Catholics hope to gather thousands for prayer

03:15 PM CDT on Friday, April 29, 2005

By FRANK TREJO / The Dallas Morning News

When the Rev. Jim Kelleher steps into the Cotton Bowl on May 13, it will be the culmination of a journey he believes was destined for Dallas.

Father Kelleher, who lives in Albuquerque, is head of missions for the Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity. He also has spent much of the last several years working on a dream – to hold a massive public expression of adoration for the Holy Eucharist and the rosary.

Led by Catholic Bishop Charles Grahmann, more than 50,000 of the faithful are expected to fill the Cotton Bowl for the Eucharistic Family Rosary Crusade.

The event, with the support and participation of the Dallas diocese, is being coordinated by Eucharistic Family Rosary Crusade Inc., a nonprofit organization established by North Texas Catholics. Scores of volunteers from parishes throughout the community are involved.

The evening will include a procession of about 300 priests and Catholic leaders, a "global living Rosary," and an adoration ceremony for the Holy Eucharist.

"On a human level, it's hard to conceive it's happening," Father Kelleher said. "But I believe God has chosen Dallas for this blessing, not just for Catholics, but also Protestants and people of all different religions."

It will be a time for prayer for everyone, he said.

Suzette Chaires, a spokeswoman for the organization, said the event coincides with the 88th anniversary of what many believe was the appearance of the Virgin Mary to three Portuguese children at Fatima. According to Catholic tradition, Mary appeared six times at Fatima in 1917 – the first time, on May 13.

The gathering will also be a tribute to Pope John Paul II, who declared 2004 the year of the rosary and 2005 the year of the Eucharist. And, it will honor the election of Pope Benedict XVI.

"We believe this is a time of grace for Dallas," Ms. Chaires said. "And we believe it will be a historic moment for the city of Dallas."

Don Wetzel, president of Eucharistic Family Rosary Crusade, called the event a "big joyful celebration for all Christians, intended to encourage and support people as they pray."

"It's a great way to get entire families, grandparents, parents and children, to gather to celebrate traditions and to pray in a very public way," Mr. Wetzel said, adding that some Catholics have felt besieged by negative attention to their faith in recent years.

"We have an opportunity for Catholics to publicly declare they are proud to be Catholic," Mr. Wetzel said. "We want people to feel comfortable in their faith."

Father Kelleher said he was inspired by the work of the late Rev. Patrick Peyton.

Father Peyton, a native of Ireland, led massive rosary crusades beginning in the 1940s and into the 1960s. Father Peyton began the crusades as a tribute to the Virgin Mary, whom he believed had healed him of tuberculosis that doctors had said was incurable.

Father Peyton died in 1992.

Father Kelleher said he is especially motivated by Father Peyton's mottos: The family that prays together stays together; and a world at prayer is a world at peace.

"I believe that when people leave that stadium," Mr. Wetzel said, "they will be full of God's grace, ready to be a better person and make the world a better place for everybody."

E-mail ftrejo@dallasnews.com

DETAILS: The Eucharistic Family Rosary Crusade begins with music at 7 p.m., procession at 8 p.m. May 13 at the Cotton Bowl in Fair Park. Admission is free, parking is $8. Call 877-509-5050 or visit www.globalrosary.org.

 

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