A Saint Among Us

On June 3, 1992, Father Patrick Peyton, known to many as the Rosary Priest, died at the age of 83, in San Pedro, California. He was buried here in the Fall River Diocese, in the cemetery of the Congregation of Holy Cross (North Easton). It is a unique blessing for a diocese to have someone recognized for exemplary faith and considered for Sainthood, especially someone like Fr. Peyton—second to only Pope Saint John Paul II for having addressed more people live to share the Catholic Faith.
In June 2017, during Holy Cross Family Ministries’ Annual Anniversary Mass at the Father Peyton Center, I was able to share the news that the Theological Congress for the Congregation for the Causes of Saints had voted in favor of Father Patrick Peyton’s Cause moving forward. By its vote, the Congress recognized what so many people around the world have come to know through personal encounter, study, and prayer—Father Peyton lived a life of heroic virtue and holiness.

Pray the Film

On October 9th, Pray: The Story Of Patrick Peyton, a documentary about Fr. Peyton’s life, opens in theaters.  
Pray: The Story of Patrick Peyton is an inspiring documentary about a poor, uneducated Irish immigrant who sets sail for America in 1928 with nothing but his faith and dreams of becoming a millionaire. Arriving in Pennsylvania and unable to find work, he accepts the position as a janitor at the cathedral, which rekindles his long lost desire to become a priest and changes the course of his life. Nearing ordination, his life takes a radical turn when he is stricken with tuberculosis. Facing certain death, he sinks into despair. A visit from his mentor, who delivers a simple message to pray, lifts the darkness. Taking his advice to heart, Patrick prays fervently to Mary, the Mother of Christ, for her intercession and he experiences a miraculous recovery. Feeling deep gratitude, he dedicates his life to telling all the world about the power of prayer and encourages families everywhere to bring prayer into their homes. Never taking “No” for an answer, he convinces Hollywood’s biggest stars to help him spread the message, “The family that prays together stays together,” through the power of mass media including radio, television, and film. Father Peyton’s fame spreads around the world and audiences in the millions flock to his public prayer rallies. This is the story of a tireless missionary, an unlikely hero, and one of history’s greatest advocates for family prayer.
Please consider seeing this film not only to support our friends at Holy Cross Family Ministries, but most especially, to be inspired by Venerable Patrick Peyton’s passion and the power of prayer. Ticket and theater information can be found at PrayTheFilm.com. Also, learn more about the new prayer movement at PrayTogetherNow.com.

Calling All Parents of Faithful Adult Catholics

Holy Cross Family Ministries’ (HCFM) sister ministry, The Peyton Institute for Domestic Church Life, has commissioned The Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) to conduct a research study to learn more about Catholic families in the United States who have successfully raised children to be faithful Catholic adults. They are seeking to interview some of these parents and their adult children in regional focus groups online through Zoom. 
Specifically, parents or adult children who: 1) Self-identified adult Catholics 2) Married in the Church 3) Attends Mass weekly (i.e., with their spouse and any children) 4) These adults also need to have at least one adult child who is faithfully Catholic as well (i.e., attends Mass weekly alone or with their family).  
Do you meet this description or know someone who does?  The Peyton Institute for Domestic Church Life would love to have your input on this important study. All participants in these groups will receive an Amazon gift card as a thank you for their time. Please feel free to contact Mark Gray of CARA at mmg34@georgetown.edu by today, Wednesday, September 23, 2020, for information on possible participation in this study.
My prayers continue to be with each of you as we continue to navigate through the pandemic, especially as children begin school. May you find peace and encouragement during this time in the words of Fr. Patrick Peyton, “A family that prays together, stays together.” 
Yours in Christ,
Bishop da Cunha

The Most Reverend Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., D.D.
The Most Reverend Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., D.D.
The Bishop of Fall River