Notre Dame took part Friday in the Annual Global Rosary Relay for the Sanctification of Priests. It was the first time the University, or any college, has particpated.
“Each prayer location prays the Rosary at a set time in a 24-hour relay sequence, to gradually envelope the whole world in prayer in a single day,” a flyer by event organizer WorldPriest states.
According to Vatican News, Saint John Paul II established World Day of Prayer for the Sanctification of Priests in 1995 so “the priesthood might be protected in the hands of Jesus, rather in his heart, so it could be open to everyone.”
The Rosary Relay was founded by Marion Mulhall, a lay Carmelite Nun with a background in advertising and communications, and the founder of WorldPriest.
“Global Rosary Relay started 17 years ago, when I received an inspiration, which I believe was from our Lady, of 20 countries, 20 mysteries,” Mulhall said.
She explained that from the vision, she understood that 20 mysteries meant the Rosary, and 20 countries meant that the prayer needed to travel.
The organization believed it should fall on the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, which left it only a few weeks to plan the first one in 2003, but nevertheless, there was participation in all time zones from the beginning.
Today, it is a seven-month project run by the apostolate and volunteers. Mulhall said it is the largest day of prayer across the globe.
“The world is absolutely saturated with rosary prayer for the sanctification of our dear priests,” she said.
All hours of Greenwich Mean Time were covered, and all 50 U.S. states hosted a prayer site. Notre Dame was the only representative in Indiana.
The relay begins in Russia at 10 a.m. local time at the shrine of Our Lady of Magadan. It concludes in the Chapel of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity at Thomas Aquinas College at 6:45 p.m. local time in Santa Paula, California.
Mulhall called the University’s representation “a huge gift,” and said she hopes other universities will follow the example. She said that due to the event traditionally being held in June, most college students are away from school at the time the event occurs.
In a global press release, the apostolate quoted the Venerable Fr. Patrick Peyton, a 1936 Notre Dame graduate well-known for saying “The family that prays together stays together” and promoting nationally-observed Rosary prayers.
Peyton founded Holy Cross Family Ministries, which has since collaborated with the University to observe annual Rosary Rallies on campus.
Rylen Lastrella, president of the Notre Dame chapter of the Militia of the Immaculata, served as site coordinator. He said that in past years, the club has been unable to participate because members are away from campus.
Around 20 people attended the event, held as part of the standard daily 6:45 p.m. Grotto rosary. Lastrella picked the time to coincide with when most people on campus already prayed.
“It has not really crossed my mind to have intentions prayed for the sanctification of priests, but I think it is very important, seeing as our campus has a lot of priests and a lot of them perform functions at the university. They serve as this Christ-like figure on campus,” Lastrella said. “Sometimes you take for granted that we have access to all these priests. They pray for us, but a lot of times we kind of forget to pray for them.”
While the organizers previously assigned mysteries — the 20 significant moments in the life of Jesus and Mary — by time zone, Mulhall explained that over time people began requesting to pray a specific mystery. Now the organization will confirm which mysteries a site will be praying once they are established as a prayer site.
Lastrella chose the sorrowful mysteries since those are traditionally prayed on Friday.
In September 2025, Pope Leo XIV granted an apostolic blessing on the event, with this year being the first application of the blessing.
“His Holiness Pope Leo XIV sends greetings of good wishes to all who participate in the Global Rosary Relay for Priests. May their prayers be a source of strength for priests as they carry out their mission as shepherds and guides of their flock,” a part of the blessing reads.
WorldPriest’s day of instructions tells people to read the blessing before praying the rosary.
Notre Dame Campus Ministry declined to comment on the event. A spokesperson for Kevin Rhoades, Bishop of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, also declined to comment.
