Prickly Prayers

A rosary is often prayed by Catholic women, and rarely prayed by men. It is seen as a feminine method of prayer. Every bead is significant as it is a prayer. When praying the rosary, one rubs the beads as you go along. It might seem like a harmless activity, but it is often used as punishment, or rather penance. The rosary is used to repent for sins committed. As a part of repentance, people go for confession. I have always experienced confession as an uncomfortable encounter between yourself and a priest (who barely knows you). Confession makes one feel guilty for things that are human nature. Every time I have gone to confession, I have been instructed to pray my rosary three times, before my sins would be forgiven. The rosary has become an object of guilt and shame for me. This piece is a rosary with sugar crystals forming around the beads and cross. It represents the toxicity of institutionalised guilt and the manifestation thereof. It is ever growing, and informs one’s identity. Now when I pray my rosary, the crystals splinter off into my fingers or cut them. They are slowly but surely changing my rosary into an object of abuse. Sugar crystals take a long time to form. They require immense patience and care. The church should be treating us in the same manner. With patience and care, but instead they treat us with distain.