A Champion for Family Prayer
Father Patrick Peyton, C.S.C. was born in 1909 in Ireland to a devout Catholic Family. Praying the Rosary together each night was a routine in the Peyton household and laid a strong foundation for Father Peyton’s faith, which he would need when he joined the Congregation of Holy Cross as a priest.
Father Patrick Peyton, C.S.C. devoted his priestly life to spreading the devotion to Mary and encouraging family prayer, especially the Rosary. He used radio, television, and film, and 540 Rosary Rallies worldwide to accomplish his mission.
Today, Father Peyton’s messages that “The Family That Prays Together Stays Together” and “A World at Prayer is a World at Peace” are still well known around the world. His Cause for Sainthood was officially opened in 2001 and he is currently named Venerable.
Father Pat was eager to reach ten million people with his message of the importance of Family Rosary Prayer and knew only with mass media on a national level could do it; that meant at the time, radio. Off to New York he went and persuaded a non-Christian woman from the Mutual Broadcasting System that his program would be just what American families needed. She agreed to give him the time if he could come up with a big Hollywood star to be on the show.
Our Lady guided the nervous priest as he made a cold call to Bing Crosby, the famous Hollywood singer. Father Pat’s sincerity convinced Bing to be on the program.
On May 13, 1945, families all over the country heard a program like no other, featuring Archbishop Spellman of New York, President Harry Truman, Bing Crosby and the parents and sister of the Sullivan family of Iowa leading the Rosary. Five brothers from that family had lost their lives when their ship went down in the war. Father Peyton finished the program with an impassioned plea for families to pray the Rosary together for peace. The program garnered the biggest following of any in the Mutual Broadcasting System to date.
On the success of that first radio show, Father Peyton went to Hollywood to try to establish an ongoing program.
Hearing Father Peyton express his vision to use the new media to reach millions, Raymond Burr, Jimmy Stewart, Rosalind Russell, Ann Blythe, Danny Thomas, Lucille Ball, and hundreds of big stars came to see Father Pat as their chaplain.
The Family Theater Productions became a reality in 1947 and a star-studded radio program of inspirational dramas ran for 22 years! “The Family That Prays Together Stays Together” became the famous motto! TV and film were to follow as the Catholic media pioneer matured along with Hollywood.
Thanks for sharing. Did not know this story.