On 22 October 2025, the Congregation of Holy Cross, in collaboration with Holy Cross Family Ministries, inspired over 65,000 people from more than 50 countries to pray together a Global Rosary for Peace via an online broadcast. This was the second consecutive year that Holy Cross has organized this global prayer event, drawing motivation from the Venerable Patrick Peyton, who led Rosary Rallies around the world and preached, “A world at prayer is a world at peace.”

“I found the Global Rosary for Peace profoundly moving,” said Br. Paul Bednarczyk, C.S.C., Superior General of the Congregation of Holy Cross. “At the Generalate, we gathered as a community to pray virtually with tens of thousands of people across the world. While it was powerful knowing that our outreach spanned the globe, yet, I also felt an intimacy with everyone simply by uniting our hearts and voices in prayer for the common good of world peace."

'It made me realize that we in Holy Cross must continue to convoke people to both action and prayer in response to the pressing injustices and needs of our time," Br. Bednarczyk added.

“Seeing families from Africa to the Americas, from Asia to Europe, praying the Rosary together was deeply moving,” remarked Fr. Pinto Paul, C.S.C., International Director of Holy Cross Family Ministries. “This is the power of faith: it crosses every border and unites us in love and hope.”

Fr. Fred Jenga, C.S.C., President of Holy Cross Family Ministries, opened the Global Rosary for Peace by reading a special message sent by His Eminence Pietro Cardinal Parolin, Vatican Secretary of State, on behalf of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV.

Pope Leo exhorted all those gathered “to live this moment with intense faith, imploring the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Our Lady of the Rosary, so that Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, may pour out this longed-for gift upon all the peoples of the earth, especially those who suffer the blind violence of war, so that they may achieve the necessary conditions to live peacefully and to build a society founded on respect for the dignity of the human person and the values ​​of love, fraternity, and justice.”

Pope Leo, who called on Catholics to pray a daily Rosary for peace during the month of October, concluded by extending his apostolic blessing to all of those who participated in the Rosary, as well as their families and loved ones.

Following the Holy Father, Br. Bednarczyk, who was the inspiration behind the Congregation’s first Global Rosary for Peace in 2024, shared a heartfelt message. Br. Bednarczyk invoked the words of Saint John Paul II, whose feast was being celebrated that day, as he urged everyone to unite their prayers and efforts for peace around the world.

All told, 291 individuals and groups helped lead the Global Rosary of Peace, including offering reflections on the Glorious Mysteries and reciting the prayers; the majority of them came from the mission centers of Holy Cross Family Ministries, which continues the legacy and mission of Venerable Patrick Peyton in educating families in prayer, especially the Rosary.

In addition to the HCFM mission centers, many other Holy Cross schools, parishes, communities, and social ministries gathered to join in the Global Rosary for Peace. They were joined by tens of thousands of other Christians who prayed from their parishes and schools, as well as with their families in the quiet of their own homes.

“It felt like heaven touched earth. We were united with people we’ve never met, but all praying as one family,” said Maria from the Philippines.

“It gave me new hope, knowing that others were praying for peace with us at the same time,” added James from Kenya.

In addition to the 65,000 plus people who joined live on 22 October, the recording of the Global Rosary for Peace continues to amass thousands of additional views on HCFM’s YouTube Channel. The faithful are resonating with the chance to join with their brothers and sisters around the world in prayer.

“The world is hungry for peace, not just the absence of conflict, but the presence of Christ in our hearts and homes. Through the Rosary, we stand together as one family before God,” said Fr. Jenga. “The mission of Holy Cross Family Ministries remains simple and powerful—the family that prays together stays together—and when the world prays together, peace is possible.”

Fr. Jenga closed the Global Rosary for Peace offering the Prayer of St. Francis. He sent forth all those who had prayed the Rosary to be instruments for peace in our world today, building bridges to the common good and justice that will make for a true and lasting peace.