KATHMANDU (UCAN) -- Catholics in Nepal are praying during the rosary month of October for peace in their country and in nearby Myanmar.

"We are praying that peace stays in Nepal after the end of the Maoist insurgency," explained Flora Rai, whose Nepal Catholic Women's Group is leading special rosary sessions at Assumption Church in Kathmandu.

"We are also praying for Myanmar, for peace there, the restoration of democracy and the freedom of all Myanmar political prisoners," she told UCA News.

Around 2,200 Catholics belong to the parish, but only about 20 gather at the church in the evenings for the rosary. Rai attributed the low turnout to Dashain, the annual 15-day Hindu festival commemorating the great victory of gods over demons, which ended on Oct. 26. It is the biggest festival of the year in predominantly Hindu Nepal.

"Most parishioners are busy visiting relatives and entertaining guests at home. This is the only time of the year that they have for holidays," Rai said. "The turnout for the rosary during the Marian month of May is encouraging," she added.

Rai observed that although Hindus do not come to pray the rosary, she has come across them visiting the church and praying at the Marian grotto.

Parishioner Joseph Sharma, a regular at the rosary prayers, told UCA News that apart from praying for peace in Nepal and Myanmar, he has been praying for himself, his family and all Catholics in Nepal. He expressed hope that Christians in Nepal would one day be "totally free" to practice and profess their religion.

After a constitutional monarchy with parliamentary democracy replaced Nepal's former absolute monarchy in 1990, with freedom of religion enshrined in the new constitution, Assumption parishioners started ending the rosary month with a procession through the capital. This practice soon stopped, however, amid the decade-long Maoist insurgency to install a communist republic. More than 11,000 people were killed before the rebellion officially ended in November 2006 with a peace accord among political parties and the Maoists. Subsequently, parliament made Nepal a secular state, ending its status as the world's only Hindu nation.

Asked whether, in light of recent developments, Assumption Parish would resume the citywide procession ending the rosary month, Father George Kalapurackal, the parish priest, outlined a cautious strategy.

"As this is a transitional phase and only a year has passed since the country has been declared a secular state, we will have to watch for a few more years before we can decide on resuming the (public) procession," he told UCA News.

Nonetheless, parishioner Soma Sitling is "looking forward to the rosary procession that will start from the grotto and go around the church" on Oct. 30. "I hope all parishioners attend the event," added the woman, who told UCA News the Blessed Mother has always answered her prayers.

Father Pius Perumana, who heads Ishalaya Parish in Godavari, on the outskirts of Kathmandu, told UCA News that Jesuit Bishop Anthony Sharma, apostolic vicar of Nepal, urged parishes in the country to pray the rosary for peace in Nepal and Myanmar during October. In September, the ruling junta in Myanmar violently suppressed peaceful demonstrations that Buddhist monks led against the military government.

According to Father Perumana, not all of the 150 Catholics in Godavari are observing the rosary month, but "some groups are visiting the houses of Catholics and praying there."

Father Ajay Andrew Pradhan in Damak, about 600 kilometers east of Kathmandu, told UCA News that 10-15 parishioners gather at Immaculate Conception Church to pray the rosary every evening. He said his parish of 1,200 Catholics has no special programs for October and will end the rosary month with a simple prayer at its Marian grotto.

Back in Kathmandu, Priscilla Lama says she has not been able to attend the rosary sessions at Assumption Church but prays the rosary at home, like many others. "I have accepted Mary as my mother, who is always by my side whenever I need her, and she never lets me down," the 32-year-old schoolteacher told UCA News.

She added that she is "still learning to be like Mary, the symbol of love, kindness, tolerance and compassion."

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