02/04/2026
St. Matthew’s Parish in Surrey recently hosted a Living Peace Rosary, a unique prayer gathering featuring hand-crocheted roses, multilingual prayers, and a strong sense of togetherness.
Inspired by a tradition started by Archbishop Fulton Sheen in the 1950s, the Living Peace Rosary uses colour-coded roses to represent different regions of the world, symbolizing global unity and shared prayer. During the service, participants held roses and prayed together, each prayer led in a different language, reflecting the diversity of the community. French, Tagalog, Polish, Dutch, and many other languages filled the church.
The roses themselves were lovingly handmade by local volunteers over several weeks, turning the event into a blend of faith, craftsmanship, and community effort. Organizers hope the gathering inspires similar events at other parishes across the Lower Mainland.
Moments like this highlight how Surrey’s communities come together, through tradition, creativity, and shared reflection.