St. Peregrine Statue 3.75"

Prayer to St. Peregrine

O God, who gave to St.
Peregrine an angel for
his companion, the
Mother of God for his
Teacher and Jesus for the
Physician of his malady;
grant, we beseech Thee,
through his merits, that
we may on earth
intensely love our holy
angel, the Blessed Virgin,
and our Savior and in
heaven bless them
forever.  Grant that we
receive the favor of
which we now petition.
through the same Christ
our Lord. Amen.

Say one Our Father,
Hail Mary, Glory be to
the Father, with the
invocation: St.
Peregrine, pray for us.

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St. Peregrine
Patron Saint of Cancer Victims (1260 - 1345)

The only child of wealthy parents, Peregrine Laziosi was the leader of the "anti-papal" party in Forli, Italy when he was only eighteen.  Peregrine was, like most people in his city at that time, stronly opposed to the Catholic church.  A pious priest named Philip Benizi was sent to Forli by the Pope, to preach to the people there.  While Philip was praying, a disturbance broke out, and the priest was insulted by the crowd and stuck on the face by Peregrine.  Father Benizi's only response to the attack was that he said he would pray for Peregrine.  This so moved Peregrine that he dropped to his knees to ask forgiveness, and experienced an immediate conversion.

Peregrine made a dramatic change in his lifestyle.  He prayed often to the Blessed Mother, on one occasion, while praying in the cathedral, Peregrine saw a vision of Mary surrounded by angels.  She told him to join the Order of The Servants of Mary, of which Father Benizi belonged, and become a priest.  Peregrine showed great humility and self-sacrifice as he prepared to become a priest.  Upon completion of his training, he was given permission to return to Forli to work with the people there.  He was often seen with the sick and the dying in the hospitals, prisons and homes of the poor.

Because of the long hours that he spent on his feet, a sore on Peregrine's foot had become cancerous.  the night before his leg was to be amputated, Peregrine prayed that he would be able to continue his work, but humbled himself to the will of God.  The image of Jesus, on the crucifix in front of him, reached down to heal Peregrine's foot.  In the morning there was no trace of disease.  Peregrine lived until he was eighty years old.

Feast Day: May 1

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