Our Story

A few years ago, we stumbled upon a heartwarming image online of Soldier Field, overflowing with people united in prayer, shoulder to shoulder, reciting the Rosary. This discovery led us to the inspiring mission of Venerable Patrick Peyton, who once rallied millions around the world to bring the Rosary into their homes. We learned that many Catholic families have cherished the tradition of daily Rosary prayer, and after embracing this practice ourselves, we’ve experienced firsthand the peace and grace it brings.

We often wish we had known about this beautiful tradition sooner, so we could have shared it with our own children while they were growing up, giving them the same love, peace, and spiritual strength it has bestowed upon countless families.

In honor of Venerable Patrick Peyton’s incredible legacy, we’re excited to continue his mission and help others experience the joy of praying the Rosary together as a family. Our big dream was to fill Soldier Field with prayer once again, and we reached out to Patrick McCaskey, Vice President of the Chicago Bears. Thanks to his encouragement, along with the support of Angela Tomlinson, Station Manager of WSFI Catholic Radio, we’re now aiming even higher!

We’re thrilled to announce the mission to bring Family Rosary Rallies annually to every Catholic high school and university across the nation. This tradition will bring families, friends, neighbors, and communities together in a beautiful display of prayer, peace, and unity, all while celebrating and continuing the amazing mission of Venerable Patrick Peyton.

We are grateful for the support from various organizations, including Holy Cross Family Ministries and Sports Faith International, and WSFI Catholic Radio and we thank our Blessed Mother Mary, whose presence continues to bring us peace, hope, and joy.

“A world at prayer is a world at peace.” – Father Patrick Peyton, C.S.C.

OUR MISSION

A Tradition of Prayer

Years ago, it was a cherished practice for Catholic families to come together in the evening to pray the Rosary. Jesus, choosing Mary as His mother, entrusted her to us as our mother, friend, companion, and counselor. However, during the 1960s and 1970s, this devotion to Our Blessed Mother began to wane.

A Call to Renew

Today, as our families, homes, country, and world face overwhelming challenges, the need for our Holy Mother is more urgent than ever. We are sad that this beautiful prayer was not a daily practice in raising our own families. Our heartfelt desire is to see the Family Rosary renewed, so future generations can experience its fruits of peace, joy, and hope.

Our Purpose

Family Rosary Rallies, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization has been established for the purpose of honoring the legacy of Venerable Patrick Peyton, C.S.C., by continuing his mission to bring God and the Rosary into the homes of families.

This mission will be achieved by hosting annual Family Rosary Rallies across the nation at every Catholic high school and university. Each Catholic high school student will receive a rosary and a “how-to” pamphlet.

Each Family Rosary Rally invites the surrounding community to join together at the high school to:

  • Renew the practice of prayer in the home, continuing the tradition set by Venerable Patrick Peyton and supported by Holy Cross Family Ministries.
  • Support the canonization process of Venerable Patrick Peyton.
  • Highlight the beauty, privilege and importance of religious vocations.

We pray that these Family Rosary Rallies will encourage families to “Stay with Him” as Mary did,and to pray the Family Rosary daily – together, in part, or even alone if necessary. We believethat through this prayer, we can obtain peace within our hearts, our homes, our country, andthroughout the world.

“What love you could get for your little sacred home if you gave 10 minutes out of 24 long hours to your family.” Father Patrick Peyton, C.S.C.

A MESSAGE FROM FATHER FRED JENGA, C.S.C. PRESIDENT OF HOLY CROSS FAMILY MINISTRIES

St Pope John Paul II in his Apostolic Letter on the Rosary Rosarium Virginis Marie (2002), taught that our contemporary times need a “revival of the Rosary”(#6). One reason for such a “revival” was to implore God for the gift of peace in a world filled with families and countries that can’t find peace. Quoting the message of Venerable Patrick Peyton, St Pope John Paul II wrote, “The family that prays together stays together. The Holy Rosary, by age-old tradition, has shown itself particularly effective as a prayer which brings the family together. Individual family members, in turning their eyes towards Jesus, also regain the ability to look one another in the eye, to communicate, to show solidarity, to forgive one another and to see their covenant of love renewed in the Spirit of God” (Rosarium Virginis Marie, 2002, #41). The pope’s message amplifies the need and the value to propose anew, creatively, and energetically the family rosary to our contemporary families. The revival of the “Family Rosary Rallies” is one approach of bringing into the public consciousness the value of family prayer.

ROSARY WITNESSES

Joe Mazzulla

Mike Sweeney

Mother Teresa

Tammy Peterson

Father Joshua Caswell

A grandfather’s rosary testimony

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