As a Redemptorist, I am proud to wear the 15 decades of the rosary with my religious habit. Our rosary certainly reminds me of the history of the rosary, and it brings me back to the time when monks said 150 psalms in their daily prayers. Imitating them, the laity at that time simplified the practice by praying the Our Father 150 times, and later changed their practice to praying the Hail Mary 150 times.



According to a traditional source, the Blessed Mother appeared to St. Dominic. She told him to encourage people to pray the rosary to fight the Albigensian heresy. Not until that time would we have the way of praying the rosary with 15 mysteries to help us to reflect upon the life of Our Lord Jesus Christ and His Mother.

During a retreat I led for the Lovers of the Holy Cross of Thu Thiem a few months ago, we discussed Mary’s virtues. We discovered that Mary taught us clearly about God in the beautiful hymn of praise, the Magnificat.


She reminds us that the song is a message of hope for the People of God. Our God loves the lowly and cares for the hungry and all of those in need. He is a merciful God and is faithful to His promise. And Holy is His Name.

Reflecting on the Canticle of Mary, her faith in God is profound – and, more importantly, genuine – because it comes from her heart. Being with the Lovers of the Holy Cross for a week retreat, I re- examined Mary’s virtues and experienced the Sisters’ special devotion of meditating constantly on the Crucified Christ in their daily life. He is the only object of their minds and hearts.



I was happy to have the opportunity to present a retreat to the Lovers of the Holy Cross, and I believe that learning about the virtues and holiness of Our Blessed Mother leads us closer to God and His Son.