When World Youth Day 2011 kicks off on Tuesday, August 16 in Madrid, the Congregation of Holy Cross will be there on the ground! Not only are Holy Cross religious leading youth groups from our parishes and education institutions on this major Catholic spiritual pilgrimage, but we’re also hosting everything from concerts to a Vocations Cafe to handing out Rosaries to the young pilgrims.
The United States Province of Priests and Brother’s apostolate Holy Cross Family Ministries, through its ministries Family Rosary and Family Theater Productions, have been promoting the Rosary prayer with a three-fold campaign for World Youth Day. The efforts began with the donation of 600,000 Rosaries to World Youth Day; initiation of a worldwide social media Rosary prayer campaign, Firm in the Faith with Mary; and will culminate with many Rosary activities in Madrid, including a Family Rosary Chapel at the Love and Life Center.
Rosary Donation and Rosary Prayer Campaign
To ensure pilgrims to World Youth Day have a Rosary in their hands to pray throughout their time in Madrid, Family Rosary donated 600,000 Rosaries. In conjunction with the donation, a prayer campaign began on May 1 during the Beatification Ceremony for John Paul II. The video promoting the Firm in the Faith with Mary Rosary Prayer Campaign was screened in St. Peter’s square to launch the initiative. The Campaign, which continues right up to the start of World Youth Day (Aug. 16-21), has joined together people from around the world to pray the Rosary on the Saturdays leading up to WYD. Family Rosary has a long history of praying the Rosary for the success of an event. Family Rosary was founded by Holy Cross priest Servant of God Father Patrick Peyton, C.S.C.
Love and Life Center: Family Rosary Chapel and the Vocation’s Cafe
Located in the heart of Madrid, World Youth Day’s main venue for English-speaking pilgrims is the Love and Live Center, which is sponsored by Family Rosary in collaboration with the Knights of Columbus and the Sisters of Life. Here Family Rosary is hosting a Marian Music Festival as well as assisting with the many other concerts, panels and events on the main stage.
Within the Love and Life Center there are two venues: the Family Rosary Chapel and the Vocation’s Cafe. The Family Rosary Chapel is a place where pilgrims can spend time together in prayer. At the Vocation’s Cafe, co-sponsored by the Sisters of Life and the U.S. Province’s Office of Vocations, pilgrims will be able to consider their vocation as a young Catholic in conversation with priests, sisters, brothers, young married couples and others who have found their vocation.
On-the-Street Interviews with Pilgrims
Family Theater Productions, another member ministry of Holy Cross Family Ministries, will be on the ground “working the streets” of Madrid interviewing participants on their experiences at WYD, on how and when they pray the Rosary, along with many other questions. Visit Family Rorsary’s website for daily posts of video and photos from Madrid.
“One Holy Cross, One Family, One World”
Along with Family Rosary and Family Theater Productions’ presence, Holy Cross religious are also leading their community youth to this important event for the faithful. From the U.S. Province, the following parishes and schools have brought groups to Madrid for the week: University of Portland, Portland, Ore.; the University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Ind.; St. John Vianney Parish and Catholic School, Goodyear, Ariz.; St. George’s College and Colegio de Nuestra Senora de Andacollo, District of Chile; and La Luz Parish, Region of Mexico. Worldwide within the Congregation of Holy Cross, many other Provinces have also brought groups, including the Vicariate of France.
On Wednesday, August 17, they will all come together for an international gathering, “One Holy Cross, One Family, One World” hosted by the U.S. Province’s Office of Vocations and Holy Cross Family Ministries. More than 100 youth whose paths might not otherwise ever cross will have a chance to connect, get to know each other, and pray together with their fellow Holy Cross lay family members.
Read more about the event in the blog post.
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The Congregation of Holy Cross is a Catholic religious order formed in 1837 in the little town of Sainte-Croix, (which translated means Holy Cross) France when Blessed Basil Moreau, C.S.C., joined a group of parish priests with a band of teaching brothers to fill the educational and spiritual void left by the upheaval of the French Revolution. Today there are approximately 1,500 Holy Cross religious working to educate both the heart s and minds of believers of Jesus Christ in 16 countries and on five continents.
The United States Province of Priests and Brothers is made up of nearly 500 priests, brothers, and seminarians and is headquartered in Notre Dame, Ind. The Province fulfills the original vision of Blessed Basil Moreau to make God known, loved and served. The priests and brothers serve in education, parish and mission settings from Vermont to Texas to Oregon to Massachusetts. They are educators in the faith serving the people of God at their colleges, universities, parishes, primary and secondary schools, social service organizations, and international missions. The United States Province’s presence also extends across borders to include the Districts of Chile, Peru, East Africa and the Region of Mexico.
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Family Rosary and Family Theater Productions are member ministries of Holy Cross Family Ministries and are apostolates of the United States Province. They were founded by sainthood candidate Servant of God Father Patrick Peyton, C.S.C. Fr. Peyton began his work in 1942 to encourage family prayer, particularly the Rosary. His efforts continue today reaching families with face-to-face mission activities in 17 countries and the distribution of Rosaries around the world. More than 1.2 million Rosaries were provided to families last year all to fulfill Father Peyton’s vision that the family that prays together stays together. Family Theater Productions continues Fr. Peyton’s legacy through the development and distribution of multi-lingual film, television and radio programming as well as a billboard campaign in the United States. Family Theater also sponsors an international film festival competition for university level students, called Angelus, and an active outreach to young Catholics in Hollywood.
