Timeline
January 9, 1909 – Born in Attymass, County Mayo, Ireland, the sixth child of John Peyton and Mary Gillard
May 23, 1928 – Departs with his brother Tom for the United States, travelling to join their sisters in Scranton, Pennsylvania
June 1928 – Takes a job as a janitor at the Cathedral
Spring 1929 – Attends a parish mission at the Cathedral preached by Holy Cross priests and asks to join the Congregation
August 20, 1929 – Depart for the Congregation’s Minor Seminary (High School) in Notre Dame, Indiana
June 1932 – Enters the Novitiate after graduating from Minor Seminary
February 6, 1939 – While in Major Seminary in Washington, D.C., admitted to the hospital with tuberculosis that he had been battling since October 1938
May 1939 – Transferred to the Congregation’s infirmary at Notre Dame
October 25, 1939 – Rev. Cornelius Hagerty, C.S.C., visits and encourages him to pray in faith to Mary for a cure
October 31, 1939 – Experiences consolation that Mary will cure him and his healthy immediately improves
January 15, 1940 – Receives medical confirmation of his healing
May 1941 – Receives dispensation to be ordained before completing his studies
June 15, 1941 – Ordained a priest at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart at Notre Dame
January 1942 – Receives inspiration to begin the Family Rosary Crusade (now part of Holy Cross Family Ministries)
Fall 1942 – Assigned as chaplain to the brothers at the Vincentian Institute in Albany, New York, and continues to develop his work promoting the family Rosary
Summer 1944 – Works with Holy Cross priests and seminarians in producing a pamphlet entitled “The Story of the Family Rosary”
May 13, 1945 – Organizes first national radio program on the Mutual Broadcasting System, including Bing Crosby, President Harry Truman, and Cardinal Spellman of New York
Summer 1945 – Visits Hollywood and enlists stars, including Loretta Young, for the promotion of the family Rosary
1947 – Founds Family Theater Productions in Hollywood
February 13, 1947 – First episode of “Family Theater of the Air” broadcast on radio
1948 – Begins organizing huge Rosary rallies, called Family Rosary Crusades, beginning in Canada and Ireland but then spreading across the world
1955 – Production begins in Spain on three feature-length epics on the life of Christ, divided into the Joyful, Sorrowful and Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary
1957 – Three films on the life of Christ completed
1958 – Participates in the World’s Fair in Brussels
1962 – Family Rosary Crusades in Colombia and Brazil draw 1 million and 1.5 million respectively
1694 – Family Rosary Crusade in Sao Paolo, Brazil, draws 2 million
1985 – Family Rosary Crusade in the Philippines draws 2 million
June 3, 1992 – Dies at the age of 83
June 1, 2001 – Cause for sainthood opened and declared Servant of God
December 18, 2017 – Declared Venerable by Pope Francis