During his life Venerable Fr. Patrick Peyton devoted himself to promoting the rosary and family prayer. We today still have a lot to learn from this great man.

By Aoife Martin

“Every night I would hear our Mother call us to pray and then our Father would lead us in the holy Rosary.  Praying to God was as natural to him, as breathing the air and to see a man live totally what he believed left an impression on me even as a little child which nothing could erase.” – Venerable Fr. Patrick Peyton, C.S.C.

Children’s spiritual lives are formed most profoundly by their parents and family.  Such was the case for Patrick Peyton.  Praying the Rosary together each night was a routine in the Peyton household and laid a strong foundation for Fr. Peyton’s faith, which he would need later in life, when he joined the Congregation of Holy Cross as a priest.

Fr. Patrick Peyton - one of the most extraordinary figures of the 20th Century and an unlikely hero.  He grew up a simple farm boy, in one of the poorest regions of Ireland and would go on to become one of the greatest religious leaders of the 20th Century, a man who spoke to more people face to face than almost any other person on record.

Patrick Peyton grew up the 6th of nine children to John and Mary Peyton.  They lived in the poor little village of Attymass, Co. Mayo on a 14-acre farm where the parents and children all pitched in on the work just to survive.  The Peyton children had limited access to education.  There was however, never a shortage of love or faith and every night they prayed the rosary together.

“When we prayed to God to give us our daily bread, we said it not with the lips but, with the heart and realised that, without God’s help we might go hungry.  So, it was not strange that my home was one of deep prayer.  But, like gold refined in the furnish, I count the struggle of those years a blessing in disguise.” – Venerable Fr. Patrick Peyton, C.S.C.

As a boy in Ireland, Patrick felt called to the priesthood.  The priest at the parish encouraged his vocation.  Patrick spoke to different religious orders but, was rejected due to his limited education and lack of funds for the seminary.  Job opportunities in Ireland especially in Attymass were limited.  Three of Patrick’s older sisters had already emigrated to the United States.  In May of 1928 Patrick and his older brother Thomas sailed to America.  They landed in New York and then headed for Pennsylvania.  With his sisters help, Patrick became a sexton (janitor) at a Cathedral.  Working at the cathedral, Patrick rekindled his desire to join the priesthood.

“In the quietness of that church I would pray and pray before the Blessed Sacrament and as the months went by the thought of devoting my whole life to God grew stronger and stronger and the more, I tried to get it out of my mind the more it persisted.  I had to at last try the seminary and I wasn’t there long before I knew it was the right life for me.” - Venerable Fr. Patrick Peyton, C.S.C.

It’s not easy to encapsulate a man of such zeal, of such impact; Fr. Peyton passionately wanted to change the world, to bring love, joy, unity and peace across the earth by encouraging people everywhere to commit to one simple practice - to gather their families for prayer every day.

His unshakeable commitment to this mission made Fr. Peyton the most prominent champion of daily family prayer in Christian history.  Having been raised in a family of prayer, his mission had grown out of his own experience.  He had seen the extraordinary power of praying the rosary and asking Mary the Mother of God to bring Christ’s love into his own family.

In 1938, while attending seminary, Patrick’s health declined with an advanced case of tuberculosis.  He prayed for Mary’s intercession and experienced a miraculous healing. He simply talked to Our Lady, as he would to his own mother.  In October 1939, the doctors discovered that the patches in his lungs had disappeared.  Patrick was confident he was miraculously healed by Our Lady’s grace.  He immediately packed his bags and left for Washington D.C. to complete his theology studies and take his final vows. 

On 15th June 1941, Patrick 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.  In gratitude, Fr. Peyton vowed to dedicate his life to thanking our heavenly Mother and helping her in her mission of leading souls to her Son.  Fr. Peyton resolved then that he would spend his live telling people how the Blessed Virgin wishes to help us, if we pray to her.

“Beyond the happiness of my ordination was the resolution that my whole life and priesthood would be a repayment to the Mother of God.  My cure had come from her.  She had prayed for it.  To repay my debt, I resolved to her that I would make known the power of prayer to the families of the world.” – Venerable Fr. Patrick Peyton, C.S.C.

From this little promise of gratitude to the Blessed Mother, the Family Rosary Crusade was born in the midst of much doubt, despair and disarray in the world.  The Family Rosary Crusade became a beacon of hope, bringing one message: “The family that prays together stays together, a world at prayer is a world at peace.”

Fr. Peyton set a goal of convincing ten million families to commit to praying the rosary together every day.  It was a goal he knew he could not accomplish through his own limited abilities but, only through the radical help of God.  Fr. Peyton’s vow launched him on a mindboggling array of global ministries to encourage daily family prayer.  Fr. Peyton became a media pioneer, boldly embracing every communications tool he could, local and national radio, film and television, as well as stadium sized public prayer rallies all over the world.  His goal was to share a simple message: Family unity through family prayer.

Fr. Peyton hosted a number of televised shows promoting the rosary where an image of Bartolomé Esteban Murillo’s painting of ‘Our Lady of the Rosary’ was always present in the background.

“The Rosary is the most beautiful and the richest in graces of all prayers; it is the prayer that touches most the Heart of the Mother of God…and if you wish peace to reign in your homes, recite the family Rosary.” - Pope Saint Pius X

Fr. Peyton’s charismatic holiness attracted helpers of all kinds, Hollywood stars, business leaders, popes, politicians, priests, nuns, husbands, wives and children.  He even received help from the poor and sick who gladly offered up their suffering for the success of his mission.  His media and live events would touch the hearts of millions.  He would bring high quality biblical films to people around the globe, including millions who may never have seen movies before.  A motto that Fr. Peyton’s team created “The family that prays together stays together” would become world famous.  His rosary crusades generated countless signed pledges from families promising to gather together every day, to pray the family rosary.

“Men and women, old and young, poor and rich, shoulder to shoulder, all honoured Our Lady with their presence and gave testimony of their faith in the power of God and in prayer which should be present in all families to maintain unity.” – Venerable Fr. Patrick Peyton, C.S.C.

Fr. Patrick Peyton died on June 3, 1992 in Los Angeles, California his final words were “Mary, my Queen, my Mother”.  Fr. Peyton continues to be a champion of family prayer and unity.  Today he offers us a heroic model of Christian faith, hope and love.  Decades after his death people have reported many prayers answered through his intercession.

We encourage you to think of ways you might deepen or renew your own prayer life, especially through family prayer and the rosary.  Rosary prayer cards, Rosary beads and Rosary meditation booklets are available to order from ACN Ireland.

“It is the Rosary prayed by families that will keep the lights of faith glowing in the days of darkness of faith, as it has done in the past.” – Venerable Fr. Patrick Peyton, C.S.C.

Fr. Peyton’s cause for Sainthood was officially opened in 2001 and Pope Francis named him as Venerable on 18th December 2017.  With your prayers, God willing, one day he will be recognised as a Saint for Family Prayer!

May the intercession of our Blessed Mother, Our Lady of the Rosary lead you and your loved ones closer to our Lord and may Fr. Peyton’s prayers be with you always!