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In Via

Posted by Cedar House Team on 28th Jun 2021

In Via

Sharing the Blessings of the Rosary

When our team first encountered these handmade rosaries from Christian and the In Via team, we were absolutely blown away. The level of craftsmanship and quality was not something you see very often in any sacramental, let alone a rosary. When you hold one for the first time, you’ll immediately notice the weight of the pieces and inevitably gain a newfound appreciation for the rosary as a “spiritual weapon.”

At Cedar House, we believe in the power of high-quality prayer items to bring intentionality to our lives. What is especially moving about this new product line, though, is how Christian uses his mission to reach out to the poor, marginalized, and overlooked people in his community: specifically, the homeless men and women of California.

The Words that Sparked the Mission

In 2017 Christian J.L. and his wife were group leaders at an RCIA class at St. Dominic’s Catholic Church in San Francisco. They met a very faithful man who was full of joy and God's love. He never missed any of the weekly classes and was always willing to help anyone who needed a friend. Most of all his stories of faith would move the entire room of people. During a snack break, he noticed Christian was looking at paracord rosaries on his phone. What the man said next planted the small seed which has grown into the mission of In Via:

“Man that's durable, I wish I had something like that so it wouldn't break on me out there. All I have is this string one because that's all I can get being homeless and sleeping in the streets. But that's okay because God doesn't care what I pray the Rosary with. As long as I'm praying.”

Nobody in the RCIA group had realized he was a homeless person. Christian was heartbroken. He confessed he had not realized his situation and offered to help in any way he could. He just smiled and said "My brother, sharing the times we have, partaking in the Mass, sharing meals, laughing and enjoying our conversations in the God house is more than anyone could ever ask for."

Christian was truly moved by his humility but still heartbroken for his friend. Of course, he immediately ordered a paracord rosary for him and brought it to class the following week. Unfortunately he would never return to class. Every week following, they would bring the paracord rosary to class hoping to see him again. As the weeks turned into months, and the cold and wet nights of winter passed and spring came, they still never saw him again.

Man, that's durable, I wish I had something like that so it wouldn’t break on me out there.


These words are what inspired the mission of In Via—to provide paracord rosaries to people who are homeless across the USA and hopefully one day around the world. For every In Via rosary purchased, Christian and his ministry partners personally hand-deliver durable paracord rosaries to homeless people who need them—looking at our brothers and sisters in the eyes and letting them know that they are remembered in prayer.

We are very proud to offer In Via as a premium rosary option at Cedar House, one that reflects the beauty of Christ and Our Lady. With your purchase, you will receive a beautiful rosary that can be handed down for generations. But much more importantly, you are participating in a beautiful mission to wrap the poor in Our Lady’s comfort.