Bipulalite

In this Year for Priests Family Rosary Bangladesh was happy to receive Father Jim Phalan, CSC, Director of Family Rosary International, to help us encourage families in Bangladesh to live their faith with Mary, our Mother. Fr. Jim was with us the last two weeks of February, for a full schedule of Rosary Rallies and events.

A wonderful phenomenon in the Church in Bangladesh over the past decades has been the evangelization of various tribal groups in outlying areas of the country. Through rallies in several parishes in the Dioceses of Dinajpur and Rajshahi Father Jim and the Family Rosary team spoke of devotion to Our Lady and of the importance of the Rosary in order to deepen Christian faith and strengthen Christian Family Life. In the newly founded Khalippur parish, Dinajpur diocese, for example, the Congregation of Holy Cross has been serving as hundreds of families of the Shantal tribe have embraced Catholicism. More than 500 people participated in a two day mission.

In 1971, during the War of Liberation through which Bangladesh became independent, tribal peoples in the village of Nobai Botthala prayed to Our Lady in the face annihilation by the foreign army. They believe they were miraculously spared through Mary’s intercession. They converted to Christianity and now this village is a pilgrimage site of ever growing importance. Father Phalan and the Family Rosary team were able to conduct a Rosary Rally there, presided by the Bishop of Rajshahi, Gervas Rosario, and about 500 people in attendance.

Bishop Gervas invited Father Jim to share reflections on the role of the Blessed Virgin as Mother of  Priests during a Lenten Day of Recollection for the clergy and religious of the Diocese. Family Rosary in Bangladesh is very grateful to Bishop Gervas and the other bishops of Bangladesh for their enthusiastic support of our Mission. They are well aware that Mary is the Mother of Evangelization and the Rosary, Her prayer, is a vital instrument for the transmission of Christian faith in the home.