A thing of beauty is a joy forever! On April 27, 2022, we were in Hollywood, celebrating the 75th anniversary of Family Theater Productions. It was attended by many celebrities, friends, and well-wishers of Family Theater Productions. Wow! What an uplifting experience. It is hard to imagine how a simple priest could walk into Hollywood, the capital of cultural influence, equipped only with a positive vision for families. It is harder to imagine how he could influence the A-list stars of Hollywood to promote family spirituality.
It is still harder to imagine, how Father Peyton could visualize the role of emerging 20th-century media like radio, television, and film to promote family life and spirituality. In Father Peyton's vision, Family Rosary and Family Theater Productions were powerful tools to promote family spirituality. It was a celebration of the realization of his vision that "the family that prays together stays together. " Today we learn from history and continue his mission.
In our first reading referring to the history of self-proclaimed messiahs, Gamaliel reminds us that if a Christian movement is not from God, it will self-implode. When we look back at the Church, even after 2000 years, it is still flourishing in many parts of the world. The multiplication of the loves continues to enrich the Church with objective truth, goodness, and beauty.
The Church has been a bold innovator not just in the use of mass media but in all means of human communication to evangelize and shape the culture. And we continue today to benefit from the truth, goodness, and beauty that the Church introduced to our world long ago.
For example, one of our family theater productions, "Chime Travelers" connects children to the timeless wisdom of the saints of long ago by transporting them from our present-day with its culture and values back in time to the era of Saints.
With the acquired wisdom of holy persons, they are equipped to nurture and pass on spiritual gems to the next generation. St. Catherine of Siena (honored today) lived only 33 years. In her short span of life, she was instrumental in bringing peace between city-states.
Kings, queens, and abbots sought her counsel. She inspired the Pope to restore the papacy from Avignon, France to Rome after the western schism.
She wrote works of inspired spiritual depth that were cherished in medieval literature and are of value even today. She has been recognized as a doctor of the Church in 1970 by Pope Paul VI.
Like Gamaliel, she understood that God-inspired works never fail. Father Peyton proved it through Family Theater and Family Rosary. The Church was and remains a global force for immense good in shaping our present civilization and nurturing generations and ages to come. Amen. And remember, we are the Church!
Father Pinto's inspirational homily was recorded live this morning during Mass at the Father Peyton Center. Please view the video on our Facebook page. (You don't need a Facebook account to view.)
To view Rosary prayer and Mass streaming live, please visit our Facebook page at 11:30 am EST, Monday – Friday. Please invite your loved ones to join us too! (You don't need a Facebook account to view.)
Father Pinto Paul C.S.C., ordained a priest in the Congregation of Holy Cross in 1999, worked with tribal populations in northeast India as a missionary for ten years. In 2010 he came to the US for further studies. While working as a campus minister at Stonehill College, he assisted pastors in local parishes, led seminars and workshops for teachers and students in the US and earned a master’s degree in Educational Administration from Boston College and a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership from Lesley University, Cambridge. He is currently working as the International Director of the Boston-based Holy Cross Family Ministries with missions in 18 countries.
.jpg "Father Pinto Paul, C.S.C.")