As the 100th anniversary of the birth of the late Father Patrick Peyton nears, Holy Cross Family Ministries in Easton, Mass., is conducting a year-long celebration of the anniversary with the theme “Honor his memory. Continue his mission,” and urging families to remember his cause for beatification.
Holy Cross Family Ministries is asking families to pray the rosary in their homes during a special novena January 1 to 9, 2009. Families and individuals can sign up on Holy Cross Family Ministries’ Web site – www.hcfm.org – to pray this novena and also to list their intentions and to pray for other intentions that have been posted by individuals on the site.
Father Peyton’s cause for canonization is being considered in the Archdiocese of Baltimore – which has the experience and resources of investigating such cases, according to archdiocesan spokesman Sean Caine.
The “Rosary priest,” Father Peyton was born on Jan. 9, 1909. He emigrated from Ireland to the United States in 1928 when he was 19. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1941 and founded Family Rosary in Albany, N.Y., the following year. He conducted rosary crusades in 40 countries, drawing 28 million people.
Catholic News Service contributed to this article.