EASTON, Mass. — Father Jim Phalan, C.S.C., has been named national director of Family Rosary, responsible for day-to-day operations of the ministry founded in 1942 by Venerable Patrick Peyton, the famed “Rosary priest” and a candidate for sainthood by the Vatican. Family Rosary is dedicated to inspiring, promoting and fostering the prayer life and Spiritual well-being of families throughout the world with impactful videos, retreats, radio, and daily family prayers via app or email, Rosary app, weekly eBooks, and reflections through social media and blogs.
“We are excited to welcome Father Jim to a leadership position at Family Rosary,” said Father Willy Raymond, C.S.C., president of Holy Cross Family Ministries. “His experience and devotion to this ministry is invaluable, particularly as he has served here in many capacities. Father Jim truly follows in Father Peyton’s footsteps as ‘Mary’s donkey’ — willing to serve God in whatever way he is asked.”
Father Phalan has worked in many capacities at Holy Cross Family Ministries since 1994. Most recently, he served on the Family Rosary Team in France as assistant director managing the Family Rosary Pavilion/Chapel at the Our Lady of Lourdes Shrine in Lourdes, France. At the same time, he served in the English-language pastoral program at the shrine.
Father Phalan also served as director of Family Rosary in Peru, international director of Family Rosary overseeing mission offices in 17 countries, and Latin American regional coordinator and director of Family Rosary in Mexico. In addition, he served in the formation of seminarians and Brothers of the Congregation of Holy Cross in Peru and Chile and was Novice Master for Latin America.
He also has connections to the Fall River Diocese, particularly in Easton and on Cape Cod.
“You can call me a native to the area,” Father Phalan told The Anchor. “Until I was 14, I was raised in Medford, near the center of Boston, but then my father, an economist, joined the faculty of Stonehill. We moved to Easton and I then started high school at Coyle in Taunton, before the merger with Cassidy. We were a founding family of Holy Cross Parish and I then went to Stonehill for my B.A.
“When I was 10 my parents bought a second home near Craigville Beach and Our Lady of Victory Parish. My parents retired and both died there, while over the years I spent a lot of time there — it’s really my second home. My life and mission in Holy Cross has led me to serve in many places around the world, but Easton and Centerville have always been where I come back to and consider ‘home.’”
Father Phalan has a B.A. in psychology and history from Stonehill College, and a Master of Divinity and a Master of Theology from the Weston Jesuit School of Theology. In addition to his native English, Father Phalan is fluent in Spanish, Portuguese and French.
“I’m excited to become national director of Holy Cross Family Ministries,” Father Phalan said. “This is such an important mission as we strive to serve the Spiritual needs families in this complicated modern era. There are more pressures on parents and children than ever before as they struggle to find faith and bring meaning to their daily lives.
“I assume this position at a very interesting and possibly fruitful time. Our organization has undergone some important renewal and reorganization. Our new Museum of Family Prayer is a wonderful part of that … and we have a lot of great resources for reaching out both through media and through grassroots Church and other organizations. We are now poised for new growth and outreach, particularly in Southeastern Massachusetts and beyond to the whole country. We have a great mission to do and the task is huge. May Our Lady guide us now and let us know what she wants us to do to bring her children to her Son today!”
In the spirit of its founder, Venerable Patrick Peyton, Family Rosary serves Jesus Christ and His Church by inspiring, promoting and fostering the Spiritual well-being of families throughout the world. Faithful to Mary, the Mother of God, Family Rosary encourages family prayer, especially the Rosary.
Family Rosary is a member ministry of Holy Cross Family Ministries, which inspires, promotes and fosters the prayer life and Spiritual well-being of families throughout the world. Its mission outreach includes family faith-based media, including social media and prayer programs, to fulfill the founder’s vision that “the family that prays together stays together.”
For more information, visit www.FatherPeyton.org or www.FamilyRosary.org.
