As Holy Cross Family Ministries celebrates the anniversary of Servant of God Fr. Patrick Peyton’s birthday, January 9, they also celebrate the beginning of a special year. Fr. Peyton, C.S.C., founded Family Rosary in 1942 to bring families together to pray the Rosary daily in their homes just as his family had done. Fr. Peyton knew the strength it gave his family and when he was miraculously healed of tuberculosis, he committed his priestly life to spread devotion to the family Rosary. Early on in his ministry Fr. Peyton realized through the use of media, at the time radio, he could reach many more families. It was then, in 1947, that he founded Family Theater Productions to use mass media and invite the stars of Hollywood to help him reach families.
Now 70 years later, Family Rosary, distributes 1.2 million Rosaries annually to 17 countries (on 5 continents), sponsors mission events worldwide, and even television and radio programming. It can all be traced back to the simplicity of Fr. Peyton’s father leading the family in the Rosary every evening in their home. Father Peyton’s vision that … the family that prays together stays together … and … a world at prayer is a world at peace … is as meaningful today as when he began this work 70 years ago.
For more information on the work of Holy Cross Family Ministries, visit www.familyrosary.org. To learn more about this inspiring Holy Cross priest, dubbed the “Rosary Priest” and follow his cause for sainthood, visit www.fatherpeyton.org. You can also learn more about the mass media organization he founded 65 years ago, Family Theater Productions, by visiting www.familytheater.org.
