The Evening Rosary Group used to gather in church every weekday to pray the rosary before the 6pm Mass. It was a very small, dedicated and cozy group. Something dramatic happened to the group after the Covid-19 pandemic surfaced and changed our world.
No, the rosary group didn’t get infected and die. Instead, a deep breath of new life was breathed into it and, really, I am witness to this miracle! I have come to realise that we need to be praying the rosary now more than ever. We need to pray it together, and to ask Our Blessed Mother to help us navigate a future that seems so fraught.
"No, the rosary group didn’t get infected and die. Instead, a deep breath of new life was breathed into it and, really, I am witness to this miracle!"
Zoom was a lifesaver, but many of us struggled initially as the group migrated to this new, unfamiliar virtual platform. We persevered and eventually got the hang of the various controls (“please unmute!"), not without plenty of help from more tech savvy family members. Soon our small group began to attract others who had heard that we were meeting online. We now have 60 members on record and daily about 45 people dial in to pray this powerful prayer together. We have members who join us from Brunei, Melbourne, Jakarta and Osaka, reminding us of the universality of our faith! It’s a happy problem for Angela who does the rostering and makes sure that everyone gets a turn to lead a decade.
God brought into our fold people of various ages with a myriad of talents. Before long we had expertly produced slides (thanks Angelina!) illustrating the mysteries and assembled a tech team to manage them. The slides have helped us focus on the mysteries we are meditating on. Next, we added a closing hymn and this opened up to us the world of sacred music on YouTube which we could share on the screen.
Since we have been unable to attend Mass regularly, the group keeps in step with the liturgical year of the Church by marking special feast days and memorials of saints. All of us have been learning so much in the process.
"All this seems to me to be the modern day work of the Holy Spirit — our 3rd Glorious Mystery in action!"
Our prayers now expand outwards as we introduce intercessory petitions before the rosary proper. We pray for the needs of the world, for our Pope and the Church, for the repose of the faithful departed, and for strength for those suffering from physical and mental challenges. Members take in turns to compose and offer a prayer to Our Lady presenting all our petitions, spoken and unspoken.
All this seems to me to be the modern day work of the Holy Spirit — our 3rd Glorious Mystery in action! Our members set their alarms for 5.15pm and feel so uplifted to pray in unison. It's our daily spiritual jab and what a potent one it is! Knowing that Our Lady prays with and for us, and gives us complete protection. There is only one thing left for us to do — whatever her Son tells us.
- Olivia Menon
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