Family Rosary Crusade - Evangelization Through Mass Media

Evangelization Through Mass Media

A young ad executive and an accomplished copywriter, Al Scalpone, donated his services to Family Theater in 1947 and wrote the now famous slogan, "The Family That Prays Together Stays Together " as well as "A World at Prayer is a World at Peace " for the radio series. They became the mottos for Father Peyton and his organization. Scalpone, who eventually became a vice president for CBS-TV, volunteered with Family Theater Productions for 40 years.

In 1947, a Los Angeles outdoor advertising company representative was taken by the slogan, "The Family That Prays Together Stays Together ." He heard in on the "Family Theater" radio series. The company offered to put the slogan on vacant billboards as a public service. The idea caught on with other advertising companies.

Over the years messages included "Troubled? Try Prayer!" "Don’t Give Up! Pray. It Works," "God Makes House Calls" and "God Listens," each one followed by "The Family That Prays Together Stays Together ."

These messages have appeared on more 100,000 billboards throughout the country, courtesy of outdoor advertising associations and companies, and have been seen more than 400 million times, according to outdoor advertising associations’ estimates.

The campaign continues today with three new, contemporary posters designed in 2001, that have received a record number of orders from billboard companies.

The mission that started on radio broadcasts, helped bring forward the mission Father Peyton is best known for with the start of the Diocesan Rosary crusade.