Pittsburgh Black and Gold "Ave Maria" Rosaries

Pittsburgh is the only city in the USA whose 3 sports teams (The Steelers, Pirates and Penguins) all proudly wear the same color scheme: black and gold. Certainly the waving and twirling of the black and gold Terrible Towel unites Steeler fans, but new to Pittsburgh, and making its debut in honor of NFL great, Franco Harris; our new, Black and Gold "Ave Maria" Rosaries can unite all sports enthusiasts: Pirates, Penguins, Steelers, and more! For that matter, the black and gold rosaries can help unite all people of Pittsburgh, no matter one's faith.

The Ave Maria / "Immaculate Reception" Connection
On December 19, 2022 at Vento's Pizza in East Liberty, I was blessed to sit down with Franco Harris to gift him a gold medal of Mary, blessed by my bishop, as a keepsake for Franco.

It was meant to be a remembrance for Franco to unite him to his mother, Gina, for the upcoming 50th Anniversary of the "Immaculate Reception" - the greatest play in NFL history.

What many didn't know until Franco told the story (not only to me, but to several news sources) was that his family was gathered at his parents' NJ home to watch the game, but at the time the historic play was about to occur, his mother sensed something was wrong. He told me that his Italian mother, who did not speak English, put one of her Italian albums on and, that during the very moment of the Immaculate Reception, the "Ave Maria" was playing on that Italian music album.

NFL Films
Facebook Video: A Football Life: Franco Harris talk about mom play Ave Maria during his immaculate reception. | NFL Network
https://fb.watch/mH8h0laK8L/

Franco humbly accepted my gift of the gold medal for this special golden anniversary and said:

"THE AVE MARIA CONNECTS IT ALL TO MY MOTHER AND TO ME, THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF IT.”

As you pray on each bead, the beautiful Ave Maria's provide the background to the scriptural scenes of this "Bible on a String."

The center of the Rosary features the replica of the gold medal of Mary, Ark of The New Covenant that I gifted to Franco. The gold cross is symbolic of the phenomenal gold cross I filmed in awe over the sky above Cranberry Township at sunset on December 20, 2022, just 7 hours before Franco passed.

During my meeting with Franco that lasted nearly 2.5 hours, amongst many things, in great depth we lovingly talked about his mom and my mom and that heaven is the true goal in life as I shared much about my favorite scripture passage, Hebrews 12:1:

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us and Persevere in Running the Race that Lies Before Us."

After hearing the devastating news of Franco's passing, I thought, how ironic, we all cheered for Franco, and in his heavenly reward, as part of the "cloud of witnesses," Franco will be cheering for us to "Persevere in Running the Race that Lies Before Us."

How It Began
In 2009, I had a profound experience while praying the Angelus Prayer at noon while in Eucharistic Adoration. In my mind's eye, I saw in a sketch -

Jesus in the womb of Mary with Jesus's umbilical cord turning into the Rosary as the church bells rang announcing the Noon Angelus Hour.

In response to this inspiration, Preborn Jesus Ministry started making variegated pink and blue knotted cord rosaries (representing the umbilical cord). The central theme?

• To inspire a devotion to Jesus in the Preborn aspect of His life within the womb of Mary, and
• To promulgate a devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, His and our Mother, under the title, Ark of  The New Covenant.

Our Black and Gold "Ave Maria" Rosaries Make Their Debut
As one of the last people blessed to be with Franco Harris before he passed, I sense God is bringing this apostolate full circle: from pink and blue, to black and gold; from preborn life to eternal life. Symbolically, the Rosary is the great circle of life!

The new Black and Gold "Ave Marie" rosaries with the gold rosary centerpiece of Mary, Ark of The New Covenant are Christocentric, with Preborn Jesus at the heart or CENTER of the rosary. One's eye is drawn to the rosary centerpiece to Jesus nestled in the sacred womb of Mary as the Ark of The New Covenant.

At the foot of the cross Mary became The Spiritual Mother of All People whether realized or not. And so it is fitting that the back side of the medal and rosary centerpiece, contain the scripture passage:

"All Generations Shall Call Me Blessed."  Luke 1:48

Not only is this black and gold rosary a blessed sacramental, but it is a means to remember to pray for our city of Pittsburgh. We are well aware that the 3 Rivers: the Allegheny, the Monongahela and the Ohio Rivers meet at the Point. While holding the black and gold "Ave Maria" Rosary, one can visualize symbolically how the three strands of black beads link to the rosary's Mary, Ark of The New Covenant centerpiece at the "Golden Triangle", if you will.

The Great Cloud of Witnesses and the Holy Trinity
As you recall, Franco and I discussed the great cloud of witnesses. Well, St. Gertrude, from that Great Cloud, had an incredible vision!

God revealed to her that every time the Hail Mary is said by the faithful, the 3 mysterious streams surround Our Lady in a mighty current and rush to her heart. After they have completely bathed her in happiness they gush back into the bosom of God.

With St. Gertrude's vision of the 3 streams ever before us, let us work to revive the Rosary, our love for Pittsburgh and for each other. The Holy Trinity, represented by those mysterious streams in St. Gertrude's vision, amazingly, can symbolize Pittsburgh's 3 Rivers by extension.

As I think of the times Franco must have prayed the Hail Mary in his years of being raised with the sacraments of the Church that he and I discussed, I find it most appropriate to close with insights into the writings of another Great in the Cloud of Witnesses, Pope Saint John Paul ll as he speaks on the rosary,

"Against the background of the words Ave Maria the principal events of the life of Jesus Christ pass before the eyes of the soul.”  Rosarium Virginis Mariae Oct. 26, 2002

The invitation is before you: to pray on this black and gold "Ave Maria" rosary. Consider visualizing the crucifix and the small strand of beads as the Ohio River, and the two joining strands of beads as the Allegheny River and the Monongahela River. Start today and pray for all of Pittsburgh and beyond.

Everything, Most Especially, Love,
To Jesus through Mary, His Ark,

Bernadette Conklin