Meet Becky Eibensteiner: Growing Closer to Christ Through Mary

Becky Eibensteiner has been a longtime parishioner of St. Paul’s — for nearly 34 years. Becky and her husband became members in 1988 and she currently serves the parish in many ways. She is a lector and Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion, she sings in the choir, and she serves as a Rosary Leader.

Being involved in parish life is something that she has valued since she was young. In high school, Becky laid out vestments for the priest before daily Mass, and on Saturdays, she helped clean the sanctuary.

“Back then, you were more involved in your parish because that was your social life,” Becky says. “Now, you are pulled in so many different directions, it can be hard. But God is a priority. You have to make Him a priority.”

As a Rosary Leader at St. Paul’s, Becky is in charge of leading the Rosary before many of the 10 a.m. Sunday Masses. Beginning about 20 minutes before Mass starts, she leads each decade as the church begins to fill.

“It is really neat,” Becky says. “There are not many people when you first start. I have what I call my loyal prayer warriors, who are always there to respond. But as you move on to the second and third decade, the response gets louder and louder as more people fill the church.”

Praying to Mary, especially through the Rosary, is a very important part of Becky’s prayer life, so it makes sense that she would share that by leading other parishioners to pray it too.

“The Rosary makes you feel closer to Mary,” Becky says. “She takes your intercessions and gives them to Jesus. She leads you to Jesus.”

Having grown up praying the Rosary in the evenings with her family, Becky now prays the Rosary with her husband.

“When praying the Rosary with my husband, I often take my box of memorial cards, and I pray for those that have passed throughout the Rosary,” Becky says. “Sometimes, my husband and I will try and offer each Hail Mary for a different priest.”

Becky knows that the Rosary can seem daunting because of its length and that it is not always easy to fit into a busy schedule. She considers it a missed opportunity that she did not pray the Rosary daily with her daughters

“Start small,” Becky says. “Start with just a decade. Pray it along with YouTube, a priest, or someone else. It will grow on you. When Mary asks us to pray the Rosary for peace, that is the least we can do.”

Becky Eibensteiner leads the Rosary before 10 a.m. Mass.

Please join us at St. Paul’s for the Rosary prior to the 10 a.m.Sunday Mass, beginning about 20 minutes before Mass starts.