The Family That Tweets Together....

Celebrating the centenary of the birth of the "Rosary Priest" in his home parish, the primate of All Ireland Cardinal Sean Brady voiced his hope yesterday for a twitter-savvy re-commitment to Fr Patrick Peyton's call to "try prayer -- it works":

Fr Peyton had a great gift for using the most up-to-date means of social communication. He was pioneering in his use of television to communicate the Gospel and the power of prayer through the Rosary. He attracted the support of many famous film stars along the way. I am sure if there had been mobile phones in his day Fr Peyton would have been big into texting and twitter! He would rejoice in the power of the internet and email to join people together in prayerful solidarity instantaneously and across the world.

In the name of Fr Peyton I would like to make an appeal to every Christian in Ireland today who sends texts, twitters or uses e-mail. I appeal to you to think about setting up groups of prayer between you and your friends using these modern means of communication. I ask young people in particular to think of sending their friends and family an occasional twitter or text to say that you have prayed for them. Make someone the gift of a prayer through text, twitter or e-mail every day. Such a sea of prayer is sure to strengthen our sense of solidarity with one another and remind us those who receive them that others really do care.

A priest of the Congregation of Holy Cross, Peyton -- best known for his axiom that "the family that prays together, stays together" -- died in 1992. His cause for canonization was opened shortly thereafter.

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