Sadly devotion to St. Philomena in Italy and elsewhere was dying out, but news of the work in Dickinson, Texas. inspired the director of the shrine to visit Texas in l987. Father Giovanni Braschi brought with him many devotional items as well as old rare books in French and Italian. Amongst these treasures was the original Little Manual of the Living Rosary Association along with all of the directives, guidelines and indulgences. Thanks to all of his information, the Universal Living Rosary Association was formatted exactly as the directives outlined, and continues to this day without deviation from the original text.
Who is Patricia Joann Melvin? Patti, as she prefers to be called, 56 years old, born in Tulsa, Oklahoma (both she and her husband Richard are Catholics from birth); graduated as a registered nurse from St. Vincent’s College in Los Angeles. Upon graduation, Patti was preparing to go to Tanzania, East Africa, when she met with a near-fatal accident that was to change her entire life. It took months for her to recover from her serious head injuries.
After recovery Patti worked at Deaconess Hospital in Spokane for several years, and there she met and married Richard. Though they longed for a large family, none was forthcoming, and they eventually adopted two wonderful sons and moved to Dickinson, Texas. While home schooling their sons, they acquired a very large book on the life of St. Jean Marie Vianney and through it were introduced to St. Philomena. As most things do, their work began small. Patti and Richard wrote all the letters and did all the record-keeping, packing, shipping, and much, much more.
It was decided that, for the unity and perpetuity of this important devotion, each person would accept and pray the same decade, of the Rosary each day. This was discussed with the secretary of the Cause of Venerable Pauline Jaricot and her bibliographer. Ft Naidenoff, who gave his confirmation of their work from Lyon, France, at his office within the Propagation of the Faith.
One person at a time, Patti and Richard, through the Universal Living Rosary Crusade, with the continued intercession of St. Philomena (the daughter they had always hoped for) are reaching out to the whole world with the healing balm of the Living Rosary.
One by one they come in, bishops, archbishops, priests, religious, lay apostles and the faithful.
The years passed. The revival of the Living Rosary and the revival of the devotion to St. Philomena are clearly connected. When the Melvins began their work, devotion to St. Philomena was buried in the catacombs — the 20th century version. Over the years the faithful are again learning of and turning to this great saint, who is the patroness and protectress of the Living Rosary. The faithful have not been disappointed St. Philomena has dazzled them with her favors and miracles.
St. Philomena's fame has again begun to spread from one end of the earth to the other. After 20 years, Patti’s prayers have been answered more fully than even she ever dared to imagine. St. Philomena has been given to the world again through the Universal Living Rosary.
What began on December 8, 1986, with less than 30 people, now numbers 5 million people around the world, all praying their dedicated decades of the Rosary each day of every year. Five million decades are prayed every day because a single Catholic couple had faith.
When Patti and Richard began the revival of the Living Rosary and devotion to St. Philomena, it did not take long to fill their home with machines, translations, devotional articles and boxes. They interested companies in making St. Philomena devotionals; books were translated, formatted and published; holy cards, medals, and statues were created. Famous old prints were reproduced and new images created. Through the efforts of the Universal Living Rosary, the principal shrine of St. Philomena in Mugnano is being restored and the pilgrims pour in from all over the world for her great feast.
Further, the entire estate of Venerable Pauline Jaricot is being restored and named into a pilgrim center for all of France. A special book of her spiritual mysticism will be released in 2005.
It is in fact the victim heart of the beloved foundress of the Living Rosary that has provided the fire that is setting the world aglow with prayer to draw souls to "the Queen of the Most Holy Rosary" and so restore the Church, through fervor, zeal and sacrifice.
Through the Universal Living Rosary, we can all help bring about The Triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary — and when this comes to pass, God’s victory will be accomplished.
Over the years the Universal Living Rosary Association has had close connections in Rome, including Fr.Redemptus Valabek (canon lawyer and Carmelite), now deceased.
It is the mission of the Universal Living Rosary to hasten the Triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, through the daily decade of the Most Holy Rosary.