A WORLD AT PRAYER NEWS
A WORLD AT PRAYER NEWS
Connecting HCFM to the Global Holy Cross Family
Connecting HCFM to the Global Holy Cross Family
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Rev. Fred Jenga, C.S.C., Ph.D. President, Holy Cross Family Ministries
A Message from the President
A Message from the President
“Christ at the Center of Family Life: Building a Home Rooted in Prayer, Love, and Unity”
Dear Friends in Christ,
Greetings in the Risen Lord! I pray that this Easter season has been a time of true encounter with God and His abundant grace. Eastertide is a special time to reflect on the reality that Christ has been raised, that he stands in our midst as the Risen One and offers us his resurrection greeting: “Peace be with you.” The Lord extends this message to our families as much as he does to each one of us.
Jesus had a special heart for families. He loved his Mother and St. Joseph with the tenderness of a devoted son; he fellowshipped with Mary, Martha, and Lazarus; he knew the families of his disciples; he raised the widow’s son at Nain, and restored the life of Jairus’ daughter. Jesus loved little ones, and he promised that wherever two or three are gathered in his name, he stands in their midst. Christ desires to be at the center of our family life, and he eagerly awaits to be enthroned in the hearts and homes of our families.
How can we invite the Lord to become the center of our families? We can start with prayer and small acts of love toward each other. With every prayer we utter together, with every act of kindness or forgiveness, we add a jewel to the throne of Jesus in our homes. Prayer fosters love, and love fosters unity. As the ancient hymn says, “Where charity and love are, God is there. The love of Christ has gathered us into one.”
In this edition of the World at Prayer Newsletter, we see the great power Christ has to unite our families in prayer and in love. I pray that these stories will show you that true unity is possible where Christ is at the center: we need only to pray and to love.
In Christ,
Rev. Fred Jenga, C.S.C. Ph.D.
A Message from the International Director
A Message from the International Director
"Keeping Christ at the Center of Our Homes"
Dear HCFM Family,
Grace and peace to you all.
At HCFM, we are all about families.
This month's theme - "Christ at the Center of Family Life: Building a Home Rooted in Prayer, Love, and Unity" - calls us back to a foundational truth: the family is the domestic church, the first place where life begins, faith is planted, hope is nourished, and love never ends. It is where the Gospel is lived and where the next generation encounters the heart of God.
In a world pulling us in countless directions, centering our homes on Christ is a deliberate, daily choice. It is expressed in how we pray together, how we love sacrificially, and how we choose His peace over conflict. These are not grand gestures - they are the quiet, faithful acts that transform a household into a sanctuary.
As our global HCFM family grows, may our homes shine as beacons of His light.
"The family that prays together stays together."
Blessings,
Rev. Pinto Paul, C.S.C., Ph.D.
Rev. Pinto Paul, C.S.C., Ph.D.International Director, Holy Cross Family Ministries
SPOTLIGHT!
SPOTLIGHT!
Christ at the Center of Family Life: Building a Home Rooted in Prayer, Love, and Unity
Christ at the Center of Family Life: Building a Home Rooted in Prayer, Love, and Unity
President Emeritus, Father Willy Raymond, C.S.C.
Remembering Our Beloved President Emeritus, Father Willy Raymond, C.S.C., with Gratitude and Prayer
Remembering Our Beloved President Emeritus, Father Willy Raymond, C.S.C., with Gratitude and Prayer
In recognition of his vision and leadership, we remember Fr. Willy Raymond, whose foresight—together with Fr. Pinto—helped shape our global identity as one mission under the HCFM logo, a legacy that continues to unite our ministry worldwide.
His life and ministry continue to inspire us, as reflected in his quotes that echo his deep conviction in the power of prayer and family life:
“To consecrate the bread and wine with the Holy Spirit is a privilege.
The Rosary is powerful because it draws us into the mercy and love of Jesus Christ.
Pray a decade each night.
Have an appointment with God.
Strong families are not built in a day—they are built one prayer at a time.”
Rest in peace, beloved Father Willy.
A Call to Peace from Pope Leo XIV
A Call to Peace from Pope Leo XIV
In his Easter Urbi et Orbi message, Pope Leo XIV issued a powerful appeal to the world:
“Let those who have weapons lay them down!”
He emphasized that true peace cannot be “imposed by force,” but must come through dialogue—“not with the desire to dominate others, but to encounter them.”
In this call, Pope Leo XIV points the world toward a deeper path—one rooted in Christ, the source of true peace and reconciliation. His message invites all believers to renew their faith and to witness peace in daily life.
In response, we are encouraged to invite families to turn to prayer, especially the Rosary—contemplating the life of Christ and asking for the grace to become instruments of peace in our world.
HIGHLIGHT!
HIGHLIGHT!
Youth Eucharistic Retreat in Naggalama, Uganda
Youth Eucharistic Retreat in Naggalama, Uganda
A vibrant gathering of over 2,800 students in faith and hope.
Ministry Highlight: Retreat at St. Joseph’s Senior Secondary School, Naggalama, Uganda
Ministry Highlight: Retreat at St. Joseph’s Senior Secondary School, Naggalama, Uganda
St. Joseph’s Senior Secondary School, Naggalama (Lugazi Diocese), hosted a three-day End of Term II retreat from 17th–20th August 2025 under the theme: “The Eucharist: Food for Martyrs and Pilgrims of Hope” (John 6:57–58).
The retreat brought together over 2,800 students, creating a vibrant and prayerful environment centered on faith, reflection, and renewal.
During the retreat, Fr. Dennis Lule Kaddu, C.S.C., reminded students that Jesus Christ is our only hope and is truly present in the Eucharist. He encouraged them to make good use of their time with the Lord by surrendering their worries, struggles, and challenges into His loving hands.
Participants engaged in a series of faith-enriching sessions aligned with the theme, including:
Intimacy with Jesus
Youth and prayer
The importance of family prayer
The identity and meaning of the Eucharist
The program also included a variety of spiritual activities such as the Rosary, Eucharistic Adoration, Holy Mass, teachings, and apologetics, fostering a deeper encounter with Christ.
Key objectives of the retreat were to:
Promote Marian spirituality through the Rosary
Deepen devotion to the Eucharist through Mass and Adoration
Form young people as confident defenders of the Catholic faith
Encourage holistic, faith-based growth among youth
"Peace Be With You"
"Peace Be With You"
Holy Cross Family Ministries Around the World
Holy Cross Family Ministries Around the World
Africa
Africa
Asia
Asia
Europe
Europe
North America
North America
South America
South America
CATHOLIC MOM
CATHOLIC MOM
Helping Families Put Christ at the Center: Resources from Catholic Mom
Helping Families Put Christ at the Center: Resources from Catholic Mom
CatholicMom.com is all about helping parents find ways to put Christ at the center of family life! Recently, Catholic Mom expanded the Sunday Gospel Activities to include a new weekly resource for families! Among existing free downloads offered each week is our new Family Activities Page, available in both English and Spanish. Designed to help families apply the lessons from the Sunday Mass readings to their lives, these activities include a brief review of the Sunday Gospel (including helpful background information) and several topics for discussion, prayer, and action.
Sunday Gospel Activities includes a Sunday Gospel Coloring Page with original art for kids to explore based on that week's Gospel, Mass worksheets for ages 7 and up, puzzles, and coloring pages for feast days of popular saints. These activities are great for families and parishes to use in religious education programs as well as Catholic school classrooms. You can find all these free resources at CatholicMom.com/Sunday-Mass-Activities. You will also find beautiful Rosary resources for families on this page that include a printout for younger kids to color each bead of the Rosary as your family prays it together, and coloring pages for each Mystery of the Rosary.
Click on the image to explore the content.
Click on the image to explore the content.
ARCHIVES
ARCHIVES
Formed in Prayer: Father Peyton’s Family Story
Formed in Prayer: Father Peyton’s Family Story
In 1968 Father Patrick Peyton, C.S.C. spoke about growing up in a Family Rosary home and the way it affected the direction of his life. Here is an excerpt:
“My father one day took my mother to the altar to let the heavens and the earth hear him say to her what every husband says to his wife on his wedding day, ‘I will love you until death. I will be faithful to you until death. I will fulfill all that is written in between the lines of the contract.’ He then brought her home to a home of prayer, to a home of God, to a home of peace.
The Peyton Family, circa 1921
FAMILY THEATER PRODUCTIONS
FAMILY THEATER PRODUCTIONS
Centering Christ and Mary in the Rosary
Centering Christ and Mary in the Rosary
Chicago “shock jock” Kevin Matthews had it all: fame, fans, and freedom. He cut it up on the airwaves in the Windy City, creating comedy characters, pulling pranks, and putting on wild events.
But as time moved on, and the industry changed, his career began to wither away. At the same time, his health took a turn for the worse. At a low point, he discovered a broken statue of the Virgin Mary. It captured his imagination and fired up his long-dormant Catholic faith.
Recently, Matthews visited the Vatican with Broken Mary and met with Chicago-born Pope Leo XIV, who approved the statue as Our Lady of the Broken.
FTP’s film Broken Mary: The Kevin Matthews Story follows Matthews’ transformation from celebrity to disciple, as he put Christ, Mary – and the power of the Rosary – at the center of his life … and found peace.
In a behind-the-scenes shot from BROKEN MARY: THE KEVIN MATTHEWS STORY, Matthews (right) sits in a church praying the Rosary with a longtime friend.
The original Broken Mary statue, approved by the Vatican as the symbol of Our Lady of the Brokwn, is shown with a Rosary looped around it.
The film poster for BROKEN MARY: THE KEVIN MATTHEWS STORY shows Matthews pulling the Broken Mary statuette and holding a Rosary, with the skyline of Chicago in the background.
PEYTON INSTITUTE, USA
PEYTON INSTITUTE, USA
Witnessing the Mission: Visit to India
Witnessing the Mission: Visit to India
This past January, Dr. Lisa Gulino, Director of the Peyton Institute for Domestic Church Life, and Fr. Charlie McCoy, C.S.C., Vice President of Holy Cross Family Ministries, traveled to India to experience firsthand the mission work of HCFM.
During their visit to Northeast India, they met with bishops, parishioners, and students across various schools in Meghalaya and Tripura, and also engaged with faculty at Holy Cross College in Agartala. Their itinerary further included participation in a Family Ministers Orientation Program, the Peyton Institute for Families Board Meeting, and a Rosary group gathering in Bangalore—providing a comprehensive view of the ministry’s impact across diverse regions.
Fr. Charlie, Lisa, and Fr. Pinto with the boarding students of Holy Cross School Tuikarmaw.
The following photos offer glimpses of their journey and encounters across the mission field in India, among local leaders and families in the region.
Holy Cross Family Ministries Orientation Seminar at the Holy Cross Family Institute, Bangalore, India (January 15–16, 2026)
Join us in praying for the speedy beatification and canonization of Venerable Patrick Peyton.
Join us in praying for the speedy beatification and canonization of Venerable Patrick Peyton.
VENERABLE PATRICK PEYTON- Founder, Holy Cross Family Ministries.
VENERABLE PATRICK PEYTON- Founder, Holy Cross Family Ministries.
Dear Jesus,
Father Peyton devoted his priestly life to strengthening the families of the world by calling them to pray together every day, especially the Rosary. His message is as important for us now as it was during his life on earth.
We beg you, therefore, to hasten the day of his beatification, so that Your faithful people everywhere will remember his message that The Family That Prays Together Stays Together, will imitate him in his devotion to Your Mother and ours, and will be inspired by His holy life to draw ever closer to You with childlike confidence and love. Amen.
Words of Wisdom
Words of Wisdom
“The Rosary brings Christ into the heart of the home, where love grows and faith is lived each day.”
Venerable Patrick Peyton
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