Fr. Augustine Mawulolo, a Ghanaian Comboni missionary based in Macau, tells us about his special passion: making rosaries.
Hailing from Akatsi in the Volta Region of Ghana, Fr. Augustine Atsu Awudy Mawulolo was ordained a priest on 28 December 2024. He has been assigned to the Philippines, and has recently moved to the Macau community. Upon his arrival in the Philippines, he expressed his joy at embarking on his ministry, which includes celebrating masses, hearing confessions, attending funeral masses, blessing houses and making rosaries.
Living in a country mostly dominated by Christians and Catholics, Fr. Augustine sees the Rosary as a ‘weapon’. A weapon to pray. A weapon to heal. A weapon to call and seek devotion to the Virgin Mary. Fabricating the Rosary and selling it out is a privilege.
According to Fr. Augustine, many people have testified that they gained grace and lessons through the prayers of the Rosary and the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary. He has also seen Muslims and members of Pentecostal churches buy rosaries and ask for them to be blessed.
One day, while visiting a school, Fr Augustine asked someone, “You’re not Catholic. Why are you holding a rosary?” He was answered, “No, I just like the rosary. The rosary is good.” This shows that the Rosary is for everyone. There are no barriers based on race, religion or opinion. If people choose to have faith, it will naturally become apparent. The faith of those who believe in the power of the Rosary deepens as they pray through the intercession of pure souls, washing away sins and absorbing the peace that draws them closer to God and the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Fr. Augustine cultivated the practice of reciting and praying his Rosary every day, as he believes in one commentary. There is a promise when you recite the Rosary. It is believed that when you recite it, Mother Mary will never forget you and she will welcome you in the Kingdom of Heaven. Just like everybody wishes, a promise of healing and contentment in the presence of Virgin Mary. Just as repeated prayers help people get more in touch with the deepest desires of their souls and let God rest upon them.
Why does Fr. Augustin make rosaries? He recounts: ‘I was doing my missionary service in the parish of Toko-Toko in the north of Benin. I was in charge of the Missionary Children’s Society and enrolled the children in a diocesan programme, which took place over three days after Christmas. During the programme, there was a day when the children learnt how to make rosaries. As their leader, I asked myself, ‘I saw them making rosaries, but I did not know how to make one myself.’ From then on, I decided to learn how to make rosaries with the help of a girl named Stella. I do this every day.”
His love for making rosaries continues. To fabricate such a delicate spiritual weapon, someone should have a grasp of patience. From counting the specific number of beads, putting effort into the sequence of colours, to tidying each knot to show the fruit of your own labour. “When I was young, I heard people’s testimony about the Rosary. Someone once told me, ‘I was sick and through the prayer of the Rosary, I got healed,’” Fr. Augustine stated. He took it as a sign when he was in postulancy, he recited the Rosary every day and asked Mother Mary, “If it is really the will of God for me to become a priest, may she help me to reach the altar of the Son.
In addition, here I am today…as a priest. I can testify that I have gained strength from reciting the Rosary.” With his unwavering love for rosary-making, Fr. Augustine also produces bracelets for sale to support missions every weekend in various churches. These weapons not only show intricate craftsmanship but also honour the time, strength, prayer, and effort of the person who poured every bit of themselves into each item.