A Message from the President

“Prayer Beyond Borders: Bringing Hope to a Troubled World”

Dear Friends in Christ,

Reflecting on the urgent need for peace today, the Holy Father Pope Leo explained, “Peace is

built in the heart and from the heart.” Indeed, in a world marked by conflict, violence, and

division, we are in desperate need of a deep and abiding peace, one that begins in our hearts and

erupts into the world. The key to this peace – and the key to hope in our troubled world – is

prayer.

The Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard famously observed that “Prayer does not change

God, but it changes the one who prays.” In lifting our hearts to the Lord in prayer, we bring them

into the presence of the Divine Physician, the One who has power to heal our woundedness, our

pettiness, our resentment, and our selfishness. In prayer, the Lord gazes upon us, offering us the

reassurance that we are fully known and unconditionally loved all the same. It is this love that

establishes the peace that Pope Leo said is rooted “in the heart and from the heart.”

When our hearts are transformed by the love of God, we desire to reach out to others – even

those we consider our enemies. It is then that our prayers go beyond borders, knocking down the

walls that divide us and building bridges in their place. For those of us in Holy Cross, “our

mission sends us across borders of every sort” (Constitution 2:17). As people of prayer, we too

are called to cross borders of every sort, interceding for our neighbors and sowing spiritual seeds

of goodwill.

In this edition of the World at Prayer Newsletter, we see the power that prayer has to cross

borders and build bridges, bringing hope to our families and our world in the process. I pray that

these stories will encourage you and your families to join together in praying for peace. As

Venerable Patrick Peyton reminds us: “The world hasn’t got a prayer without yours.”

In Christ,

Rev. Fred Jenga, C.S.C. Ph.D.

A Message from the International Director 

“Prayer Beyond Borders: Bringing Hope to a Troubled World”

Dear Friends in Christ,

As we begin 2026, I want to reflect on the power of prayer that unites our global HCFM family and brings hope to a troubled world.

From Ghana to the Philippines, India to Chile, Uganda to the United States—our 29 ministry centers are united by prayer that transcends boundaries.

When we gather families to pray the Rosary, we remember Mary's faithful prayer. When we teach children to pray, we plant seeds of hope for the future. When we bring divided communities together—across cultural, economic, and political lines—we become instruments of peace.

When we serve hungry children, support struggling families, comfort the lonely, welcome immigrants, and defend families under siege, we see Christ in those who need us most. "Whatever you did for the least of these, you did for me" (Matthew 25:40).

When we build bridges across divides—in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and North America—we become peacemakers.

Our founder, Venerable Patrick Peyton, understood this deeply. He brought prayer to millions, crossing borders and bringing hope to troubled corners of the world. His vision continues through each of you.

Prayer is not just something we receive—it's something given through us. Through our hands teaching children to pray. Through our voices proclaiming hope. Through our actions serving families in need.

In a world marked by division and uncertainty, we offer something the world cannot give: peace through prayer, hope through Christ, love from God's own heart.

As we enter this new year, let us recommit ourselves to prayer beyond borders. May our ministry bring hope to every troubled corner of the world. May we continue to be bearers of light in the darkness.

With love, hope, and blessings for 2026,

Rev. Pinto Paul, C.S.C., Ph.D.