Nothing to like about Facebook’s billboard play on Fr. Patrick Peyton’s immortal words

It’s a message taking its birth in an era in which an American Government works to stamp out Catholicism: “The family that Facebooks together stays together.” Facebook dominates ‘in your face’ news today now that its going public has made billionaires out of a thousand, including Irish rock star Bono, now the world’s richest musician.

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But how many motorists driving along Loyola Heights in the Philippines would recognize the origin of a worldwide recognized slogan that once held so many together? “The family that prays together stays together” drew millions to pray the Rosary when its creator Fr. Patrick Peyton was alive. That Bayan Telecom would claim the worldwide celebrated phrase as Facebook’s is surely a sign of our secular times.

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“The big bold letters shouting ‘The Family that Facebooks together stays together’ is truly misplaced, planted right across De La Strada Church yet.” (BusinessWorld Weekender, May 17, 2012). Many of the motorists driving along Loyola Heights would be too young to remember Fr. Peyton and his passionate quest that in its heyday attracted help from celebrities like Bing Crosby and Jimmy Stewart. “The Family that prays together stays together” was a mantra that held families together through thick and thin. Goaded by his devotion to Mary, Mother of Christ, Fr. Peyton, whose remains lie in a lonely windswept cemetery in North Easton, Ma, intended his slogan to live forever. When Canada Free Press (CFP) visited the walled cemetery of Holy Cross Church on Christmas Eve 2008, we would never have found the ‘Rosary Priest’s’ grave site were it not for the tiny, wind-whipped flags on some of the graves. “Had it not been for the tiny American flags blowing in the wind, we would have missed the grave markers covered in the snow.” (CFP, Dec. 26, 2008). “Half of the brothers and priests buried in the red brick, walled off cemetery had served their country in the Korean and Second World wars. Only the flags recognizing their service, stood out in the snow.” With no social networks available in his day, Fr. Peyton drew bigger crowds than any rock star to his rosary rallies. He led some 2 million people in prayer in Sao Paulo, Brazil. One and a half million turned out to hear him at a rally he conducted in the Philippines in Manila. More than half a million came to hear his message in San Francisco. It was back in 1947 when the man who came out of the church onto the streets of America as the ‘Rosary Priest’ opened human hearts with his message of hope. There was no Facebook in Fr. Peyton’s day, only the indefatigable work of telephone calls and letters to draw celebrities to help get his message across the air waves. Fr. Peyton died in 1992, but his phrase trademarked by his ministry keeps his spirit alive. Even 65 years later the many rosary beads left at his grave marker are silent testimony to a phrase that never died. Since 2008, Fr. Peyton has been a candidate for Papal bestowed sainthood. Knowing that his words would never fly without the help of what was then new technology, this humble parish priest founded Family Theatre Productions, which, with the help of Hollywood stars of the day, was to become a rousing call to prayer. Meanwhile, there is nothing to ‘like’ about Facebook’s callous billboard rewording of Fr. Peyton’s phrase “The Family that prays together stays together”.

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