St. Peregrine Patron Saint for Cancer Patients

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FIRST AND FOREMOST:
WHAT IS A PATRON SAINT????
Patron saints are chosen as special protectors or guardians over areas of life. These areas can include occupations, illnesses, churches, countries, causes -- anything that is important to us. The earliest records show that people and churches were named after apostles and martyrs as early as the fourth century.Recently, the popes have named patron saints but patrons can be chosen by other individuals or groups as well. Patron saints are often chosen today because an interest, talent, or event in their lives overlaps with the special area.For example, Francis of Assisi loved nature and so he is patron of ecologists. Francis de Sales was a writer and so he is patron of journalists and writers. Clare of Assisi was named patron of television because one Christmas when she was too ill to leave her bed she saw and heard Christmas Mass -- even though it was taking place miles away.Angels can also be named as patron saints.A patron saint can help us when we follow the example of that saint's life and when we ask for that saint's intercessory prayers to God.
THE LIFE OF SAINT PEREGRINE
Saint Peregrine was born in 1260 in Forli, a town in Romagna, which is a region in Italy. His family was moderately wealthy, and as a young man, Peregrine was involved in politics. The city of Forli belonged to the anti-papal party in Italian politics. His father belonged to this party, but his mother was a pro-papacy believer. During a period of civil unrest, the pope sent Saint Philip Benizi to Forli act as a mediator. Peregrine, apparently ever the holder of strong opinions, struck Saint Philip Benizi in the face. Saint Philip Benizi responded by turning the other cheek, and praying for the youth Peregrine. This had an immense impact on Peregrine, who eventually repented and began to reform his life. Legend says that in penance for his early life's mistakes, he swore neither to speak nor to sit unless necessary to ministery. It is said that he spent nearly thirty years of his life on his feet! He spent great amounts of time in prayer, and developed a special devotion to the Blessed Mother. A vision of Our Lady inspired Peregrine to travel to Sienna and join the Servite Order, the same Order to which Saint Philip Benizi belonged. During the time he spent in Sienna, he became a priest, and was fervent in celebrating the liturgy and ministering to the people. He returned to Forli to found a new house for the Order, upon the orders of his superiors. It was while he was working on this project, that Saint Peregrine contracted a cancer of the foot, which caused him both excruciating pain as well as rejection by others due to its unpleasant appearance. He bore these burdens for some time, as the cancer resisted all treatments. At last the physicians decided that the only thing to do was to amputate the foot. Saint Peregrine spent the night before the operation in prayer, entrusting his fate to God. Toward morning, he fell into a light sleep, and dreamed that Christ Himself came from the cross and touched his leg, and awoke completely cured; the doctors could find no remaining trace of cancer. Saint Peregrine lived to the age of 85, dying in 1345. He was canonized in 1726.

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Cancer Awareness Ribbons and Meanings

Pink ...Breast Cancer
Teal ...Ovarian Cancer
Clear ...Lung Cancer
Purple ...Pancreatic Cancer
Orange ...Leukemia
Black ...Melanoma
Dark Blue ...Colon Cancer
Burgundy ...Multiple Myeloma
Grey ...Brain Cancer
Light Blue ...Prostate Cancer
Gold ...Childhood Cancer
Lavender ...General Cancer Awareness
Lime ...Lymphoma
Peach ...Uterine Cancer
Kelly Green ...Kidney Cancer
Burgundy and Ivory ...Head and Neck Cancer
Yellow ...Sarcoma/Bone Cancer
Teal/White ...Cervical Cancer

O great St. Peregrine, you have been called "The Mighty", the "The Wonder Worker" because of the numerous miracles which you obtained from God for those who have turned to you in their need. For so many years you bore in your own flesh this cancerous disease that destroys the very fiber of our being. You turned to God when the power of human beings could do no more, and you were favored with the vision of Jesus coming down from His cross to heal your affliction. I now ask God to heal these sick persons whom I entrust to you:
(Here mention their names)
Aided by your powerful intercession, I shall sing with Mary a hymn of gratitude to God for His great goodness and mercy.Amen.

St. Peregrine, pray for all who suffer from cancer, ease their pain and calm their fears. Give them strength and the grace to unite their sufferings with those of Jesus Christ for the salvation of souls.

We all suffer, every one of us, youngest to oldest. We suffer loneliness, cancer, the loss of a wife, a husband, a child; we suffer misunderstandings, family conflicts, ruptured friendships, cosmetic disfigurement, mental, emotional, physical incapacities. We suffer a sense of powerlessness, an empty feeling of futility.
The world is awash in pain.
How tragic if that pain is wasted; that pain that could be united with the suffering of Christ on the cross to achieve enormous good.
~John Cardinal O'Connor

Saint Peregrine " The Cancer Saint " Patron Saint of those afflicted with cancer, AIDS and all the sick.

St. Peregrine Story He was born in Forli, Italy around 1265. At the time, Forli was governed by the Pope as part of the Papal States. Peregrine grew up in a family which was actively involved in the opposition or anti-papal party. Forli was a stronghold of anti-papal party activism. Because of this anti-papal political activity, the city was under the church penalty of interdict. This meant that Mass and the Sacraments could not be celebrated in the city. St. Philip Benizi, the Prior General of the Servants of Mary was sent to Forli to preach the reconciliation of the city and the removal of the penalty. Young Peregrine was so intense in his political fervor that he heckled Philip during the preaching and at one point Peregrine struck St. Philip.
The moment of striking St. Philip seemed to drastically change Peregrine. He began to channel his energies into good works and eventually he joined the Servants of Mary and pronounced his vows in the Servite Priory in Siena, Italy. He was about 30 years old. Peregrine then returned to Forli, where he spent the rest of his life. The best information indicates that he was not a priest, but a choir brother, who undertook an apostolate among the people of Forli. He especially dedicated himself to the sick, the poor and the fringe people of society. He also imposed a special penance on himself-to stand whenever it was not necessary to sit. This led to varicose veins. The varicose veins deteriorated into an open, running sore on his leg. The open, running sore was diagnosed as cancer. The wound became so obvious, odorous and painful that the local surgeon scheduled surgery to amputate the leg.
Suddenly Peregrine was confronted with the ugliness and suffering of his own life. He had given himself to people in similar situations and then found he must lean on his own faith in the goodness of God. The night before the operation he prayed before the image of the crucified Christ in the priory chapter room. At the age of 60 he was challenged to carry a new and more difficult cross. His prayer led him into a deep trance-like sleep during which he envisioned the crucified Christ leaving the cross and touching his cancerous leg. When Peregrine awakened from the trance of prayer, he discovered the wound healed and the leg saved.
St. Peregrine lived 20 more years. He died on May 1, 1345 at the age of 80. He was canonized on December 27, 1726. He has been named the Patron Saint for those who suffer from cancer. The people of Forli chose him to be the Patron Saint of their city. His feast day is celebrated on May 4.
For more information on devotion to St. Peregrine, to obtain a prayer-card of St. Peregrine, or to request a copy of the St. Peregrine Newsletter please write:

Shrine Director National Shrine of St. Peregrine 3121 West Jackson Boulevard Chicago, IL 60612-2729 The Grotto P.O. Box 20008 Portland, OR 97294-0008

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