SUNDAY 30 October saw Our Lady's Rosary Makers of Australia hold their 50th Annual Conference in Coonamble, the birthplace of the organisation.

This year twenty five members, coming from Rutherford, Bathurst, Taree and Dubbo, convened at the Coonamble Bowling Club for a catch up and delicious goodies.

From their small town beginnings, Our Lady's Rosary Makers of Australia now has ten guilds throughout NSW, who this year hand-made some 27,780 rosaries. 

The rosary beads are used by Catholics around the world to recite prayers showing devotion to Our Lady Mary and are strung in a specified order.

A rosary is made up of a crucifix, followed by one larger bead, three small beads, another larger bead and then a medal. After the medal comes a larger bead again followed by a group of ten smaller beads.

These 'necklaces' are sent around the world to missions, prisons, schools and distributed within local communities.

"Fifty years is such a milestone from the humble beginnings in 1971," said newly elected President of the Australian Rosary Makers Guild, Renate Hume. "It all came from Ellis Ryan's desire to promote his faith." 

The late Ellis Ryan, an accountant in Coonamble and dedicated member of his local Catholic parish, spent decades researching, writing and finding innovative ways to share his faith with the regional community.

Mr Ryan's widow Beverly says that the idea to form a rosary-making enclave came after Ellis visited the Rosary Makers international headquarters in the United States where he bought a kit.

"He decided he needed help because he couldn't make enough rosaries, so he called a public meeting and formed the Coonamble guild," Mrs Ryan said. "I think (then local priest) Father Ring gave us five pounds to get started."

"Then he decided we needed guilds in other towns and so we'd travel to help them get going," she said.

Coonamble hosted the first conference in 1972, the 25th silver jubilee conference in 1997 and now, the final get together for the national guild.

"Sadly, this will be the last Annual Conference, with many of us advancing in senior years and no longer able to drive long distances," said Mrs Hume.

"This does not mean the end of the Rosary Makers, as each guild will continue to make and distribute Rosaries for their usual outlets and communities."

Mrs Ryan is possibly the only member to have attended all three conferences.

"To think here I am fifty years later and I've been to the first and the last conference," she said. "It was a bit sad to have the last one, but as long as we keep going that's the main thing."

The rosaries take about forty five minutes to make. The majority, known as 'mission beads', are made with plastic beads strung onto cord, although glass and other beads are used for special orders.

The local group currently have around a dozen members, some of whom have hand-made around 5000 rosaries.

Rosary makers say the process is quite relaxing and can be done while watching television.

"We are always looking for new members," said Mrs Hume. "So if you are interested, give us a call on 0428 122 212."