“The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him.” – John 1:9-10
We wish a Happy Prayerful Christmas to all Cardinals, Bishops, Priests, friends, benefactors, Global Rosary Relay participants, Worldpriest representatives, volunteers and the Worldpriest global apostolate team.
Marion Mulhall
Founder Worldpriest Global Apostolate
Worldpriest is very pleased to announce the winners of this year’s Annual Global Rosary Relay for the Sanctification of Priests Award. The eleventh award goes to the Diocese of Fort Portal, Uganda, East Africa. The award is in recognition of the outstanding promotion and participation of the Global Rosary Relay in Uganda and it is the first time the award has been won on the continent of Africa.
Fort Portal is a very interesting and unique place. People do not normally associate Africa with snow and freezing conditions, but the principal place of worship in Fort Portal is called Our Lady of Snows, Virika Cathedral, because it is within sight of the tallest mountain range in Africa – the Ruwenzori Mountains, the top peaks of which are permanently covered in snow. In 1952 the cathedral was visited by Venerable Patrick Payton, when he addressed the thousands of local parishioners a miracle happened, as Venerable Peyton was speaking in English. He had no translator but everyone who was around still understood everything he said.
Many parishes in the Fort Portal diocese are in rural settings and a priest could travel close to 20 to 30kms to reach every church. The roads are very rough in some places and not suitable for car or motorcycle travel, often making walking the best option.
This is a very special part of Africa and according to the pastoral coordinator of the Fort Portal Diocese the number of Catholics living there is around one million — half of the total local population. A number in the region of 1,500 people participated in the relay on 19 June.
The winners award was presented to the Right Reverend Robert K. Muhiirwa, Bishop of Fort Portal Diocese at Virika Cathedral by Father John Baptist Nsubuga Araali CSC, Local Director of Holy Cross Family Ministries for the Fort Portal Region on Saturday, 17 October 2020.
In accepting the award the bishop stated ‘With humility and in a spirit of gratitude, on behalf of the Diocesan Community of Fort Portal, I accept this award accorded to us by the Worldpriest Global Apostolate in recognition of our participation in the Annual Global Rosary Relay for the Sanctification of Priests on 19 June 2020, with much gratitude, especially to Madam Marion Mulhall, founder of the Worldpriest Global Apostolate and her team. God bless you for the work in mobilising our Christians to pray for us priests all over the world.’
Other team members of the community in Fort Portal who worked so hard to make this day of prayer so special are Father Charles Oyo Amooti and Mrs Cecilia Kakere Amooti.
Like many millions of people across the globe you may already be praying the Rosary on Thursdays. Worldpriest is now naming each Thursday as Rosary Thursday and invites you to offer your Rosary on that day for the sanctification of priests, which is also the Worldpriest Annual Global Rosary Relay prayer intention.
On the last Thursday of each month The Worldpriest Global Apostolate is planning a virtual Rosary Thursday. www.worldpriest.com/every-thursday-rosary-thursday
In 2002 Pope John Paul II invited Catholics to pray the Mysteries of Light on Thursdays. These mysteries focus on the public life of Jesus – the Light of the world. Included are Jesus’s Baptism, Wedding Feast of Cana, his revealing of God’s Kingdom, his Transfiguration and the Institution of the Eucharist.
At 6 p.m. Rome time on 12 November, a joint initiative will take place between Worldpriest Global Apostolate and Inside the Vatican Pilgrimages, which has been bringing pilgrims on spiritual journeys to the universal church since 2008. Inside the Vatican Pilgrimages developed from Inside the Vatican magazine, founded in 1993. Currently, Inside the Vatican Pilgrimages is hosting virtual pilgrimages to holy places, introducing the faithful to the ‘living stones’ around the world.
This community prayer time for Rosary Thursday will take the form of a virtual Rosary at 6 p.m. local Rome time, being prayed for the sanctification of priests to encourage vocations to the priesthood and for the many intentions of Pope Francis. Everyone around the world – regardless of their location – will be very welcome to join in this important time of prayer However, all participants will need to register by simply clicking on this link.
This virtual Rosary Thursday will make use of Zoom technology. It will open at 17.40 hours, when a slide show selection of photographs from various Global Rosary Relay prayer locations from around the world, before the prayers begin at 18.00 hours, concluding at 18.30 hours.
This virtual Rosary Thursday will include a welcome and introduction to our Rosary Thursday Prayer time by Father Benedict Croell OP from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas – the ANGELICUM in Rome, Italy.
Father Benedict Croell, O.P., a Dominican friar, hails from Colorado (USA). He has served in parish, university and itinerant preaching ministries. He also served five years in the Dominican Order’s East African missions where he was novice master for friars in their initial stage of formation from Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Southern Sudan, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and South Africa. He served as Director of Vocations for the Dominican Province of St. Joseph (USA) from 2010-18 in Washington, D.C. – during which 100 young men entered their novitiate. He is co-author of a book for young men: A Living Sacrifice: Guidance for Men Discerning Religious Life http://bit.ly/LivingSacrificeEurope He currently serves as Director of Development & Mission Advancement for the ANGELICUM https://angelicum.it in Rome, the Roman alma Mater of Father Karol Wojtyła, who later became Saint John Paul II. Fr. Benedict was named a Missionary of Mercy by Pope Francis in 2016.
The following people will pray the Luminous Mysteries in the following order, with guided meditations for each decade by. Father Benedict Croell O.P.,
- First Luminous Mystery –The Baptism of the Lord in the Jordan – Father Benedict Croell O.P.,
- Second Luminous Mystery – Wedding Feast of Cana – Niall M. Kennedy KCSG Chairman of Worldpriest
- Third Luminous Mystery – Proclamation of the Kingdom – Berni Neal Worldpriest team member Orange County California USA
- Fourth Luminous Mystery – The Transfiguration of Our Lord – Joe Feraggio Worldpriest Representative for Malta
- Fifth Luminous Mystery – The Institution of the Eucharist – Deirdre Rudden Friend of Worldpriest Dublin Ireland
Final prayers, Father Benedict Croell OP. with a final blessing.
(A recording of the Virtual Rosary will be available on YouTube later).
Register here
To register, just click on this link. You can register now or just before the time of prayer on 12 November 2020.
If you have any questions please contact;
Marion Mulhall
info.worldpriest@gmail.com
Worldpriest has named each Thursday as Rosary Thursday and invites you to offer your Rosary on this Thursday for the sanctification of priests.
From now on Worldpriest Global Apostolate will continue to pray a virtual Rosary on the last Thursday of each month.www.worldpriest.com/
This prayer time for Rosary Thursday will take the form of a virtual Rosary on Zoom, being prayed for the sanctification of priests and the intentions of Pope Francis. Everyone around the world – regardless of their location – will be very welcome to join in this important time of prayer.
Only two days to go. Depending on your location, the rosary joining times are: please note USA EST 13.00: United Kingdom/Ireland 17.00: Rome 18.00
You may be registered already, but if you are not there is still time, as stated above.
Register here
You can register now CLICK HERE or just before the time of prayer on Thursday 29 October 2020.
If you have any questions please contact;
Marion Mulhall info.worldpriest@gmail.com
The Prayer Room on Zoom will open 20 minutes early, with a slide show photograph selection from various Global Rosary Relay prayer locations around the world.
This first special virtual Rosary Thursday will include a welcome and introduction by Bishop Fintan Monahan who is the Roman Catholic Bishop of Killaloe in Ireland.
Like many millions of people across the globe you may already be praying the Rosary on Thursdays. Worldpriest is now naming each Thursday as Rosary Thursday and invites you to offer your Rosary on that day for the sanctification of priests, which is also the Worldpriest Annual Global Rosary Relay prayer intention.
On the last Thursday of each month The Worldpriest Global Apostolate is planning a virtual Rosary Thursday. www.worldpriest.com/every-thursday-rosary-thursday
In 2002 Pope John Paul II invited Catholics to pray the Mysteries of Light on Thursdays. These mysteries focus on the public life of Jesus – the Light of the world. Included are Jesus’s Baptism, Wedding Feast of Cana, his revealing of God’s Kingdom, his Transfiguration and the Institution of the Eucharist.
At 6 p.m. Rome time on 29 October, a joint initiative will take place between Worldpriest Global Apostolate and Inside the Vatican Pilgrimages, which has been bringing pilgrims on spiritual journeys to the universal church since 2008. Inside the Vatican Pilgrimages developed from Inside the Vatican magazine, founded in 1993. Currently, Inside the Vatican Pilgrimages is hosting virtual pilgrimages to holy places, introducing the faithful to the ‘living stones’ around the world.
This prayer time for Rosary Thursday will take the form of a virtual Rosary at 6 p.m. local Rome time, being prayed for the sanctification of priests and the intentions of Pope Francis. Everyone around the world – regardless of their location – will be very welcome to join in this important time of prayer However, all participants will need to register by simply clicking on the link below.
This virtual Rosary Thursday will make use of Zoom technology. It will open at 17.40 hours, when a slide show selection of photographs from various Global Rosary Relay prayer locations from around the world, before the prayers begin at 18.00 hours, concluding at 18.30 hours.
This first special virtual Rosary Thursday will include a welcome and introduction by Bishop Fintan Monahan who is the Roman Catholic Bishop of Killaloe who previously served as a priest in the Archdiocese of Tuam and worked as a teacher and chaplain in Saint Jarlath’s College, Tuam, Co. Galway.
Bishop Monahan was born in Tullamore, County Offaly, in 1967 to Tom and Peg Monahan and he has one brother and one sister.
His studies in Science, Theology and Education were in Maynooth and NUI Galway.
He was ordained to the priesthood in 1991 and served as a curate in Connemara, County Galway, before beginning a teaching and chaplaincy post at Saint Jarlath’s College, Tuam, County Galway.
While at St. Jarlath’s College he taught science, religion and Irish, in addition to coaching basketball and hurling. He also served as secretary to Archbishop Michael Neary of the Archdiocese of Tuam. The Holy See announced his appointment as Bishop of Killaloe in July 2016, and he was consecrated in Ennis Cathedral on 25 September 2016.
n 2019 he published a book on John Henry Newman and this year has one gone to print on Thomas Merton, both published by Veritas.
Bishop Monahan is a frequent contributor to various social media platforms like Youtube, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Linked in with various spiritual and inspirational inputs.
The following people will pray the Luminous Mysteries in the following order, with guided meditations for each decade by Bishop Fintan Monahan.
- First Luminous Mystery –The Baptism of the Lord in the Jordan – Bishop Fintan Monahan
- Second Luminous Mystery – Wedding Feast of Cana – Marion Mulhall Founder of the Worldpriest Global Apostolate
- Third Luminous Mystery – Proclamation of the Kingdom – Denis Hook Worldpriest Representative for Gibraltar
- Fourth Luminous Mystery – The Transfiguration of Our Lord – Isabel Gillis – Worldpriest Representative for Canada
- Fifth Luminous Mystery – The Institution of the Eucharist – James Coffey – Vice President Papal Foundation, USA
Final prayers by Bishop Fintan Monahan with a final blessing.
(A recording of the Virtual Rosary will be available on YouTube later).
Register here
To register, just click on the link provided here. You can register now or just before the time of prayer on 29 October 2020.
If you have any questions please contact;
Marion Mulhall
info.worldpriest@gmail.com
In the most challenging year since the Worldpriest Global Rosary Relay began over a decade ago, we are delighted to report that this year’s event on 19 June was a resounding success, as the entire world joined together to pray for the sanctification of our priests. Every priest worldwide was prayed for on that day, a great blessing for all. It was a year when technology came to the fore as live streaming of the rosary being prayed from hundreds of churches increased strongly, allowing people to join in from their homes in large numbers or to pray outside at many beautiful grottos dedicated to Our Lady all over the world. Please view and enjoy many videos from this event https://www.worldpriest.com/video/
The Global Rosary Relay started in Siberia at the shrine of Our Lady of Magadan. Then on to China, followed by India, with much gratitude to His Eminence Cardinal Gracias of Bombay, moving to Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines then sending spiritually to Malta which was so professionally planned by Joe Farrugia our Worldpriest Representative for Malta, with a number of outstanding rosary prayer participations, and then on to Uganda Africa, and back to the Turkish capital of Ankara – a first such event for Turkey.
There were a number of other firsts in terms of participation, including prayers from Bangladesh. For Iceland it was their third time to participate from Reykjavik. St Paul’s Cathedral in Tirana, Albania also participated for the first time, as did the Malaysia Archdiocese of Kota Kinabalu Sabah, at the Sacred Heart Cathedral while Slovakia at the Shrine of Our Lady of Levoka had a strong national prayer presence. And the usual strong contribution by Pakistan saw that country greatly exceed its prayer level from last year, largely thanks to the great efforts yet again of Naveed Anjum our Worldpriest Representative for Pakistan and his team. https://www.worldpriest.com/participating-prayer-location-list/
Rosary Relay from Malaysia
There were many highlights to remember from the Worldpriest Global Rosary Relay 2020 – in fact more than we can possibly mention here. For a start there was a special Apostolic Blessing received from Pope Francis which set the prayer tone for many blessings to come. Local and national television and radio broadcasts, along with intensive social media activity kept the momentum going in many locations around the world, while a Vatican Radio interview with Marion Mulhall, Worldpriest Global Apostolate founder, broke the news of the virtual rosary for Pope Francis on Worldpriest Global Rosary Relay Day.
There was also a joint initiative between Worldpriest and Inside the Vatican Pilgrimages, in the promotion of a special virtual rosary for the intentions of Pope Francis, which was a great success as many people from around the world prayed for Pope Francis, further promoting and emphasising the enormous growth of the Global Rosary Relay, even amid the Covid-19 pandemic, through the use of Zoom.
Every state in Canada participated at over 300 single prayer locations, with much gratitude to Isabel Gillis our Worldpriest Representative for Canada, while Japan also made a strong presence with sixteen single prayer locations. A big thank you to Fr Harry O’Carroll SSC. The African success story was cleverly planned and promoted by Fr John Baptist CSC, and his team which resulted in over 1,000 single participating prayer locations alone within the Diocese of Fort Portal in Uganda.
Diocese of Fort Portal, Uganda, Africa
As usual there was an enthusiastic level of participation from the United States, with almost every single state participating. We were so blessed to have Bishop Edmund Whalen of the Archdiocese of New York lead the Worldpriest Rosary Relay from Saint Patrick’s Cathedral New York. The Franciscan Friars of the Renewal, founded by our great friend the late Father Benedict Groeschel CFR, participated from several parts of the USA and beyond. The final prayer location of the Global Rosary Relay for 2020 was Thomas Aquinas College, in Santa Paula, California, which marked the occasion with a special mass celebrated by Bishop Robert Barron. The bishop also streamed the celebration through his Word on Fire network which was live – streamed by Thomas Aquinas College throughout the USA while their chaplain, Rev. Paul Raftery, O.P. led the final Rosary prayer of the day, spiritually linking in with their partner, Thomas Aquinas College Northfield, Massachusetts.
So 2020 was a year to remember and the new horizons that were reached – largely as a result of people having the global opportunity to pray as one family amid a pandemic – all of which bodes very well for the future.
On the 29th of October we begin a special worldwide virtual rosary which will take place thereafter on the last Thursday of each month. The first rosary, on October 29, will be led by Bishop Fintan Monaghan, Bishop of Killaloe, Ireland. The Rosary will be prayed via Zoom in collaboration with our partners, Inside the Vatican Pilgrimages, along with team members and friends of Worldpriest with every Thursday being Rosary Thursday. The day we pray the Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary as gifted to the world by Saint John Paul 11. https://www.worldpriest.com/rosary-thursday/
Worldpriest Annual Global Rosary Relay Day for 2021 will be 11 June, which is also the great feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Virtual Rosary for Pope Francis
Dear prayer partners,
Thank you for participating in our recent Virtual Rosary for Pope Francis on 19 June 2020 – Global Rosary Relay Day. We hope you found fulfilment and joy at this special time of prayer with the Worldpriest Global Apostolate team and Inside the Vatican Pilgrimages as much as we were committed to sharing our time of prayer with you.
It was a very special time of prayer, as many people around the world joined with the Worldpriest Global Apostolate team and Inside the Vatican Pilgrimages on that unique occasion. We hope you felt uplifted by the discussion which took place after the Rosary itself. It was a special time for all of us on the team to be able to listen to the many people who participated.
This prayer for Pope Francis was so successful we intend to continue with this practice annually. The scheduled date for 2021 is Friday 11 June 6 p.m., local Rome time.
We would be very pleased to receive your review and feedback so we may expand and enhance this time of prayer to an even greater audience next year.
Should your country not be listed on https://www.worldpriest.com/participating-prayer-location-list/ and you wish to be a participating prayer location in the Annual Global Rosary Relay for The Sanctification of Priests, please email us and we will begin our conversation and guide you how to join in prayer. Info.worldpriest@gmail.com
Please find our prayer time on video for your reflection at
Many of our prayer participants had asked to receive a copy of the profound reflections on the sorrowful mysteries written by Father James Phalan CSC which we prayed on the day, so please also find same attached.
We are profoundly grateful to His Holiness, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI for his support to the WorldPriest Global Apostolate over the years, especially for providing us with our official Prayer for Priests . On the occasion of the death of his brother, Monsignor Georg Ratzinger on July 1st 2020 we offer him our prayerful condolences. Requiescat in pace.
Please pray for the Worldpriest Global Apostolate as we continue to hold your intentions in prayer.
Marion Mulhall
Founder – Worldpriest Global Apostolate
At 6 p.m. on 19 June, as part of the Worldpriest Global Rosary Relay Day for the Sanctification of Priests 2020, a wonderful joint initiative will take place between Worldpriest Global Apostolate and Inside the Vatican Pilgrimages, which has been bringing pilgrims on spiritual journeys to the universal church since 2008. Inside the Vatican Pilgrimages developed from Inside the Vatican Magazine, founded in 1993. Currently, Inside the Vatican Pilgrimages is hosting virtual pilgrimages to holy places, introducing the faithful to the ‘living stones’ around the world.
This initiative will take the form of a virtual Rosary at 6 p.m. local Rome time, for the intentions of Pope Francis. Everyone around the world – regardless of their location – will be very welcome to join in this important prayer gift to His Holiness at the appointed time. However, all participants will need to register by simply clicking on the link provided below.
This virtual Rosary for Pope Francis’s intentions will make use of Zoom technology. It will open at 17.40 hours, when a video promotion of the Worldpriest Global Rosary Relay for the Sanctification of Priests 2020 will be shown and will be followed by a slide show selection of photographs from various Global Rosary Relay prayer locations from around the world, before the prayers begin at 18.00 hours, concluding at 18.30 hours.
This special Rosary will include a welcome and introduction by Father James Phalan CSC, along with individual meditations, which have been specially written for the occasion by Father Phalan, who is National Director of Family Rosary in the United States – a part of Holy Cross Family Ministries, which is an important partner of Worldpriest Global Apostolate.
Father Phalan will open this special Rosary prayer event, stating where in the world the Global Rosary Relay will travel after the thirty-minute slot in Rome. He will also announce the allocated mysteries of the Rosary to be prayed for the Pope’s intentions and will provide a special prayerful reflection on each decade, which will be prayed in turn by each member of the Worldpriest team.
The following people will pray the Sorrowful Mysteries in the following order, with guided meditations for each decade by Father James Phalan CSC:
• First Sorrowful Mystery – The Agony in the Garden – Marion Mulhall Worldpriest Founder
• Second Sorrowful Mystery – The Scourging at the Pillar – Niall M. Kennedy Worldpriest Chairman
• Third Sorrowful Mystery – The Crowning of Thorns – Dermot Mannion – Worldpriesrt Global Rosary Relay International Associate
• Fourth Sorrowful Mystery – The Carrying of the Cross – Anne Brady – Worldpriest Director
• Fifth Sorrowful Mystery – The Crucifixion – Colm Flynn – Worldpriest Director
(A recording of the Virtual Rosary will be available on YouTube later)
Register here
To register, just click on the link provided here. You can register now or just before the time of prayer on 19 June.
If you have any questions
Please Contact
Marion Mulhall
info.worldpriest@gmail.com
It is with gratitude and great joy that we announce that His Holiness Pope Francis has imparted his Apostolic Blessing to all participants in the Wordpriest Global Rosary Relay for the Sanctification of Priests, which takes place this year on 19 June. We encourage all prayer locations to help spread this great news. Reproduced below is the letter received from the Cardinal Secretary of State, making this announcement.
Worldpriest has designated prayer locations dotted all over the world where people can join the Worldpriest Rosary Relay for the Sanctification of Priests 2020. Details about these managed locations are provided on worldpriest.com. But you can also join in the relay anywhere outside these locations – praying wherever you are located on 19 June this year.
Where possible please live stream the Global Rosary Relay. In this way many prayer locations will be able to join in what will be a virtual Global Rosary Relay for 2020.
By using widely available technology, all prayer locations can easily promote to and invite a far greater prayer audience, with thousands of people joining the Rosary Relay simultaneously from wherever they are located. But please be mindful of your local time to pray, as this day of prayer is an actual real-time rosary relay involving the whole world. So lockdown or no lockdown, this will be the biggest and best year ever as the world is open for prayer like never before.
If you do not have access to live streaming facilities please pray in small numbers at your local church prayer location at the designated time of prayer. The most important action is to pray, pray and pray on this great occasion.
Please follow the instructions of your local health authority on social distancing and other related COVID 19 matters wherever you may be located. In the meantime, we extend our prayerful best wishes to all of our beloved priests and parishioners for your safety and good health at this time.
Some important things to remember
1) Should it not be possible due to Covid 19 restrictions to have a choir singing, please engage a local musician to complement your time of prayer .
2) Place flowers on the altar and candles to represent the priests being prayed for at your local prayer location. Be as creative and resourceful as you deem appropriate!
3) You may join in from wherever you may be located worldwide, whether you are living alone, with your family or at your place of work. Simply join in prayer with many of the live streaming presentations, such as the live television broadcasts by Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN) – our media partners – or through radio, Facebook Live and YouTube, all broadcast from many prayer locations worldwide.
4) Everyone who prays the Rosary on this day is automatically a participant in this great event of a world at prayer. Nobody is excluded, because we pray as one family from every corner of the world. Please ‘pray the Rosary, unite with your country and help encircle the world in prayer’ for priests on the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
This promotional video for the Global Rosary Relay for The Sanctification of Priests 11th anniversary celebrations plays for one minute it is very powerful and engaging. Please use and share as you wish.
Are you in a position to share your day of prayer?
1) Can you organise a global, national or local television or radio broadcast? If yes, we would require the television or radio station link for placement on our broadcast schedule.
2) For a webcam presentation we would also require your website link to place on our broadcast schedule.
3) For YouTube or Facebook live broadcast presentations again we would require a link to place on our global broadcast schedule.
4) Photographs of your time of prayer would also be much appreciated.
5) A short write-up if possible about how your prayer location participated would be greatly welcomed and would allow Worldpriest to produce a full overview news feature in thanksgiving for the great day of prayer as we then prepare for 11 June 2021 – the next Global Rosary Relay day.
6) After 19 June we will place all of the above on our media hub, so please do not forget to send to email: info.worldpriest@gmail.com A special novena to prepare for the Worldpriest Global Rosary Relay
You can join in a beautiful new novena specially written by our Worldpriest Chaplain, Father Bernard McGuckian SJ, to the Sacred Heart of Jesus in preparation for Global Rosary Relay day. www.worldpriest.com/novena-2020
If you have any questions or need any further assistance in any way please contact us and we will reply as soon as possible. info.worldpriest@gmail.com
A special novena to prepare for the Worldpriest Global Rosary Relay
You can join prayerfully in a beautiful new novena specially written by our Worldpriest Chaplain, Father Bernard McGuckian SJ, to the Sacred Heart of Jesus in preparation for Global Rosary Relay day. www.worldpriest.com/novena-2020
If you have any questions or need any further assistance in any way please contact us and we will reply as soon as possible. info.worldpriest@gmail.com