During my childhood, I encountered and experienced Mary, the Mother of Jesus, through my own mother who is named “Shandha Rani” (which means queen of the evening). She taught us to pray every day, especially the Rosary. Every evening just after the evening bell of the Church, all the members of my family used to come together sitting on the floor and recite the Rosary together, and listen to a short passage from the Holy Bible. Occasionally, on the feasts of the Mother Mary, Mom used to tell the stories briefly, and we used to listen to them very eagerly.

While I was in grade eight, I joined the Holy Cross Juniorate. During that time, upon getting back from school in the afternoon, we used to say the Holy Rosary almost every day and pay a visit to the Blessed Sacrament in the church next door. Those practices helped me to be passionate in developing my prayer life as well as my spiritual life.

During my journey in the religious life, whenever I have experienced agony, hardship, pain, or discomfort I have gone to Mother Mary and prayed through her intercession, saying the Rosary to overcome all distress. I strongly believe that she takes my side as she did during the marriage ceremony in Cana with her Son and disciples (John 2: 1-11).

I share with you one story: On December 20, 1983, while returning after finishing a Catechetical Training Course in Jessore, I left my bag on the bus thinking my confrere and cousin would bring it with them as I was helping unloading others’ luggage from the bus roof as we had to cross the river by launch. Before the launch left the bank of the river, I ran to check the bus for my bag, but the bus had already left for its next destination.

Returning to the launch, I went to the back, sitting down in an open space where the Muslims pray all alone. When the launch was heading towards the other side, it came to my mind that I should pray to Mother Mary to get my bag back, and I started reciting the Rosary. We returned to our destination safely, though I was with empty hands. After a week I got a phone call from the parish priest of Jessore, whom I knew very well, informing me that my bag was found. It was a miracle. The supervisor, a Christian man on the bus, found my printed name pad by the side of the bag. He knew the parish priest whose name was the same as mine, except the surname. I believe that Mother Mary aided me in finding the bag.

After finishing our schooling in the village, we came to the Capital City in Dhaka in 1977 and started our college life at Notre Dame College. That same year I experienced the Holy Cross family bond on the occasion of our Lady of Sorrows feast on September 15 at Holy Cross Sisters Convent in Tejgaon, Dhaka. All the Holy Cross members living in the city came to celebrate the feast. It was my first experience of knowing the Holy Cross Priests, Brothers, Sisters, and all those who were in the formation houses. It was a vigorous experience.

Afterward, every year while observing the feast of Our Lady of Sorrows, I always try to participate wholeheartedly, meditating, praying, and always being thankful to our Mother Mary for all her blessings and grace upon us. I invite us all to do the same, as Mother Mary, takes the side of all of us, and stands willing to help. Our Lady of Sorrows, pray for us.

This reflection was written by Br. Victor Bikash D’Rozario, C.S.C., a member of the St. Joseph Province in Bangladesh, on the occasion of the Solemnity of Our Lady of Sorrows, the patroness of the Holy Cross Family. Br. D’Rozario currently works as the Vice Principal at St. Joseph International School in Dhaka City, Bangladesh.