2023 Fall Family Link

THE POWER OF PRAYER

The Memorare

Remember,O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that any one who fled to thy protection, implored thy help or sought thy intercession,was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence,I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins my Mother; to thee do I come,before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful; O Mother of thy Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy clemency hear and answer me.

Amen.

Holy Cross Family Ministries

Our Mission

Holy Cross Family Ministries is a family of Catholic ministries that inspires, promotes, and fosters the prayer life and spiritual well-being of families throughout the world.

Family Rosary

A wealth a free digital resources to help you pray as a family.

FamilyRosary.org

Family Theater Productions

Serving families with media that entertains, inspires, and educates.

FamilyTheater.org

Catholic Mom

Online community connecting, encouraging, and supporting Catholic women.

CatholicMom.com

Musuem of Family Prayer

Contemporary museum in North Easton, MA, providing a unique, interactive experience of prayer for the family and offers online resources when you can't visit in person MusuemOfFamilyPrayer.org

Father Peyton Prayer Guild

A worldwide prayer group committed to praying for the canonization of Father Patrick Peyton, C S C , a future "Saint for Family Prayer."

FatherPeyton.org

The Peyton Institute for Domestic Church Life

Ongoing contemporary research and development for Church leaders to help Catholic families live out their vocation. PeytonFamilyInstitute.org

"I prayed and repeated the words of my favorite appeal to Mary."

Father Patrick Peyton, C.S.C.

FAMILY LINK

FALL 2023

Page 2 - The Power of Prayer and The Ear of God

By Father Fred Jenga, C.S.C., President

Page 3 - Father Patrick Peyton and Prayer

By Father Rick Gribble, C.S.C., Guest Author

Page 4 - The Power of Prayer

By Brother Bertrand Nee Wayoe, C S C , Guest Author

Page 5 - Saving the World...through Family Prayer

By Father Willy Raymond, C.S.C., Former President of HCFM

and Steering Committee Chair for The Campaign for Family Prayer

Page 6 - The Power of Family Prayer

By Thomas K. Lyman, Director of Family Rosary USA

Page 8 - The Power of Prayer: Lived and Shared

By Father David S. Marcham, Vice Postulator &

Guild

Director

Page 10 - Prayer: The Foundation of the Domestic Church

By Dr Greg Popcak, Guest Author

Page 11 - Around Holy Cross Family Ministries

Page 12 - Benefactor Spotlight

Prayer meeting at the Father Peyton Family Institute in Peru

Front Cover Image: Children in Tanzania receiving Rosaries through our Rosaries for the World program

The Power of Prayer and The Ear of God

By Father Fred Jenga, C.S.C., Ph.D, President

“Whose world, after all, is it? Whose children, are we?”

(Father Patrick Peyton, “The Ear of God”) These words from Venerable Patrick Peyton make it clear that we must first go to God for all our needs, and our Savior tells us that this is done through prayer So often, we look within ourselves, to our scientists, to our leaders, to our law enforcement agencies, forgetting that they too can do as much The contemporary challenges within family life will never be fixed without bringing God into the equation He is the author and sustainer of all life If there is anything out of center or broken, Venerable Patrick Peyton made an important suggestion, “Bring it to Him like a broken toy and He will fix it, because He is our Father and can do anything, and because He wants us to ask Him for whatever we need"

(Peyton, “The Ear of God”)

As I begin my second year as President of Holy Cross Family Ministries, I have seen and learned so much about our Ministries and the work we are doing around the world. I have been to 10 countries and spoken with hundreds of those we serve, those that work for us, and those that support us. We have a diverse family of ministries, from Family Rosary to Family Theater, Catholic Mom, The Peyton Institute for Domestic Church Life, and the Father Peyton Prayer Guild all doing such meaningful and impactful work. Yet, amongst that diversity, there is a common strand that unites us in our work and our mission, and that is prayer. We are indebted to our Founder, Father Peyton, for instilling that deeply into the DNA of our organization.

Father Peyton knew that without God, first and foremost in our lives, we can do nothing, and as Ministries whose primary purpose is to promote family prayer, our mission becomes of critical importance to the survival of our world “If enough families pray, they can save the world” (Petyon, “The Ear of God”) These words reverberate in my heart, and I hope they do in yours as well We need to remind ourselves of this each day as we forge ahead on our mission, and that is why we have made the theme of this issue: The Power of Prayer

This is what we do, and this is who we are, and we felt it was important to speak to this from and around our mission so that you know as our friends and supporters that our mission is very much at the center of our work and that our mission is of the highest importance in this world, especially today.

As you read through this issue, as always you will find a message of hope and optimism, but also a call to prayer. May we never lose sight of that which is most important, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and as Father Peyton did, let us go to Him. “God has been offended too much, but He will help any one of us who asks Him, and if enough of us ask Him, He will help the world”(Peyton, “The Ear of God”).

Father Peyton knew that without God, first and foremost in our lives we can do nothing, and as Ministries whose primary purpose is to promote family prayer, our mission becomes of critical importance to the survival of our world.

Father Fred Jenga, C S C , receives the offertory from a family during Mass

Father Patrick Peyton and Prayer

By Father Rick Gribble, C.S.C., Ph.D

Most American Catholics are familiar with the phrase, “The family that prays together stays together ” This popular dictum was coined by Venerable Patrick Peyton, the well-known Rosary priest Father Peyton dedicated his priestly ministry to assisting families to pray together, a practice which he learned from his earliest days growing up in rural County Mayo Ireland For him, the primary vehicle was the Rosary, but the most important message that he shared with millions of people across the globe was that prayer was what was needed to bring tranquility to a world often embroiled in strife Later in his ministry, he added a second popular dictum, utilizing his original organization, Family Rosary, now Holy Cross Family Ministries: “A world at prayer is a world at peace ” Truly, Father Peyton captured the essence of Saint Paul’s exhortation to “ pray always,” for to do so draws us closer to the Lord And, indeed, in a world that increasingly moves in a more secular direction, and thus away from the teachings of Christ, the need for prayer is that much greater today

Father Peyton understood prayer from his childhood, and it was prayer that was the foundation upon which his priestly life was based It was prayer that brought him to his day of ordination A victim of tuberculosis during his seminary days and thought by doctors to have little chance of survival, he called upon his best friend, Mary, the mother of Jesus, for her intercession. He promised her that if he were healed he would dedicate his life to promotion of prayer. Experiencing a miraculous recovery, he made good on his promise. From his initial radio broadcast in May 1945 until his death in June 1992, Father Peyton never missed an opportunity to promote prayer through many and varied means.

He brought his message of prayer to the electronic media of his age and the world stage. His popular radio program, “Family Theater of the Air,” was broadcast on stations across the country. His numerous television segments continued his message of the need for prayer.

His famous films of the (then) 15 mysteries of the Rosary brought a visual incentive to pray Most famously he crisscrossed the globe with his Family Rosary Crusade Starting in Canada in 1948, and over the next 20 years reaching every continent, Father Peyton’s message of prayer was heard by literally millions of people He understood the need for prayer, not only for him but for all who bear the name Christian Thus, he proclaimed it fearlessly throughout his life The world today desperately needs the message that Father Peyton proclaimed We need to pray as a family, but we even more basically need to pray

The world today desperately needs the message that Father Peyton proclaimed. We need to pray as a family, but we even more basically need to pray.

Our world desperately needs prayer to heal the many wounds that we find, within individuals, families, and certainly within the nations of the world. Hopefully, Father Patrick Peyton’s life and message of the need for prayer will be a catalyst to bring people closer to Christ, by the simple but absolutely profound act of prayer. Father Peyton has shown us the way, and the Lord Jesus is asking us to follow. Let us not disappoint them.

Father Rick Gribble, C S C , taught at Stonehill College in North Easton, Massachusetts for 27 years in the Department of Religious Studies and Theology His specific area of expertise is American Catholic History He is an accomplished author of 40 books, including "American Apostle of the Family Rosary: The Life of Patrick J. Peyton, C.S.C.," and over 450 articles in religious history and spirituality. He is the official biographer of Father Patrick Peyton, C S C

The Power of Prayer

By Brother Bertrand Nee Wayoe, C.S.C., Fourth General Assistant of Holy Cross General Chapter

Have you lived with someone who spends countless hours supposedly at prayer, yet the only time there is peace in the house is when that individual is at prayer? Did the prayer affect any change in the person ’ s behavior?

Genuine prayer must have the capacity to influence or change a person. Anthony de Mello, a Jesuit priest and a clinical psychologist, said, “If prayer does not lead to a change in behavior, then it’s a plague; it’s a disease ” One of the powerful effects of prayer is its ability to help one see the God-image in others and in doing so help one to change his/her attitude and behavior.

A justice of the Supreme Court, in an answer to a question, said, “Regardless of the gravity of the offense of a suspect before me; if I should ever begin to take delight in sentencing somebody that would be the indication that my time at the bench was over. ” The judge obviously concurred with the Scriptures that the image and likeness of God is engraved in the heart of everyone - including the alleged criminal before him in court.

man of deep prayer. Prayer changed his way of thinking, prayer altered his way of feeling; prayer transformed his understanding of others, thus influencing his thoughts and behaviors. There lies the power of prayer, the ability to influence and the capacity to change people.

You and I have been praying for years; in what manner does the outcome of our prayer reflect in our day-to-day living? Does prayer transform our attitudes and behaviors in a positive manner?

How is this judge able to have such clarity of perception and be so understanding and concerned about others? The judge lived several miles away from his local church but would drive daily to attend Mass When Mass was over, he would remain in the chapel alone for a while before leaving. He was a

After attending St John's Secondary School in Sekondi, Brother Bertrand Nee Wayoe, C.S.C., entered the Brothers of Holy Cross, District of West Africa, and professed his First Vows in 1978 and his Final Vows in 1986. He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology and Sociology from St. Edward's University in Austin, Texas, and a Master's Degree in Psychology and Pastoral Counseling from Loyola College in Baltimore, Maryland Brother Nee served as Vocation Director, Director of Novices, and Formation Director Since 2018, Brother Nee has served as the Director of the Institute for Continuing Formation, an international formation center dedicated to the ongoing formation and spiritual renewal for religious, diocesan priests, and laity in Elmina. Brother Nee will make his home in Rome.

One of the powerful effects of prayer is its ability to help one see the God-image in others and in doing so help one to change his/her attitude and behavior.

Saving the World...through Family Prayer

By Father Willy Raymond, C.S.C., Former President of HCFM and Steering Committee Chair for The Campaign for Family Prayer

In 1948, Father Patrick Peyton embarked on a mission to save the world through prayer He knew that this is God’s world, that we are his children, and that alone we can do nothing, but through God, we can do anything Now, 75 years later we continue his campaign for family prayer, but with refreshed eyes and a renewed spirit, thus honoring our past and re-envisioning our future with We Prayed! A Campaign for Family Prayer

“What impressed me was the way he lived and the way he prayed, especially when each evening we all knelt together to say the Rosary ” (Venerable Patrick Peyton, “All for Her”) Father Peyton credits his father with teaching him to pray as a young boy, perhaps at the age of 4 or 5 years old, and through that inspiration impacted and continues to impact millions of lives

There are many things we can learn from this First, we learn once again about the power of prayer, especially the Rosary, but less obvious, and perhaps equally important, is that we learn about the crucial role parents and family play, and even less obvious but most powerful, we learn that it can take hold at the youngest of ages. We often look to our adults to inspire praying of the Rosary, but in fact, it is with our children at the earliest of ages where we should be looking to develop an understanding, passion, and zeal for prayer, beginning with Rosary.

challenge, and our responsibility to continue the work that Father Peyton began and left us to build upon With We Prayed! A Campaign for Family Prayer we can push his vision forward at a time when the world has shifted in so many ways and families desperately need to be reminded of the power of prayer

Family prayer is the central beating heart, soul, and life-giving force that surrounds, embraces and unleashes the power and promise of our children

As our founder Father Peyton has said, “the family is the greatest treasure the earth possesses God is the greatest treasure of heaven The Rosary is the link of steel that has the power to unite them both together for time and eternity ”

A world separated from God cannot survive, but a world united with God can overcome anything. We therefore are embarking on a campaign to dramatically increase family prayer and we hope you will join us.

Help us unite families with God through prayer, especially the Rosary. Together we can change the world. It is the only way because “ a world at prayer is a world at peace. ”

Over the years, Holy Cross Family Ministries has now grown and expanded to 17 countries on 5 continents and has taken on or started new ministries. We are in an even stronger position to educate families around the world about the power of prayer and nurture the practice of family prayer. It is our opportunity, our

Father Willy Raymond C S C , at the grave of Father Peyton's father, John Peyton, in Ireland

“If enough families pray, they can save the world.”

(Venerable Patrick Peyton, The Ear of God)

“What impressed me was the way he lived and the way he prayed, especially when each evening we all knelt together to say the Rosary.”

(Venerable Patrick Peyton, All for Her).

The Power of Family Prayer

By Thomas K. Lyman, Director of Family Rosary USA

In 1942, a young Father Patrick Peyton, C S C , founded Family Rosary with a profound desire to spread devotion to Our Lady, to strengthen families, and to sanctify homes in his adopted land He took to the airwaves to spread this message as far and wide as he could using the most modern means of technology then available We could look at his early success and praise his ingenuity and perseverance, but in fact, the roots of his mission went far deeper and were strong enough to carry him through a lifetime in service to this unique call from God

I would propose that those roots traced back to a moment, one night perhaps when the young Patrick Peyton, then a seminarian, desperately sick with tuberculosis, took a tremendous leap of faith and entrusted his care to God and the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary in a way he had never done before He had never been so sick before, never so deep in the dark night of physical and spiritual suffering His mentor, Father Cornelius Haggerty, C S C , had spent time in conversation with him that moved him to a point of conversion, yes even a conversion within a deeply faithful Catholic life “You have the faith, Pat, but you ’ re not using it You brought it with you from Ireland Your mother gave it to you, just as her mother had given it to her,” he had said *

Here too we see reference to yet deeper roots There are so many ways, explicit and implicit, that parents can impart faith to their children We know from

Father Peyton that praying the Family Rosary had been an extraordinarily powerful way for the Peyton family to live their faith in the home Mr Peyton gathered the family nightly after dinner around the hearth to kneel and pray the Rosary together, a moment of unity, of peace, of entrustment of the day’s needs, and of thanksgiving for the gifts of God It was also a time of learning the language of our faith, so to speak Meditating on the mysteries of the Rosary produced a memory, a familiarity, indeed a facility with important moments in the life of the Lord Jesus and His Blessed Mother Coming to know these mysteries while growing in grace and strength as did Our Lord himself in the holy house at Nazareth gave every member of that family a way to unite their joys and sufferings with those of Jesus Christ and Holy Mary All of this came together to prepare the young Pat Peyton for the moment, grievously ill in a hospital, when he would entrust himself to God with a final confidence, pleading for the intercession of the Blessed Mother with an innocence of belief in what she could do before the throne of her Son and His Heavenly Father He received a miraculous healing in the next days, becoming physically aware of it He pledged to dedicate his life and his priesthood to spreading the Family Rosary Today, Father Fred Jenga, C S C , the President of Holy Cross Family Ministries, has called for a renewal of that “founding innocence of belief in the power of prayer ” within our ministry.

Today, Father Fred Jenga, C.S.C., the President of Holy Cross Family Ministries, has called for a renewal of that “founding innocence of belief in the power of prayer ” within our ministry.

Indeed, that’s what it was: pure and simple belief in the power of prayer. This call for renewal comes at a pivotal moment in our history and culture: a time when we are daily weighed down by statistics citing record low church attendance, loss of religious affiliation of any kind, increases in violence of all kinds, a drug overdose and homelessness crisis,

Thomas K Lyman at the Father Peyton Family Field Day on June 17, 2023, at The Father Peyton Center in North Easton, MA

*Peyton, Patrick, CSC All for Her, 2018 p 78

and polarization and marginalization in every direction Yet, in this dark night, there is a light: Jesus Christ who says, “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12) And we remember when he said, “Behold your mother” (John 19:27), to the beloved disciple, a reminder to all of us today that she is our mother too, a mother who does nothing other than bring us to her Son that He may save us in the darkness wherever He finds us Just like Father Peyton needed God’s help on his sickbed, we too today, pushed often to our limits, must use that faith that we have and let ourselves be guided by Our Lady through our darkness to the hope that awaits

At Family Rosary USA, this is our mission: to give families that simple means of living their faith in their homes, a faith that will carry each member of that household through every chapter of life.

What are some ways that we at Family Rosary USA are helping fulfill this timeless mission today?

We launched an initiative to promote our Pray Together Now Family Prayer Kits, both in Lent 2023 and we will do so again in October The family prayer kits were inspired by the film “PRAY: The Story of Patrick Peyton” in 2020 They contain a set of Rosaries, a family prayer guide, a family prayer journal, and more to help families who wish to begin a habit of family prayer over 35 days

We continue to promote the film “PRAY: The Story of Patrick Peyton” with its power to inspire the viewer and move hearts and minds to realize just how a habit of family prayer can change lives, communities, and even societies.

We have an international Global Digital Mission online, on social media, and through emails sharing blog articles, e-books, podcasts, videos and reels all aimed at facilitating family prayer.

We’re working more closely with the Cause for Venerable Patrick Peyton’s Beatification, encouraging enrollment in the Father Peyton Prayer Guild

We host a variety of events at the Museum of Family Prayer at the Father Peyton Center in North Easton, Massachusetts aimed at supporting family prayer life, developing community, and spreading knowledge and devotion to Venerable Patrick Peyton Among these are our annual October Rosary Festival on the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, our Advent Family Day, our Marriage Vow Renewal Mass, our May Crowning, and Father Peyton Family Field Day.

We launched the Faith Gallery at the Museum of Family Prayer on Saturday, September 9, 2023, showcasing the works of contemporary Catholic artists exploring themes of faith that will help families and all our visitors to contemplate the great mysteries of our faith through beauty in sacred art.

We’re also ramping up promotion of our unique daily Rosary at the Father Peyton Center and on livestream on Facebook and the Shalom World network. Its uniqueness is found in the excellent, brief reflections on each mystery offered by a different priest every weekday.

What do we see ourselves doing in the future?

We hope to develop a Family Rosary Outreach that will offer workshops in family prayer both at The Father Peyton Center as well as in the four nearby dioceses. These workshops could easily be taken nationwide with training offered to others who would like to take part in the mission of Family Rosary at the parish or diocesan level.

We are currently exploring the ways in which we can collaborate with college campus ministries to spread Father Peyton’s message and the power of prayer.

Would you like to be part of the mission of Family Rosary and share the power of prayer?

Reach out to us at 508.238.4095 or learn more at www.familyrosary.org.

The Coronation of the Blessed Virgin Mary event, hosted by Family Rosary on May 13, 2023

The Power of Prayer: Lived and Shared

By Father David S. Marcham, Vice Postulator & Guild Director

Prayer is the source of inspiration and what fuels the Cause and Guild of Venerable Patrick Peyton! Because Father Peyton learned to love and trust in the power of prayer in his family’s life, he embraced it with zeal.

He promoted with firm conviction the necessity of families praying together and, thereby, neighborhoods, cities, states, and countries praying to God for peace. My experience in working on the Cause of Venerable Patrick Peyton has strengthened my belief in the powe of prayer to change lives and bring families closer together in union with God.

Each week we receive prayer requests asking for God’s assistance for health, financial well-being, healing of relationships with family and friends, and, yes, with God. I recently heard from Phyllis, who met Father Peyton in the 1960s while working at Westinghouse Broadcasting and is now asking for Father Peyton’s intercession for her son, Michael, and herself. Another prayer request came from Kenny, whose friend’s mother is very ill. Kenny asked if I could call his friend and talk with her about her mom ’ s journey home to God and to tell her that we are praying, asking for God’s strength and consolation through Father Peyton’s intercession.

Father Peyton’s miraculous healing from tuberculosis when he was a seminarian was the capstone of his already strong belief in the power of prayer.

Another person, Chris, asked for Father Peyton’s intercession for her son, Ryan, who has been diagnosed with a rare condition that the doctors are unable to treat with surety now. She asked for prayers not only for Ryan and his doctors but also for her family to increase their faith to be positive in their outlook and enjoy the gift of each day.

Father Peyton’s miraculous healing from tuberculosis when he was a seminarian was the capstone of his already strong belief in the power of prayer.

When he and his family were challenged by crises of health or financial woes, they gained strength through their nightly family Rosary Each member knew through experience that God heard and answered their prayers; perhaps not always in the way they would have expected, but with God there was always a way through even the most difficult times.

My hope and belief is that if you are reading this reflection, you, too know of the power of prayer.

You and your family have turned to God, Our Blessed Mother, and perhaps have also asked for Venerable Patrick Peyton’s intercession The way for people like ourselves to grow in trust of God and the efficacy of prayer is to offer to pray with and for people, beginning with our loved ones and then extending outward.

There is no substitute for experiencing a dialogue with God, acknowledging Him as Our Father, Jesus, His Son as our Savior, and Mary as Jesus and Our Blessed Mother In the Rosary, we find our profession of faith, the key moments of our salvation in the Mysteries, and a rhythm of prayer that is conducive to opening our hearts and minds to God.

A young Father Peyton in bed after being miraculously healed from tuberculosis through the power of prayer

Father Peyton believed that families would grow closer to each other by coming together with God each day He was also convinced that peace in our homes, neighborhoods, and countries would be possible through prayer Right now, both for our families and homelands, we need to heed Father Peyton’s message on the need for and power of prayer

Please join me in promoting and praying for Father Peyton’s Cause for Sainthood Every prayer makes a difference in spreading the message of this holy and humble priest’s belief in the power of prayer to change lives and bring about peace and love in our homes and the world

Prayer for the Beatification of Father Patrick Peyton, C.S.C.

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

Reverend David S Marcham is the Vice Postulator for the Cause of Venerable Patrick Peyton, and Director of the Father Peyton Guild, whose members pray for Father Peyton’s beatification and spread his message of the importance of Family Prayer. Prior to becoming a seminarian, Father David was a physical therapist and clinical instructor, serving hospital inpatients and outpatients throughout the greater Boston area for eleven years In 1998 he heard the call to priesthood and was ordained in the Archdiocese of Boston in 2005

Prayer intention wall at the Musuem of Family Prayer in North Easton, MA

Prayer: The Foundation of the Domestic Church

By Dr. Greg Popcak, Founder of CatholicHOM.com

On my radio program, More2Life (EWTN/SiriusXM130), I’m fond of telling listeners, “You have a family of Christians, but you can’t have a Christian family unless your family prays together daily.”

Being a Christian family means more than being a family that goes to Church on Sunday. It means making a commitment to living differently than other families live. It means being committed to loving each other, not just with your broken human love, but with the love that comes from the heart of God It means being a family that doesn’t just make plans but is constantly discerning God’s plan for their household It means responding to problems with more charity, patience, and persistence It means being more grateful for each other and the blessings you share. And we can’t do any of these things on our own power.

Having a healthy, happy, holy family life is the least natural thing a human being can attempt. We don’t know how to do it in our own power. How many of us have experienced trying our best to love our spouse and our kids only to realize that our efforts have completely missed the mark? Our spouse is still unsatisfied with us. Our kids are still grumpy. We can kill ourselves to love each other on our own power but it’s never enough And without family prayer, it never will be

I encourage the members of the CatholicHOM community (CatholicHOM.com) to come together as a family every day and pray, in their own words, some version of the following,

“Lord, help us how to love each other with your love today. Teach me how to be the (husband/father, wife/mother, brother/sister) you want me to be. Show us how to take better care of each other and encourage each other to be everything you want us to be.”

Then, the family should take a few minutes to talk about what it would mean to help each other have an easier or more pleasant day. “What’s one small thing each of us can do to help make each other’s day a little better?” We can’t discover how God wants our family to love each other unless we ’ re asking him as a family every day what that means. And then reflecting and talking about how we ’ re going to cooperate with the grace God gives us when we ask for His help.

We can’t discover how God wants our family to love each other unless we ’ re asking him as a family every day what that means.

Second, only to root ourselves in sacramental grace, this commitment to asking God to teach us how to love each other with his love is what makes a family a “domestic church ” That term isn’t just a technical/theological phrase Catholics use to describe family It represents an important call that God places on every family to be an outpost of grace in a hurting world. But we can’t begin to respond to that call unless we come together as a family every day and ask God to tell us what that call is and how he wants us to live it out.

God wants to teach your family how to love each other with his love. Take a little time every day to ask him what that means for you.

Dr Greg Popcak is an author of many books, co-host of More2Life Radio, the founder of CatholicHOM com, and serves as Co-Executive Director of HCFM’s The Peyton Institute for Domestic Church Life with his wife Lisa Popcak

Around Holy Cross Family Ministries

David Goodrich, Archivist

When did you join HCFM? I started here in 1999, our headquarters was still located in Albany, NY.

What is an Archivist? Archivists collect, preserve, and provide access to unique historical materials. An archivist typically has a degree in Library Science or History, sometimes both

What does the Archivist do? I spend a lot of time answering questions for people, within our ministries and others with an interest in Father Peyton’s life and work. Other aspects include cataloging, organizing, and sometimes repairing documents, to name a few

Can you tell us a bit about the Archives? We collect materials in our Archives that chronicle the life of Father Peyton and the ministries that he founded, from before Family Rosary began to current activities.

Why is it important? It is the history of what we have achieved and our link to Father Peyton, the beliefs that he held dear, and the intentions that he had when he founded our ministries.

What do you think the future holds for the Archives and your work? Currently, we are systematically digitizing our cataloged physical records This will enhance access to them while decreasing the physical handling of the documents, helping preserve them

What's one of the most interesting aspects? I find it interesting when students come to do research in our Archives, it reminds me of the global relevance of Father Peyton and his ministries.

What do you enjoy most about the work? What I enjoy most is sharing Father Peyton’s story with people. I love that it’s part of my job but it’s also something that is part of my personal life. Whenever people ask me what I do, I always end up telling them the history of our ministries and about our founder’s inspirational life.

Prayer Among Our Ministries

Family Theater Productions

Family Theater Productions produces media that tells remarkable stories that open hearts to experiences of God and the wonder of family prayer Family Theater Productions is also invested in efforts to reach out to the Hollywood community and holds a monthly Prayer and Pasta event for those in the film industry. The event includes a time for prayer, fellowship, and a noteworthy speaker or the presentation of a film. Recently Family Theater Productions welcomed Spanish-born priest, author, and Catholic social media thought leader, Father Goyo Hidalgo

Catholic Mom

Catholic Mom provides prayer opportunities in many ways. We offer an abundance of prayer resources for our subscribers including daily Gospel reflections, Sunday Gospel activities, Catholic Momcast podcast, and articles going out daily to help raise children in the faith Our dedicated Catholic Mom team of staff and writers are also setting time aside regularly to pray for one another and the families they serve

Global Ministry Centers

Father Peyton’s vision continues to inspire and guide our global mission, and it has led us to establish 27 offices in 17 countries, serving countless families From praying with the sick in Peruvian hospitals, hosting youth Rosary events in East Africa, to praying with families during counseling sessions in India, we are making a significant impact through our dedicated efforts.

David Goodrich, Archivist, working in the archives at The Father Peyton Center in North Easton, MA

Benefactor Spotlight

Patrick and Angela Adams' friendship and support of Holy Cross Family Ministries (HCFM) has been foundational in the advancement of Father Peyton’s mission of the spiritual renewal of families. Pat, who has generously supported HCFM for over 70 years, gave his first gift after listening to Father Peyton on the radio with his mother as a child

Pat and Angela’s support in the 1990s to the Rosaries for the World program directly put over 1,000,000 Rosaries and prayer books into the hands of those seeking to pray. His generosity reached those in developing countries, many who could otherwise never afford a Rosary or prayer book. In the late 1990s, Pat’s leadership and generous support helped to build The Father Peyton Center in North Easton, MA. With his generosity, HCFM relocated the global headquarters from Albany, NY to Easton in 2000 during a critical period of growth, when the ministry needed additional administrative workspace and a gathering place for family prayer retreats and programs

In 2002, Pat deepened his commitment to the mission by investing his time by joining the Board of Directors as an influential strategic advisor for HCFM, helping direct mission activities around the world through impactful family prayer programs with good stewardship of ministry resources.

Today, Pat and Angela’s support of Father Peyton’s mission is being carried on through his children at The Adams Family Foundation, with daughter, Nannette Hendel as Director of Philanthropy. The Foundation’s steadfast support of the Museum of Family Prayer has helped us expand our reach to many more families by live streaming our daily Rosary and Mass, hosting Liturgical Family Day Events, and cultivating the next generation in faith with a Catholic School Retreat program.

Few have had a lasting impact on HCFM like Pat Adams whose decades-long embrace of the mission is seeding promise for generations to come through the leadership of his family with The Adams Family Foundation HCFM is immensely grateful for Pat, Angela, and The Adams Family Foundation whose steadfast friendship and support are allowing the spiritual renewal of families today and into the future

A devout Catholic, Clarence Gilyard served as a board member of HCFM from 2004 until his death. Gilyard costarred with Chuck Norris in “Walker, Texas Ranger” and Andy Griffith in “Matlock ” He appeared in nearly 40 TV series and films during his career In recent years, Gilyard taught stage and screen acting at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, where he was a professor

Anne Nelson, a longtime board member and supporter of HCFM was also very involved in the Catholic Daughters of the Americas, having joined the Junior Catholic Daughters as a teenager. Anne was an active member of CDA Ct Mother Seton at St Philip Neri, moving on to also support the Maryland State Court as an Officer and Regent and eventually serving in the role of National Regent

Clarence Gilyard Jr. (1955-2022)

LEFT: Patrick and Angela Adams with former HCFM President, Father Willy Raymond, C S C

RIGHT: Nannette Hendel, Father Fred Jenga, C S C , and Nannette’s friend, Martine Ozycz

Anne B. Nelson (1946-2023)

From Our Chaplain

The Congregation of Holy Cross celebrates their Patroness with the Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows on September 15. Mary, Our Lady, endured unimaginable trials with unwavering faith and grace Mary, Our Lady of Sorrows, endured unimaginable trials with unwavering faith and grace. Even in the greatest of her sorrows, Mary never lost faith in God, she remained steadfast in her faith and prayer, and through her prayers, she helped bring about the world's redemption. The power of prayer is a mystery but a mystery that we can experience for ourselves. When we pray, we are entering into a dialogue with God. We are opening our hearts to Him and asking for His help.

Prayer Requests from Families Around the World

Let us pray for you and your loved ones Send us your prayer requests to development@hcfm org or by mail to:

And when we pray with faith, God always hears us and answers our prayers in His own way Here at The Father Peyton Center, we believe in the power of prayer In our daily celebration of the Holy Eucharist, we unite with Christ's sacrifice, experiencing the transformative power of His presence

The Rosary allows us to meditate on the life of Jesus and Mary, fostering a deep connection with them In our weekly Holy Hour for families, we create a sacred space to seek solace, guidance, and renewal amid life's challenges Through these practices here, I am humbled to witness the remarkable impact of prayer in my life and the lives of others Prayer is our lifeline to the Divine, a source of comfort, clarity, and courage

If you are looking to experience the power of prayer, I encourage you to join us at one of our prayer services You will be glad you did

Families praying in a Rosary procession at The Father Peyton Center in North Easton, MA

Holy Cross Family Ministries

518 Washington Street North Easton, MA 02356

Join Us In Prayer

Rosary at 11:30AM EST (Monday-Friday) Mass at 12:00PM EST (Monday-Friday)

Adoration at 3:00PM EST (Friday)

You may join us via Livestream or watch a recording at www Facebook com/FamilyRosary

Family eLink

Subscribe to the Family eLink Newsletter by using this link www.hcfm.org/subscribe or use the QR code.

Prayer for Families

Provident God,

We ask You to bless every family with material, communal, and spiritual gifts that are needed to dwell together in a communion of love that manifests the dignity that You desire for all Your sons and daughters Bless every family with a generous and hospitable spirit toward the poor and afflicted so that all people will come to believe in Your desire to gather all into the family of the redeemed.

Bless families with an abundance of Your gifts in this life and with the fullness of eternal life in your kingdom. Grant this through Christ Our Lord. Amen.

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Father Boby John, C.S.C., Chaplain at The Father Peyton Center.

518 Washington St , North Easton, MA 02356

The Future of Family Prayer

Venerable Patrick Peyton’s mission lives on and flourishes today because of friends like you

Together our efforts have healed broken marriages, brought hope to the sick, strengthened family bonds, and helped many rediscover their faith in confronting life's challenges throughout our 27 Ministry Centers in 17 countries.

The Family Link magazine is published by Holy Cross Family Ministries for friends and donors of our ministry

Thank you for being a part of our family

Our Mission

A family of Catholic ministries that inspires, promotes, and fosters the prayer life and spiritual well-being of families throughout the world

Our Vision

Holy Cross Family Ministries strives to be a respected and reliable catalyst for inspiration, support, and dynamic content on family life through a focus on spirituality and prayer, especially the Rosary.

Ways to Give ONLINE

Please visit HCFM org

BY MAIL

Please use the enclosed envelope and make your check payable to “Holy Cross Family Ministries ”

BY PHONE

Please call 508 238 4095

Young girl prays the Rosary with her family at the Father Peyton Family Field Day on June 17, 2023, at The Father Peyton Center in North Easton, MA