Peyton Prayer Guild

This past November, Father Fred Jenga, C.S.C., president of Holy Cross Family Ministries, and I were invited to speak at a Rosary Rally in the Diocese of Scranton, Pennsylvania, USA. The occasion was to mark the 75th anniversary of Father Peyton leading a Rosary Crusade and Rally to promote family Rosary prayer in the Diocese of Scranton, Pennsylvania, USA. We were accompanied by members of the Holy Cross Family Ministries team and Father Willy Raymond, C.S.C., president emeritus. The setting was the beautiful Cathedral of Saint Peter, which evoked a hope-filled spirit that Bishop Joseph C. Bambera noted in his opening remarks. Bishop Bambera said that he was moved to see so many people coming together to remember and to continue the work and message of Father Peyton, who said, “The Family That Prays Together Stays Together” and “A World At Prayer Is A World At Peace,” even when they could be doing many other things on a beautiful sunny day. The brightness of the cathedral, both in its colors and natural light, was enhanced by the faith and hope evidenced by the many in attendance, through their piety and presence, which expressed confidence that God and our Blessed Mother hear their prayers. As I spoke, I reflected on the significance of us marking a key moment in the spiritual life of the Diocese of Scranton and the surrounding dioceses in Pennsylvania that occurred 75 years ago, led by Father Peyton, who as a young man not only attended Mass in the Cathedral of Saint Peter, but also cleaned its floors, shoveled coal into the massive furnace, and painted its walls. It was moving to recall that a young Patrick Peyton rekindled his vocational call to the priesthood in this sacred place where we had come to remember, to give thanks to God, and to pray for our families and friends. 

There are several spiritual lessons we can learn from this Rosary Rally. The first is the importance of family in teaching the faith and living it, including gathering to pray for one another; that was the foundation of young Patrick Peyton’s family and faith life. The second is the power of God’s grace to work in unexpected moments, especially when we stay close to Him. And the third is how praying the Rosary with and for our families still resonates with the spiritual and relational needs of our time. As we journey through this Jubilee Year as Pilgrims of Hope, may we find a unity with our brothers and sisters in Christ throughout the world—as Father Peyton did through his Rosary Crusades and Rallies to promote family Rosary prayer. To this end, I would like to invite you and your families to join me and the members of the Father Peyton Prayer Guild in praying for Venerable Patrick Peyton’s Cause for Beatification and Canonization so that more and more families will hear and embrace his message to pray the Rosary together each day for God’s grace so as to grow closer to one another and to our Lord. *To watch the Scranton Rosary Rally online, including the reflections by Father Fred Jenga, C.S.C., and myself, please use this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eylbKzMydYA