I received some sad news today. The woman who made the most beautiful rosaries I have ever seen or used died, under tough circumstances.
I spoke with her daughter tonight and told her that I would ask for prayers. I ask the entire readership now, please, to stop and to say a pray for Gayle.
Eternal rest grant unto her, O Lord.
And let perpetual light shine upon her.
May she rest in peace.
Amen.
May her soul and all the souls of the faithful departed rest in peace.
Amen.
I am sure that, despite all the hard things towards the end, Our Blessed Mother will have held her protecting mantle over Gayle. A small thing brings this to a strong surety in me, which I can relate.
Back in the 90’s – back in the days of the Catholic Forum on CompuServe! – I urged and helped Gayle to start an online biz for her rosaries, which she did and it was pretty successful. Gayle didn’t have a lot of peace, not for a long number of years. She did, however, have “Queen of Peace Rosaries”.
I cannot but think that the Queen of Peace will help Gayle to heaven.
By the way, I think now that there are other “Queen of Peace” rosaries. They aren’t Gayle’s, that’s for sure.
Now for the “small thing” to relate…
For a couple years now I have daily carried about one of those “Combat Rosaries” made by a priest friend which have become so visible and so popular. However, yesterday at O’Dark Hundred as I readied myself for my trip (presently underway), instead of grabbing the gun-metal Combat Rosary for my pocket as usual, out of the blue I picked up that worn leather pouch with the only rosary I have now from Gayle.
Perhaps Our Blessed Mother, the Queen of Peace, steered my hand to that pouch long before dawn this morning, for probably Gayle was dying And so I had it with me when I got the news.
Pretty often I would tell Gayle that I had given yet another one away. I would sometimes run into people who were in serious situations, or who were on the cusp, shall we say. Something just sparked in me and I’d spontaneously give them my rosary. And we are talking about some pretty darn nice rosaries, too. On more than a few occasions I heard back that they made a difference.
I shan’t be giving this one away. No siree. And I’ll remember Gayle in my prayers.
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What a beautiful story. May she rest in Peace.
May she rest in peace.
Rest in peace.
I have one of Gayle’s rosaries, too. She made it after she’d begun having cataract problems, so the amount of love that went into that thing is enormous. It was one of my treasures even before I got the news, this afternoon. I sure am going to miss her.
BTW — I took my rosary by local jeweler’s to show it to them, shortly after I got it. The owner couldn’t get over it, said it was the most beautiful rosary she had ever seen. She pulled me back in her workshop to show me how it was made. That’s how excited she was by it. Incredible detail work. And since these folks repair rosaries for free, she’s seen a whole lot of rosaries, even nice gift-quality rosaries.
Rest in peace Gayle. Second star to the right…
Oddly enough, I attended Mass at a parish named Queen of Peace this morning. Yes, Gayle was one of the memorable people at COL. Life sometimes feels like a demolition derby once one gets into his 50’s.
I’ve carried and prayed on a rosary that I had Gayle Murphy make for me about 15 years ago. I spoke with her personally on the telephone to order the rosary to my specifications. It truly is a work of art. Over the past year, I’ve visited her website to order another rosary as a gift for my wife. Unfortunately, the website was inoperable. I had a feeling that something was amiss.
If Gayle did not go directly to heaven, I pray that Our Lady will soon visit Purgatory to personally escort Gayle to heaven.
I also pray that I will be able to find a rosary for my wife with the same beauty, quality, long- lastingness and love that Gayle put into her work.
Eternal rest grant unto her, O Lord.
And let perpetual light shine upon her.
May she rest in peace.
Amen.
May her soul and all the souls of the faithful departed rest in peace.
Amen.
Frank
WA4STX
Lux aeternum, Amen.
Keeping Gayle’s soul in prayer right now.
Eternal rest grant unto her, O Lord. May she rest in peace.
I haven’t yet prayed my daily rosary, so she’ll be among my intentions.
dahveed
KD8ZIB
Thank you for sharing such a beautiful story. RIP
Prayers for her soul.
Very sad news indeed. A good friend of mine is buried with one of her Rosaries. A truly beautiful Rosary. I wonder how many times Gayle prayed the Rosary for others. I will gladly pray all 15 decades for her. Will pray also for her daughter…
LITANY FOR THE FAITHFUL DEPARTED
Lord, have mercy on us,
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us. Christ hear us,
Christ, graciously hear us.
God the Father of Heaven,
Have mercy on the souls of the faithful departed.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world,
Have mercy on the souls of the faithful departed.
God the Holy Ghost,
Have mercy on the souls of the faithful departed.
Holy Trinity, one God,
Have mercy on the souls of the faithful departed.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
Pray for the souls of the faithful departed.
St. Michael,
pray for the souls of the faithful departed.
All ye angels and archangels,
pray for the souls of the faithful departed.
All ye orders of blessed spirits,
pray for the souls of the faithful departed.
St. Joseph,
pray for the souls of the faithful departed.
All ye holy patriarchs and prophets,
pray for the souls of the faithful departed.
All ye holy apostles and evangelists,
pray for the souls of the faithful departed.
All ye holy martyrs,
pray for the souls of the faithful departed.
All ye holy bishops and confessors,
pray for the souls of the faithful departed.
All ye holy doctors,
pray for the souls of the faithful departed.
All ye holy priests and Levites,
pray for the souls of the faithful departed.
All ye holy monks and hermits,
pray for the souls of the faithful departed.
All ye holy virgins and widows,
pray for the souls of the faithful departed.
All ye saints of God,
pray for the souls of the faithful departed.
Be merciful,
Spare them, O Lord
Be merciful,
Graciously hear us, O Lord.
From all evil,
O Lord, deliver them.
From the rigor of Thy justice,
O Lord, deliver them.
From the power of the devil,
O Lord, deliver them.
From long-enduring sorrow,
O Lord, deliver them.
From cruel flames,
O Lord, deliver them.
From horrible darkness,
O Lord, deliver them.
From dreadful weeping and wailing,
O Lord, deliver them.
Through Thy holy nativity,
O Lord, deliver them.
Through Thy most sweet name,
O Lord, deliver them.
Through Thy most profound humiliations,
O Lord, deliver them.
Through Thy infinite love,
O Lord, deliver them.
Through Thy bloody sweat,
O Lord, deliver them.
Through Thy scourging,
O Lord, deliver them.
Through Thy crowning with thorns,
O Lord, deliver them.
Through Thy carrying of the cross,
O Lord, deliver them.
Through Thy most cruel death,
O Lord, deliver them.
Through Thy five most holy wounds,
O Lord, deliver them.
In the day of judgment,
We sinners, beseech Thee, hear us.
Thou Who forgavest Magdalen,
and didst grant the prayer of the thief,
we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst be pleased to deliver
the souls of our parents, relations,
friends, and benefactors,
from the pains of hell,
we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst be pleased to have mercy
on those of whom no special remembrance
is made on earth,
we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst be pleased to grant them all
the pardon and remission of their sins,
we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst be pleased to receive them
into the company of the blessed,
we beseech Thee, hear us.
King of awful majesty,
we beseech Thee, hear us.
Son of God, we beseech Thee,
hear us.
Lamb of God,
who takest away the sins of the world,
grant unto them eternal rest.
Lamb of God,
who takest away the sins of the world,
grant unto them eternal rest.
Lamb of God,
who takest away the sins of the world,
grant unto them rest everlasting.
Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.
Lord, have mercy,
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy,
From the gate of hell,
deliver their souls, O Lord.
O Lord, hear my prayer.
And let my cry come unto Thee.
LET US PRAY:
O God, the Creator and Redeemer of all the faithful,
grant unto the souls of Thy servants departed
the remission of all their sins;
that, by pious supplications,
they may obtain the pardon
which they have always desired.
Grant this, O God,
Who livest and reignest for ever and ever,
Amen.
O eternal God, Who,
besides the general precept of charity,
hast commanded a particular respect for parents,
kindred, and benefactors;
grant, we beseech Thee, that,
as they were the instruments
by which Thy providence bestowed on us our birth,
education and innumerable other blessings,
so our prayers may be the means to obtain for them
a speedy release from their excessive sufferings,
and admittance to Thine infinite joys.
Through Jesus Christ, Our Lord.
Eternal rest give unto them, O Lord,
And let the perpetual light shine upon them.
May they rest in peace.
Amen.
The wire wrapping on that rosary is superb! I wish I knew that technique. My wire wrap is much messier than that.