The Relevant Radio family joins Holy Cross Family Ministries in mourning the sudden passing of Fr. Willy Raymond, C.S.C., who died on February 16, 2026, while visiting the Holy Cross community in Bennington, Vermont. He was a faithful son of the Congregation of Holy Cross, a devoted priest of Jesus Christ, and a tireless promoter of family prayer, especially the Rosary.

Fr. Willy served as president of Holy Cross Family Ministries from 2014 to 2022, continuing the apostolate’s longstanding mission to strengthen families through prayer. In a culture often marked by division and distraction, he proclaimed with clarity and conviction: “The family that prays together stays together.” Those words, first spoken by Venerable Patrick Peyton, C.S.C., were a lifelong mission for him. He believed deeply that the renewal of the Church and the stability of society begin in the home and on our knees.

Ordained in 1971, Fr. Willy’s priesthood spanned more than five decades. A graduate of Stonehill College and the University of Notre Dame, he served at Stonehill College for many years, later took on leadership roles within Holy Cross, and guided Family Theater Productions as national director before becoming president of Holy Cross Family Ministries. In every assignment, his focus remained steady: bring souls to Christ through His mother, and bring families back to prayer.

Fr. Willy also had a special devotion to Venerable Patrick Peyton, whose cause for canonization he ardently supported. Like Fr. Peyton, he saw the Rosary as a powerful instrument of grace for our time. He encouraged parents to lead their children in prayer and reminded grandparents of their indispensable role as spiritual anchors within the family.

Even in the lighter details of his life, his humanity shone through. A lifelong Boston Red Sox fan, he served as chaplain to the Los Angeles Dodgers, bringing faith into the world of professional sports with the same steady joy he brought to churches and parish halls.

As we commend Fr. Willy to the mercy of God, we give thanks for his priestly witness and his unwavering dedication to the Rosary. May his example renew in us a commitment to gather our families in prayer.

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and may perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace.

Photo courtesy of Fr. David L. Guffey