From the Vatican:
Pope Francis on Monday took 27 men and women a step closer to sainthood. The Pope received Card. Angelo Amato, the Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes so Saints and authorized him to promulgate 12 decrees regarding 22 men and 5 women from as many as 8 nations. They concern 3 miracles, a martyrdom and 8 heroic virtues. Nineteen candidates, including 3 miracles and the martyrdom of 16, have been cleared for Beatification, the penultimate state before Canonization of sainthood. Among the 27 is the decree on heroic virtues of the noted “Rosary Priest”, Servant of God Fr. Patrick Peytonof the Congregation of Holy Cross (CSC). Born on 9 January, 1909 at Carracastle, Ireland, Fr. Peyton died on 3 June, 1992, in San Pedro, US, Fr. Peyton is the is the founder of the “Family Rosary Crusade.” He was the first to proclaim the phrases “The family that prays together stays together” and “A world at prayer is a world at peace.”
You can read more about Father Peyton at a website devoted to his cause. The recognition of his “heroic virtues” means that he will now be declared “Venerable.” The website includes this prayer for his beatification (which requires one miracle attributed to his intercession):
Dear Jesus, Father Peyton devoted his priestly life to strengthening the families of the world by calling them to pray together every day, especially the Rosary. His message is as important for us now as it was during his life on earth.
We beg you, therefore, to hasten the day of his beatification, so that your faithful people everywhere will remember his message that the family that prays together stays together, will imitate him in his devotion to your Mother and ours, and will be inspired by his holy life to draw ever closer to you with childlike confidence and love. Amen.
Venerable Patrick Peyton, pray for us!
Photo: FatherPeyton.org
And today we celebrate...