The family

When Father Patrick Peyton began his campaign for the Family Rosary, his accent was on the family. He felt that anything that brought the family together – peacefully, comfortably, joyously – was a beautiful thing.

And his theology was dead right! When a husband loves his wife, he is loving God. When a wife loves her husband – with all his faults and failures – she is loving God. When a father and mother love and serve their children, they are loving and serving God. And when the family is all together, God is there in the midst of them.

Father Peyton was campaigning in the far flung rural areas, in the towns and little towns, in mountain villages. In those days, long ago, there was no television. Many little towns had no theater. And even when there was a theater, the farming families could not afford to go to it, all together. And that’s what Father Peyton wanted – the family together.

So he went in for outdoor movies. He set up a big screen in the town plaza. The word went around swiftly, from mouth to mouth, as it does in all little Filipino towns. In the evening everyone was there - every man, woman, child, and dog. And the families were together.

He started with the Life of Christ, told through the mysteries of the rosary. One half hour film for every mystery. He showed the Joyful Mysteries on one night – two and half hours. The Sorrowful Mysteries on another night. The Glorious Mysteries on a third night. And all the people went home believing, heart and soul, in the rosary.

Now Father Patrick Peyton has gone home to God. His cause has been introduced for canonization. But he has left behind him, here in the Philippines, a strong group of men and women who want to carry on his mission. They want to bring God to men and men to God through the Family Rosary. Their battle cry is: "The family that prays together stays together!"

The Philippine Family Rosary Crusade is very active on radio. You can hear the voice of Father Patrick Peyton reciting the rosary, early every morning, on radio stations all over the country. His heart was in the Philippines, and he is still speaking to the Filipinos, from the grave.

Their television programs are popular!

On NBN, Channel 4 in Manila

On ABC, Channel 5 in Manila,

Monday to Friday, 12 noon to 1 p.m.

Three Minutes a Day with Father Reuter at 9 a.m.

On RPN, Channel 9 in Manila,

Tuesdays and Thursdays, 6 a.m.

On Studio 23, Saturday, 8 a.m.

On the Mabuhay Channel, Dream Satellite,

Monday to Friday, 9:00 p.m., reaching the

United States, Canada and Australia

On the Cebu Catholic Television Network, Channel 47 Mondays to Sundays, 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Next Saturday, April 9, at 7 p.m., the Family Rosary Crusade of Manila will present its first Outdoor Cinema, at the Fort, in Taguig. It will feature three Hollywood productions that promote deep human values, good for the whole family. Admission is free.

The films are:

The Choice

The Secret of the Horse

Finding Nemo

The event is being supported by Smart Communications and by the Fort Bonifacio Development Corporation. Stalls will be set up around the area, to supply food and drinks at minimal cost. There will be chairs for the elderly and the handicapped, but families are encouraged to bring their own mats, or folding chairs, on which they can watch the films comfortably, together.

"The Choice" is the story of five young people facing critical decisions that would change their lives forever:

A gang member given a second chance to repair the harm that he has done;

A victim of cerebral palsy frustrated by his disability, looking for a way out;

A young man tempted to make easy money by pushing drugs;

A young woman, unmarried and pregnant, strongly tempted to have an abortion;

A teenage Jewish girl, 14 years old, who makes an extraordinary choice to give life.

It was given the "Award of Excellence" by the Hollywood Film Advisory Board, and the "Golden Halo" Award by the Southern California Motion Picture Council. It was directed by Corey Allen, the Emmy winner for Hill Street Blues. The stars are John Anderson and Alanna Uback of Sister Act II.

The Secret of the Horse is an action drama, starring the Filipino martial arts expert, Ernie Reyes Jr. He appeared in the American films: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and The Rundown. It is a story of racial discrimination and the violence that springs from it.

"Finding Nemo" has received excellent reviews and has been a box office hit. It was produced by Pixar Animation Studios and Walt Disney Pictures. It is the adventures of a family of fish, shot in the beautiful underwater world of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. The heart warming values of a human family are vividly portrayed in the deep sea family of Nemo.

The films will be projected on a giant 24 by 40 feet screen, in an open air setting, in the wide space of Bonifacio Global City. There will be two showings: the first from 7 p.m. until 9:30 p.m.; the second from 9:30 p.m. until midnight. Both shows are open to the public. There will be no charge.

Inflatable castles and slides will be provided for the children; tents for the elderly and the handicapped. Barangay Merville is providing first aid and an ambulance, in case of any emergency. Global City is in charge of security. Four portalets will be available for public use. And shuttle buses will be stationed at designated pick-up points.

It is hoped that the event will be attended by a thousand families. This will be the first in a series of free outdoor movies, provided by the Family Rosary Crusade. The express objectives are: to provide family-oriented entertainment; and to promote deep human family values through media.

Father Peyton looked on media as the pulpit of the modern world. He began on radio, in 1947. At that time he had top stars, like Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, Gregory Peck, Richard Widmark, Robert Ryan, Shirley Temple, Jimmy Durante, Loretta Young acting on nationwide radio dramas, on prime time, over the Mutual broadcasting System. Every drama was calculated to bring the American family together in prayer. And he won the Ohio State Award for the best radio dramas of the year.

When television swept in, he began to produce dramas for television. One of his first was "Hill Number One". It was the passion and death of Christ on Calvary. As he always did, Father Peyton placed the Virgin Mary very strongly in the middle of the action. To support her as the Apostle John, he found an unknown young actor, whose talent he recognized at once. The film played all over the United States. The most touching scene was the Virgin Mary beneath the cross, with John standing close behind her, with his hands on her shoulders. The young actor that Father Peyton found was James Dean. He went on to become the most popular actor in the country.

It is this positive use of media that Family Rosary Crusade is trying to preserve. Many mothers and fathers, these days, are afraid of the TV set, afraid of the movie theater, afraid of the radio – because of the harm they do to their children. And, even worse, media sometimes attacks the sanctity of the family, advocating divorce, contraception, sterilization, abortion - the culture of death. Family Rosary Crusade is trying to promote the very simple, beautiful, human values of life and love – which are rooted in the family.

On Saturday, April 9, they will do this in the open air, at the Fort, with three good, strong, entertaining films. They are a blessing to this nation.

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There is a daily texting service called: One Minute With God You can reach it on Globe by texting: Reuter @ 2978

You can reach it on Star by texting: Reuter @ 326