Venerable Father Patrick Peyton - The Rosary Priest and his Family Rosary Crusade
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| Venerable Patrick Peyton |
"The Family that Prays together, stays together." these words were very familiar to every Filipino household whenever a Family Rosary Crusade episode will be aired on major television programs from the 1990's up to the early 2000's or that commercial where the face of the Virgin of Medjugorje would show up in television commercials calling the viewers to pray the rosary as a family. As we enter the month of October - the month dedicated to the Most Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, let us now look on the man behind this famous slogan: Venerable Fr. Patrick Peyton.
In his life, Fr. Peyton dedicated his whole life spreading the devotion to the Holy Rosary, especially family rosary through different mediums from film, television, radio broadcast and holding rosary rallies across the globe. Despite some controversies that he faced, he never let it get to his mission and remained focused to his mission that earned him the respect of the Catholic world to this Rosary priest.
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| Fr. Peyton arriving in America with his brother |
Patrick Joseph Peyton was born on January 9, 1909 in Attymass, Ireland to subsistence-farmers John and Mary Gillard Peyton. Peyton was the sixth in a deeply religious family of four girls and five boys living in a small cottage at a 14-acre stony farmland near the foot of the Ox Mountains. Patrick was sent to his mother's relatives in Bonniconlon to study at a school run by Tadhg O’Leary in Bofield. As a young man, Peyton was rebellious and had moments of defying authority, resulting in dropping out of school. Despite the youthful rebellion, he remained close to his family, and deeply religious.
By his teen years, he was contemplating a vocation to become a priest yet this was hampered because he was helping his family earn a living when their father became too ill to work the farm. Some of his elder sisters were already in America and were sending remittances to help the family left in Ireland. In 1927, his sisters sent word that Patrick and his older brother Thomas could sail to the United States and join them in Scranton, Pennsylvania. On May 13, 1928, the Peyton brothers set sail.
Life in America and heeding the call
The brothers arrived in New York on May 23, 1928 and lived at the home of their married sister Beatrice, who was working as a housekeeper. Peyton's sister Nellie had already spoken to Monsignor Paul Kelly of Saint Peter's Cathedral and mentioned Patrick's interest pursuing a priestly vocation. Monsignor Kelly told Nellie to bring her younger brother Patrick to the cathedral as soon as he arrived. By June 1928, with hard luck in finding a job, Peyton finally met Monsignor Kelly and was offered a job of becoming the cathedral's janitor.
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| Orination of Fr. Fr. Peyton in 1941 |
After completing their high school studies at the Holy Cross School in Notre Dame, Indiana, he was admitted to the Moreau Seminary within the University of Notre Dame in 1932, where he pursued Bachelor of Arts degree. Peyton excelled in Philosophy. As a young seminarian, Peyton was attracted to become a Holy Cross Father for the order's focus towards the Holy Family and its precision towards obedience and conscience.
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| Fr. Peyton in the infirmary with his family |
Things are going well for Patrick, until October 1938, during his second year of theology, he was diagnosed with tuberculosis. He was transferred back to Notre Dame to the Infirmary. Father Cornelius Hagerty was influential in this stage of Peyton's life, encouraging the young seminarian to seek the help of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Patrick took the priest's instruction by heart. Patrick prayed the rosary unceasingly daily and miraculously, the doctors discovered that the patches in his lungs disappeared. It was this miracle that he vowed to spread the devotion to Holy Rosary by all means and this will be his lifetime mission.
He immediately packed his bags and left for Washington, D.C. to complete his theology studies and take his final vows. On June 15, 1941 Peyton and his brother Thomas were ordained at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart at the University of Notre Dame as members of the Congregation of Holy Cross
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| Venerable F.r Peyton in the studio for a Family Theater production |
Upon entering the congregation, he was given very light duties following the completion of his theological studies. His first assignment was in Albany, New York as the chaplain of the Holy Cross Brothers of the Vincentian Institute. Fr. Peyton started writing letters to Bishops, Catholic laity, and other groups promoting the importance of families praying the Rosary as the war raged on.
Utilizing radio, films, outdoor advertising and later television, with the help of celebrities, artists and advertising practitioners, Fr. Peyton was one of the first pioneers of evangelism using mass media with his "Family Theater". Criticism arose when some critics accused Fr. Peyton of living an ostentatious lifestyle, living a life with Hollywood artists who volunteered their efforts in helping promote his mission. But Fr. Peyton maintained that he never solicited funds for his ministry, and the well-off were more than generous to voluntarily donate a portion of their wealth all in the name of the Blessed Mother.
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| Ven. Fr. Peyton's Rosary rally in Brazil |
Fr. Peyton would also pioneer in conducting public rallies to bring families to pledge to pray the Rosary as a unit. In 1948, after a providential meeting with priests in Canada, Father Peyton was invited by Bishop John T. Kidd of London, Ontario in Canada to hold a rally about family prayer and it was a resounding success. This was the first of 260 rallies worldwide led by Fr. Peyton.
These Rosary rallies attended by millions would become the most significant event where Fr. Peyton could be best remembered. These Rosary Crusades were duplicated in different dioceses with attendees growing in numbers across the globe from Belgium, Spain, the Philippines, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Brazil among others. With the help of a non-Catholic advertising practitioner, Fr. Peyton would popularize the iconic slogans "The family that prays together stays together." and "The world at prayer is a world at peace".
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| Venerable Fr. Peyton's Rosary rally held in Manila in 1959 |
Fr. Peyton has this special love for the Philippines, given that our country is known as the nation in love with the Blessed Mother, "Pueblo Amante de Maria". Fr. Peyton's Family Rosary Crusade was established in the country in 1951. He later visited in the Philippines in 1959 to held one of his rosary rallies in Quirino Grandstand in Luneta, Manila. On December 8, 1992 returned to Manila to held the Golden Jubilee Celebration of the Family Rosary Crusadeat the Rizal Park in Manila, Philippines. The late Manila Archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin led the celebrations. Then the Archbishop of Los Angeles, Roger Cardinal Mahony was sent as Papal Legate on behalf of Pope John Paul II (now a canonized saint). Among Filipino Catholics, Fr. Peyton is remembered for his Sunday televised shows, where he promoted the Rosary and Marian devotion along with his famous slogan. Fr. Peyton also encouraged many businesses to start making and selling large amounts of Rosaries for distribution, which he gave freely to impoverished Filipinos living in the slums.
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| Venerable Father Patrick Peyton |
In spite of Father Peyton's passion and the extraordinary energy which he expended in traveling, speaking, organizing and planning for the growth and expansion of his ministry in the 1990's, his health began to fail.
His heart grew weaker and he was hospitalized three times for congestive heart failure. He went to live with the Little Sisters of the Poor in San Pedro, California where he spent his days in adoration, offering Mass and praying the Rosary. Fr. Peyton died peacefully on June 3, 1992, holding a rosary, in a small room at the Little Sisters of the Poor in San Pedro, California.His final words sums up the fulfillment of his tireless mission where he offered it all to "Mary, my Queen, my Mother." His remains were brought to the Holy Cross Cemetery on the grounds of Stonehill College in Easton, Massachusetts.
Fr. Peyton's work continues live up to his legacy up to this day, with his Ministries, the Family Rosary Crusade, Family Theater and Family Rosary International, and in the Father Patrick Peyton Family Institute.
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| Venerable Father Patrick Peyton |
While he lived, Fr. Peyton’s prayers and healing touch assisted many in their needs, since his death, many reports of favors received through his intercession have been noted. Some report physical cures, others tell of spiritual favors received, of special mention are reports of alienated Catholics returning to the sacraments and of families finding hope and courage in suffering. Many commented on how quickly their prayers were answered.
Cardinal Sean Patrick O’Malley announced a formal opening the cause for sainthood of Father Peyton on June 1, 2001, a few days after receiving approval from the Vatican's Congregation for the Causes of the Saints. The declaration paved the way for the process of determining Fr. Peyton's holiness and in the process earning the revered title of "Servant of God".
The Positio was sent to the Congregation of the Causes of Saints in 2015 for assessment and theologians approved his cause on June 1, 2017. Pope Francis decalred him as Venerable on December 18, 2017, a closer steps towards beatification and canonization.
Fr. Peyton's Legacy
Today the “Family Rosary” organization created and nurtured by Ven. Peyton and his many supporters remains committed to sharing the Rosary priest’s legacy around the world. At present, It seems that now more than ever, we need to imbibe the spirit of Venerable Fr. Patrick Peyton on bringing families closer with the help of the daily family rosary.
Our Lady once said that the rosary is a great weapon against the evils in this world. At present, the family is now under attack with false ideologies offered by the modern world that literally destroys the family. We must ask for the guidance and help from this "Rosary Priest" as we celebrate the month of the Holy Rosary to combat the modern evil the poison the family. As what his famous slogan would say and much more important than ever: "The family that prays together, stays together" and "The world at prayer is a world at peace."
References:
Peyton, CSC, Patrick, "All For Her: An Autobiography of Father Patrick Peyton, CSC", Family Theater Publications, Hollywood California, 1996.
Matilla, Dexter R., "‘Rosary priest’ to be honored with sculpture", Philippines Daily Inquirer, 2009.
Bourke, Toni, "Fr Peyton remembered at 100th anniversary celebrations", Mayo Advertiser, 2009.
Reuter, James, Jota, Genie, Bernardo, Dean, "Fifty Golden Years of the Family Rosary Crusade in the Philippines (1951-2001)", Family Rosary Crusade Foundation, Inc., 2001.
Special thanks to the owners of the photographs that were utilized in this blogpost.
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