World at Prayer blog

Reflections of Family and Faith

"The family that prays together stays together." - Venerable Patrick Peyton

Father Willy Raymond, C.S.C.

Father Wilfred J. Raymond, C.S.C. (Father Willy), a native of Old Town, Maine, is the eighth of 12 children. He joined the Congregation of Holy Cross in 1964 and was ordained to the priesthood in 1971. He earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Stonehill College in 1967 and a master’s in Theology from the University of Notre Dame in 1971. He served in ministry at Stonehill College (1979-1992), Holy Cross leadership (1994-2000), National Director of Family Theater Productions, Hollywood (2000-2014), and President of Holy Cross Family Ministries (2014-2022). In addition to English, he is conversant in French and Spanish. He remains a diehard fan of the Boston Red Sox, even though he has served as Chaplain for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

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Why pray?

Saint Gertrude the Great: Family Reflection Video

Why pray for the dead? Can we really help them with our prayers? Is there any warrant for this in the Word of God? Isn’t the final decision about eternal life made at the judgment each person will undergo at the time of death?

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Love thy Neighbor  |  Return to the Church

The Mother Church: Family Reflection Video

Saint John Lateran is the mother Church of Christianity, the physical sign of the incarnate Word of God in the world and reminder that we are living temples, not yet perfect, but temples nevertheless, to the glory of God.

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Brief and contemporary inspiration focused on hope and family prayer will be delivered to your inbox! Articles include live video, written word, and links to resources that will lead you and your family deeper into faith.

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Healing the family  |  Why pray?

A Day of Remembrance: Family Reflection Video

“Now what will God say to those who are not good enough to enter heaven at once nor bad enough to go to Hell?” After a pause, a little girl put up her hand and said, “God will say, ‘I will be seeing you soon!’” (Fr. Elias Dias, SDB, Divine Stories for Families)

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School of Mary

School of Mary: Twenty Ways the Rosary Will Benefit Your Family

Why is the Rosary the perfect family prayer? Fr. Willy Raymond, C.S.C., details 20 reasons to pray the Rosary.

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Why pray?

Called to be Missionary Disciples: Family Reflection Video

Friends, today we celebrate the feast of Saints Simon and Jude. Like them, all of us by our baptism are called by Jesus Christ to be missionary disciples of the good news. Let me share two true stories with you.

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Holy lives of inspiration

The Memorial of Saint John Paul II: Family Reflection Video

On October 16th 2002 the late John Paul II signed his inspiring Apostolic letter The Rosary of the Virgin Mary. In it he described the Rosary as the school of Mary where we are led to contemplate the beauty on the face of Christ in union with Mary and to experience the depths of his love.

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