Youth holds rosary drive

This week the Catholic Times carries a story about a local youth who is holding a rosary drive (with my emphases):

BISHOP CREEK — She may be heading off to her junior year of college at Illinois State University, but St. Isidore the Farmer parishioner Lindsey Probst can return to school knowing that she has made good use of her summer break. Probst not only attended Catholic HEART Workcamp (CHWC) in June, but she is also in the midst of holding a rosary drive for underprivileged individuals in Baguio City in the Philippines as well as clients of Catholic Charities in Chicago.

Probst was on the way home from CHWC when she decided to look for a way to bring the gift of the rosary to more people.
"I have always loved the rosary. A few years back I decided to start a rosary collection and study more about prayer," she says. "My collection never became too large, but I did have people come and go who asked me about my faith and prayer. I told them about the rosary and I ended up giving one to a girl I worked with; who I later found out was pregnant. Naturally, I gave her baby one, too.
"I was inspired by CHWC," Probst says, "but it more led me to the answer I was holding all along. It is always a challenge to bring that spirit of Christ back home to our communities. The focus of my trip was to do just that, to bring it home."
Probst found inspiration in prayer.
"I prayed a lot on that trip, and it wasn't until the bus ride home that I came to the realization: I have the start of a rosary collection. I want to help people. Why not continue to give rosaries to people who need them? So, that's how it started."
Once she was back in Bishop Creek Probst contacted The Catholic Volunteer Service Network via Facebook, but she didn't receive any immediate leads from them.
"However, about a week later a woman named Crystal Catalan commented, saying she would like to give her class some rosaries for their first Communions," Probst says. "She works at a school and with the Save Our Children Foundation, Inc., which is co-sponsored by the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, often known as the Cabrini Sisters."
Probst plans to send off the rosaries for the Philippines in September. She also hopes to ship some rosaries to Catholic Charities in Chicago. "They also said they could use some," she says.
"I am trying to collect from the parishes in my area as well as hosting a rosary-making party. I think with hard work and prayers I will reach this goal. I need help with buying beads and covering shipping costs."
As of mid-August, Probst had about 100 rosaries ready to go. "I was surprised about the number of my friends and classmates who pitched in," she says.
Probst says that although she has received some lovely rosaries, she doesn't expect anyone to give up their primary, personal rosary.
"It doesn't matter what kind of rosaries people can donate. I'm getting some nice ones, some that people's children made in Sunday school, even some cloth ones," she says. "The ones we are making are made of string and basically pony beads. I think the prayers will count even if the rosary isn't exactly beautiful — besides they were made with love."
Probst says the time to send the rosaries to the Philippines is nearing, but she would still appreciate any donation. For more information on the campaign, contact her at lindsey_probst@hotmail.comThis e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .