HOLLYWOOD, Calif. —Father Patrick Peyton, who gained international fame with his “rosary crusades” and radio and television programs, was remembered by hundreds of people in Hollywood on May 26 —a day set aside for his honor by Los Angeles Mayor Jim Hahn.

Born in Ireland, Father Peyton immigrated to the United States when he was 19. He was ordained in 1941 as a member of the Congregation of Holy Cross after receiving a miraculous cure that he attributed to the Blessed Virgin Mary. The healing catalyzed his desire to spread Marian devotion around the world.

During his life, Father Peyton was known worldwide for his rosary rallies, which drew millions of people to locations around the world. More than 2 million attended the events he put on in Brazil and the Philippines alone; in San Francisco, 500,000 turned out. Worldwide, more than 28 million people attended Father Peyton's rosary rallies in 40 different countries.

The May 26 memorial service, which consisted of a rosary and Mass, was held at Blessed Sacrament Church, a few blocks down Sunset Boulevard from the headquarters of Family Theater, which Father Peyton founded in 1947. Father Peyton and Family Theater Productions created Catholic radio, television and movie programs with help from some of the biggest names of the day, including Bing Crosby, Loretta Young, Ricardo Montalban and many others.

One of those in attendance May 26 was Racquel Zuckerman, a judge, who came all the way from Sao Paulo, Brazil, to remember Father Peyton. “I am Jewish,” she told the assembled crowd. But, she said, Father Peyton's message transcended religious differences. “We are all children of the same God,” she explained. “I was his friend and he was my friend for 30 years. I trusted him completely.”

Shining Sanctity

Also at the memorial service was Carl Karcher, founder of the Carl's Jr. chain of restaurants and a longtime friend of Father Peyton. Karcher said he came to the memorial service to remember his friend, who he says was a saint. “He was fantastic,” explained Karcher, whose son, a priest, concelebrated the Mass. “I loved him to no end.” Karcher said he met Father Peyton around 1960 and remained close to him until the priest's death in 1992. “Everybody melted when he prayed the rosary,” he said.

Oblate of Mary Immaculate Father James FitzPatrick, postulator of Father Peyton's cause, said that Father Peyton was a man of exceptional holiness. In his homily, he explained that a saint is a person “who lets the light [of God] shine through. To all the great lights of Hollywood, Father Peyton let the light of God shine through. And, with his radio and television programs, Father Peyton let the light shine through to millions more.”

“To be a saint and to be canonized are two different things,” added Father FitzPatrick, who has worked on 31 beatification and canonization causes. “I am convinced that Father Peyton was a very exemplary man, a very selfless man.”

Father FitzPatrick agreed with Karcher that the most striking thing about Father Peyton was his devotion to Mary. “He had a single-minded devotion to Our Lady,” he said. “He wore Mary on his sleeve.”

Father Peyton was also honored at the May 26 memorial by the City of Los Angeles. In a proclamation, Los Angeles Mayor James Hahn listed many of Father Peyton's spiritual and secular accomplishments, then concluded by proclaiming the day a citywide celebration of Father Peyton and his work. The mayor wrote in his proclamation: “I, James K. Hahn, mayor of the city of Los Angeles, do hereby proclaim that May 26, 2002, be Servant of God Father Patrick Peyton, CSC, Celebration Day in this the City of the Angels.”

This was not the first time Father Peyton has been publicly noted: Pope John Paul II has also commented on Father Peyton. In 1995, while speaking at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York, the Pope remarked: “To use a phrase made famous by the late Father Patrick Peyton: ‘The family that prays together, stays together.’”

Living Legacy

Under Father Peyton's leadership, Family Theater produced more than 500 programs in its “Family Theater of the Air” series, which aired on the Mutual network between 1947 and 1961. The work he began continues and, to date, Family Theater has produced more than 10,000 broadcasts for more than 700 radio and television programs.

Father Peyton died June 3, 1992, in San Pedro, Calif. Last year, on June 1, Bishop Sean O'Malley of Fall River, Mass., opened the cause for his canonization. At that time, Father Peyton received the title Servant of God.

Father FitzPatrick and Holy Cross Father Thomas Feeley, vice postulator for Father Peyton's cause, are currently interviewing people who knew Father Peyton or received favors through his intercession as part of their investigation into his holiness. The results of their findings will be forwarded to the Diocese of Fall River, which can then forward them to the Vatican. The two priests encourage anyone with firsthand stories about Father Peyton to contact them.

In June the memorials dedicated to Father Peyton will continue: A rosary rally is planned in Knock, Ireland, and memorial Masses have been scheduled in California, New York, Massachusetts and Wembly, England.

Andrew Walther writes from Los Angeles