When they’re not busy in class, a group of middle school students at Columbus St. Matthias School can be found making rosaries for those in need.

The group, which consists of 42 students, is open to any sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade student at the school. Each week, a different grade meets – on a rotating basis – one day after school to make rosaries.

Students often elect to spend their recess, free period or time between classes making them, too. Some can be spotted under trees during recess using time that could be used to play to make rosaries instead.

The students are led by St. Matthias teacher and dean of students Kelly Buzenski. While teaching at the former Columbus St. Anthony School, which closed at the end of the 2022-23 school year, she founded the group, nicknamed the “Glory Beaders.”

“That started at St. Anthony, when I started the group in 2009, just a play off the words ‘glory be,’ the prayer ‘The Glory Be’ and then the fact that they’re beaded rosaries, so it just kind of stuck,” she said.

This year is the first for the group at St. Matthias School. Buzenski received permission from the school’s principal, Carey Wrigley, to start the group there.

The Glory Beaders officially began at St. Matthias last October – fittingly, the month dedicated to the holy rosary on the Church calendar. Since then, students made a total of 2,601 rosaries.

They assemble the rosaries and tie the knots themselves, using rosary kits organized by Buzenski. Students follow a large diagram of a rosary, which is displayed in her classroom.

Students made more than 2,000 rosaries during the school year, which were sent in batches to people in need.

“They’ve picked up on it very quickly,” she said of the Glory Beaders.

Buzenski added that “they have taken to this very well and are very skilled at it, which is a blessing to the school but also a blessing to me and to the people who receive the rosaries,” which are distributed around the school, diocese and beyond.

“The rosaries that these kids have made have gone all over the world, which is pretty cool,” she said.

The hand-crafted rosaries are given to people who request them in and outside of Columbus. Students gave rosaries to their peers in the second-grade class who made their First Communion this year.

Buzenski also mails batches of the rosaries to Mary Ann Lynch, a retired flight attendant in Florida who distributes them to flight attendants traveling across the world.

The flight attendants utilize their contacts wherever their flights are assigned to deliver the rosaries to Catholic churches, missions or individuals in need.

The rosaries landed in several continents, including South America, Europe and Asia. Among the places that received them: Nicaragua, Ecuador, the Philippines and Vatican City. Lynch mails students a letter afterward, telling them where their rosaries were delivered.

So far, four batches of rosaries were mailed since October. A fifth batch will be mailed out to conclude the school year.

Students shared that they enjoy being part of the group. In addition to spending time with friends, they recognize that their rosaries impact others.

Columbus St. Matthias students (from left) Teresa Nguyen, Jamilly Espindola, Wesley Costa and Josie Rodriguez, members of the Glory Beaders, make rosaries in teacher Kelly Buzenski’s classroom. Buzenski leads the group of sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade students.

“It means a lot because they go out to people all over the world, and it can mean a lot to them because they can’t get them themselves,” said Josie Rodriguez, a seventh-grade student who was previously part of the Glory Beaders at St. Anthony before coming to St. Matthias this year.

“I think it helps them a lot because they could get closer to God.”

Wesley Costa, a sixth-grade student in the Glory Beaders group, shared how rosary making fosters his relationship with the Lord. 

“I like making rosaries because I really like God, and I want to get close with Him,” he said. “I like that we can give rosaries all around the world to people who can’t get them to help them get closer to God, too.”

The Glory Beaders each keep a rosary for themselves that is blessed by Father Anthony Davis, the pastor of the Northland Catholic community, which includes Columbus St. Elizabeth Church and the former St. Matthias and St. Anthony churches.

“I pray the rosary every day with my mom, so I use that rosary,” Costa said of the one he made and kept.

Some students, such as Jamilly Espindola, a sixth-grade student, evangelize by bringing rosaries home to their families.

“I customize some, and I also give it to my family who doesn’t have one,” she said.

Unlike some school organizations and teams with tryouts or skill sets, the Glory Beaders is open to all interested middle schoolers. The group is composed of students who want to play a part in making what could be considered the world’s greatest “weapon,” according to St. Padre Pio.

Students are also honoring the Blessed Mother, who asked, when she appeared in Fatima, Portugal, that the rosary be prayed daily.

“This is a group that you don’t need to have any academic skill; you don’t need to have any athletic skill,” Buzenski said. “It really is just willing to serve: willing to serve the Church, willing to serve the school community, willing to put in the time and their talent for God and for His work and for His Church, so I’m very proud of the kids.”

Students at St. Matthias meet after school once a week to make rosaries.

Several students expressed interest in continuing during the summer.

Buzenski is arranging for students to bring rosary kits home. She hopes to plan a day during the summer for students to meet and pick up kits.

The Glory Beaders are eager to break their record for rosaries made next school year. Considering the thousands they’ve already made, it should be no problem.

“As long as I can keep up with making kits,” Buzenski added with a laugh.