Family joins in online prayer for more than 1,000 days
April 19, 2023
By Elizabeth Elliott
For more than 1,000 days, Deacon Reinhold “Renny” Kunze, of St. Brendan Parish in Leon, family and friends have prayed the Divine Mercy chaplet every day online.
They reached 1,000 days on the third Sunday of Advent in 2022.
Deacon Kunze said he mentioned to his five sisters in North Dakota and four children about the chaplet when the coronavirus pandemic began.
“Together we decided to say the chaplet every day at 8 p.m.,” he said. “A different person leads the chaplet and responds from the same location every day. The rest of us silence our phones to eliminate noise and listen and pray.”
Joining each night include his five sisters in North Dakota and granddaughter in Beaumont, Texas, among others.
He said the leader might mention a special intention of the world in need or a personal intention.
“We have invited other people as this is a conference call free of charge,” Kunze said. “We ask them to silence their phone as well.”
The chaplet concludes with the Hail Holy Queen, the Memorare, and the St. Michael Prayer, and an additional prayer Deacon Kunze made up to St. Joseph during the year dedicated to St. Joseph.
“The other leaders had a prayer to St. Joseph as well,” he said. “Last year we prayed a prayer dedicated to the Eucharist. The leader chooses the prayer they may have for this intention. This year it is the same intention.”
Deacon Kunze said he ends with a special blessing for whatever the occasion may be to everyone who is on.
“Then we usually share any news we have with each other if you can get a word in edgewise as all phones come off silent after the final blessing,” he said.
Venerable Father Patrick Peyton, who used radio, television and film to promote the rosary, distributed a booklet on the rosary when Deacon Kunze was a child at home. The Kunze family had the booklet and prayed the rosary and night prayers together. Father Peyton’s motto was: “A family that prays together, stays together.”
“Now with four children, 15 grandchildren, and 3 and a half great grandchildren, I am so thankful our family practices their faith and we still pray together in such a troubled world,” Deacon Kunze said. “Our son Troy, who is disabled, has never missed a night and Macson, our youngest grandson, loves to lead when it is his turn.”
Anyone is welcome to join their nightly Divine Mercy Chaplet. Dial into a conference number, 1-605-475-4000, a little before 8 p.m. every night. Follow the prompts and dial the access code of 618476# and 1 to confirm. It will ask to announce your name, which is optional.
“Most importantly when you have been connected, please press mute so there is no background noise during prayer,” Deacon Kunze said. “Also feel free to join the visit after prayer.”