The Rosary has been called many things – ‘Gospel on a string’, ‘weapon of mass conversion’, ‘beads that save.’ In a simple and yet beautiful way, we can connect to Momma Mary. By reciting the prayers, we can enter into a relationship with her, and that relationship can lead to a powerful conversion. From an ex-satanist to a hardened criminal or even just an ordinary sinner like you and me, Mary is drawing us near to her heart, only to lead us perfectly to her Son. Mary has always been in the business of pointing people back to Jesus – from the Annunciation and all the way to the foot of the cross.
Below are a few stories of those who have encountered Christ through Mary’s intercession in the Rosary. Their lives changed profoundly and forever by these humble beads.
3 People Who Were Saved Because Of The Rosary
St. Bartolo Longo: From Satanic Priest to Apostle of the Rosary
No conversion story involving the Rosary is more dramatic (or more miraculous) than that of St. Bartolo Longo. Bartolo was born in 1841 in Italy to a devout Catholic family. His faith wavered when, at the age of 10, his mother died. Once in law school, he completely lost his faith. In search of happiness, purpose, and meaning, he began to visit psychic mediums. His descent into the occult culminated in pledging his soul to a demon and being consecrated a Satanic priest.
Eventually, Bartolo couldn’t deny the mental and physical health crisis he was experiencing. After three weeks of intense conversations with a Dominican priest, Bartolo returned to the sacraments and prayed the Rosary. These actions were truly life-saving. It is recorded that he fell to his knees and said, “If Your Words are true that he who propagates Your Rosary will be saved, I shall reach salvation…”
Bartolo later became a Third Order Dominican and spent his life promoting the Rosary. He built the Basilica of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary in Pompeii and founded schools and orphanages. He wrote books on the Rosary and composed novenas. His biggest contribution to promoting the Rosary was something Pope John Paul II found in his writings: the Luminous Mysteries. Saint Bartolo Longo is proof that no person is too far from God to be saved and that Mary will always guide us to salvation.
Book by St. Bartolo Longo: History Of The Sanctuary Of Pompei: Dedicated To The Most Blessed Virgin Of The Rosary,
Father Donald Calloway, MIC: From Addict and Runaway to Priest of Mercy
If Bartolo was #1 of the most extreme cases, Fr. Calloway is a close second. A young, long-haired Donald Calloway was a Grateful Dead follower, drug addicted, high school dropout turned hardened criminal. By his own account, he was the worst. In deep depression and desperation, a homeless Donald stayed the night in a small room in his parents’ house. He found a book on Marian apparitions and the Rosary. Reading about this “beautiful woman”, he simply couldn’t put it down – he needed to know more.
The next day, he went to the closest chapel and sat in the back. Up front, five Filipino women were praying the Rosary. They invited him to lead the second decade. A confused Donald shook his head as he waited for Mass to begin. In this Mass, he recounts a miraculous knowing that came over him. Although unable to receive, the True Presence became a reality, and he was able to meet God truly. The following week, he joined those five Filipino women in praying a daily Rosary. According to him, the daily Rosary helped him to discern the call to the priesthood.
Fr. Donald Calloway certainly didn’t take any traditional routes to his vocation, but Mary, in the tradition of the Rosary, escorted him straight to her Son.
Books by Fr. Calloway: 33 Days to the Holy Family: Consecration to Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, Consecration to St. Joseph: The Wonders of Our Spiritual Father, Champions of the Rosary
TK Coleman: From Pentecostal Christian to Rosary-Toting Catholic
TK grew up in the Midwest in a home where faith and family values weren’t just talked about, they were lived. His father, a Pentecostal pastor and real estate investor, and his mother raised TK and his siblings in a home centered around traditional family values, a strong sense of community, and hard work.
An educator and entrepreneur, TK was casual about faith, and it became more of a background presence than a guiding force. Early in his marriage, TK pledged to his wife that he’d NEVER become Catholic. Famous last words.
TK’s wife told him she had committed to praying the Rosary for him for a full year. This news was met with indifference as she often kept him apprised of her faith activities. This information initially meant nothing to him until he was invited to help out at Camp Veritas, and he attended adoration. As she does, Mary drew him directly to her Son! That night in adoration, a surprised and confused TK clearly heard “You are Catholic.” In that moment, all his questions and skepticism about Catholicism energetically transformed into curiosity.
Today, TK, a faithful Catholic, prays the Rosary daily and speaks of the root and fruit (de Montfort) as he pours out his life to Mary: being drawn more and more to Jesus in confession, Jesus in adoration, and Jesus in the Eucharist.
St. Dominic called it “ the most powerful weapon to touch the Heart of Jesus,” and St. Padre Pio said, “You must always hold fast to the Rosary. When you do so, the Blessed Mother will wrap you in her mantle and draw you closer to the Sacred Heart of her Son.” The saints have always known what many converts are still discovering – the Rosary isn’t just a string of beads, it’s a lifeline to Jesus through His mother, Mary. St Louis de Montfort reminds us that when Mary takes root in a soul, she produces “wonders of grace which only she can produce,” and this truth is seen in every conversion, every re-version, and every healing sparked by her intercession.
“Nothing in this world works quite like the power of prayer combined with the motherly advocacy and intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Nothing in the universe beats that. Mary doesn’t just win sometimes, she wins all the time.” – TK Coleman
Learn to pray the rosary HERE!
Image: Photo by Anuja Tilj on Unsplash
