southeast Florida Area’s new Rosary Ministry. The mission of this initiative is to encourage more people to say the Rosary by establishing Rosary prayer groups in communities using original Order of Malta Rosaries. Nina Nolff, DM, Chair of this ministry, recently introduced this new program to a group from the Palm Beach Seafarers Center.

Nina met Russel Smith, a Grand Knight of Columbus and member of the Board of Directors at the Palm Beach Seafarers Center, at the Order of Malta’s World Day of the Sick Healing Mass. After sharing about the Southeast Florida Area’s Rosary Ministry, and having noticed Russel’s great devotion to the Blessed Mother, Nina asked Russel if he might have prayer groups in need of Rosaries. Russel graciously requested Rosaries for a crew of almost 300 seafarers.

With the help of Denise-Marie Nieman, DM, Co-Chair of this ministry, the Order of Malta Rosaries and program booklets were blessed and delivered to Russel, who brought them to the seafarers. These seafarers spend months at sea away from their families working with tankers, cargoes, and other types of commercial vessels. They are devout Catholics and are very appreciative of this gift from the Southeast Florida Area, looking at the Rosary as an opportunity to strengthen their devotion to the Blessed Mother, pray for their families back home, and pray for the sick and poor of the world.

Since the Rosary Ministry’s beginnings in November 2022, a total of 770 Order of Malta Rosaries have been blessed and distributed to those who have agreed to pray for the sick and poor. This ministry provides a documented plan of operation and works closely with organizations that are interested in participating in the ministry. It is beautiful to see the divine intervention of the Blessed Mother, in Russel praying at the feet of the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe and in our daily lives as members of the Order of Malta, as we work to grow this ministry.

If you would like to participate in this ministry in the Southeast Florida Area, please click here to email Nina Nolff, DM.

If you would like to learn more about starting this ministry in your own Area, please click here to email Andy Vissicchio, KMOb.