TheCompass: Suamico family hosts ninth annual outdoor rosary

SUAMICO — When the calendar turns to October, it's family rosary time on the Kontny estate. However, this is not your everyday family rosary. For nearly a decade, Hank and Monica Kontny have hosted a candlelit living rosary on their four acres on the west side of Green Bay for several hundred people.

"It came out of my deep love for our Lady," noted Monica. "I just wanted to do something special."

As she reminisced about that first rosary nine years ago, she recalled that they barely had enough people to make the 50 beads that form this living rosary. This year's event, held on the first Saturday of the month, saw enough people to pray all 20 decades (the traditional 15, plus the five luminous mysteries).

Deacon Bob Ellis of Ss. Peter and Paul Parish in Green Bay served as the night's unofficial master of ceremonies. He began by leading the crowd with the singing of "Ave Maria" as the Knights of Columbus in full regalia led a Marian procession into the center of the crowd. They were followed by the Little Flower Society of St. Thèrése, which consisted of young girls dressed in white first Communion dresses. As they processed across the lawn, the girls tossed rose petals to the ground in preparation for the arrival of the statue of the Blessed Mother.

"Nights like this are important because it's a public display of faith," Deacon Ellis told The Compass. "Mrs. Kontny invites everyone and it gets everyone turning to God and praying."

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