Back in the seventies my two main concerns were about the decline in the family and my children. I had a few teenage sons who were challenging to say the least. I had a very soggy pillow for about eight years. Many a night I cried myself to sleep worrying over my sons; however, I had the good fortune of living a block from Saint Charles Seminary.

I visited the chapel everyday. I would sit and talk everything over with Our Lord. I’d tell him about the boys. I’d ask Him what I should do. I always heard an inner voice telling me not to be afraid. “I am with you. Just give the boys to me.” Prayer is like exercise the more we do it the stronger our faith grows. I grew more and more confident that Our Lord was taking care of our sons even if I couldn’t see it at the time. And He was.

Our six sons are outstanding men today. I call them my sons of the Eucharist. What would you expect Sons of the Holy Eucharist to be like? Caring and considerate husbands, loving and responsible fathers, charitable men, hard workers, generous to the church and the down trodden and of course good to their parents. And they are.

I went to St. Charles to pray for my family but I soon added the priests and seminarians to my list. When I first began visiting the chapel at St. Charles there were many seminarians. Forty seven men were ordained in 1972; however, the number of seminarians began declining. Each year I noticed there were fewer seminarians. I talked this over with Our Lord. An idea began to take shape in my head.

Why not invite the lay people to come to St. Charles to pray for vocations. At first I liked the idea then my fears took over. It’s a silly idea. No one will come to St. Charles to pray. Who would listen to me? If it was God’s will the priests would have thought of it. But in spite of my doubts and fears the idea just wouldn’t go away. I tried to shake it but I couldn’t. Finally I got the courage to ask Cardinal Krol for permission to start a lay Eucharistic Prayer movement for vocations and Christ-centered families at St. Charles Seminary.

In January 1983, we had our first Prayer Power Adoration at St. Charles. We had Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament from 12:30 pm until 9 pm in the evening every Tuesday. 120 lay people signed up to make a holy hour a month at St. Charles. We’ve been praying there every Tuesday from September until May since 1983.  I also was blessed to be able to help sixty parishes in our diocese start weekly adorations. We've grown our membership to over 7,000 people.

Peggie O'Neill
Founder, Prayer Power