October, 2008

Dear Friends,

            In 1948 Msgr. Cirrincione began a Sunday novena and also a series of weekly radio talks promoting prayer to Our Lady of Fatima and knowledge of her message.  These efforts evolved into the daily broadcast of The Family Rosary for Peace begun March 4, 1950 with the blessing and frequent participation of Bishop Kearney and all his successors.

            Currently the broadcast continues on WHICH 1460-AM, Monday - Friday at 7:00pm and Saturday - Sunday at 6:30pm.  Your care and support are making this possible in times much like 1950: Our world is too familiar with violence and war.  Our prayers sincerely include our families and the many needs of the human family.  Our hearts lift up many intentions for peace, reconciliation, conversion, health, grace and blessings for all.

            I write to you today begging your support for this ministry of prayer for the world, the church, our families and ourselves.  Monthly broadcast costs are challenging.  Any donation you send is appreciated and every dollar underwrites the broadcast directly.  All staff are volunteer.

            Thank you for your faith and devotion.  Thank you for considering this appeal.  May this Marian month of October bring you special blessings.

                                                               With hope and gratitude,

                                                   Rev. Paul J. Tomasso

                                                                Rev. Paul J. Tomasso

                                                                Director

Msgr. Cirrincione Founder of the Family Rosary for Peace, leads an early broadcast on radio station WSAY

On Sunday January 11 1948 the first of a series of Novenas in honor of Our Lady of Fatima for the Conversion of Russia and World Peace was begun with the services being held Sunday afternoons at 4:00.  That evening the Pastor of Saint Francis of Assisi Parish, Father Joseph A. Cirrincione (he became monsignor in 1966) began a series of weekly radio talks on The Story of Fatima over WSAY.

A few months later on Holy Saturday night, March 27, 1948, The Woman’s Eucharistic League held its first Holy Hour, from 9 to 10.  Attendance at the first Holy Hour was about 70 women.

On May 7 Father Cirrincione went on a pilgrimage to Fatima in Rome, returning at the end of May with a statue of Our Lady of the Rosary of Fatima, Carved out of wood by the famous Portuguese sculptor José Thedim and blessed by Pope Pius XII. It was placed in a waiting shrine that was erected during his absence.

August of 1949 upon his return from another pilgrimage to Fatima and Lourdes Father Cirrincione brought back a statue of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, also carved by Thedim and blessed by the Holy Father.

The Family Rosary for Peace began on March 4^, 1950.  Its opening broadcast was led by Bishop Kearney from the studio of WSAY Radio. Shortly after the program began broadcasting from the St. Francis of Assisi Parish Center

Bishop Kearney again led the Family Rosary for Peace and blessed the new Shrine of St. Joseph, in the Rose Garden on the evening of the Feast of the Visitation, July 2, 1950

Father Cirrincione retuned in September of 1950 from his Holy Year Pilgrimage to Rome with a third statue. The statue of the Sacred Heart which like the others was carved by Thedim and blessed by the Holy Father.

In a very short time The Family Rosary for Peace became a diocesan institution and the name of St. Francis of Assisi Parish a familiar one throughout the diocese because of the network radio stations that for a while carried the program. 

It became customary in the summertime to broadcast outdoors from the Rosary shrine.  Frequently various parochial and diocesan groups would attend in body.  This was especially true when Bishop Kearney led the rosary, which he endeavored to do on the major feat days of Our Lady

Incredibly , Family Rosary for Peace was meant to be a one time Lenten Initiative, However has aired on WHIC 1460-AM, formerly Christian format WWWG since 1979, when WWWG acquired  the program following a 29 year run on WSAY 1240-AM. WSAY and WWWG have served as the program's flagship stations; many other radio outlets across the Rochester Diocese have also carried the show in the past. In recent years, tapes of the show were run after Msgr. Cirrincione's failing health prevented him from doing live broadcasts. Msgr. Cirrincione, who died in November 2002, served as the show's director from it's founding until 1998, when Fr. Paul Tomasso became the director.