With Mary at the foot of the Cross of her suffering Son, Jesus, We, Servants of Mary, promote and sustain the St. Peregrine Ministry of healing and compassion. Through our ministry of prayer, blessing, pilgrimage, reconciliation and evangelization, we accompany caregivers and those persons who live with serious illness, especially cancer, as they seek to find healing, support, peace and God in their daily lives.

Peregrine was born in Forli, Italy, around 1265. At that time, Forli was governed by the Pope as part of the Papal States, and Peregrine grew up in a family that was actively involved in the opposition, or anti-papal party. Because of anti-papal activity, the city was under the church penalty of interdict, meaning that Mass and the Sacraments could not be celebrated there. St. Philip Benizi, Prior General of the Servants of Mary, went to Forli to preach reconciliation. Young Peregrine, very intense in his political fervor, not only heckled Philip during his preaching, but, in fact, struck him. Philip, instead of responding with anger and violence to the attack, turned and forgave Peregrine.

This encounter with Philip is said to have dramatically changed Peregrine. He began channeling his energy into good works and eventually joined the Servants of Mary in Siena, Italy. He returned to Forli, where he spent the rest of his life, dedicating himself to the sick, the poor, and those on the fringes of society. He also imposed on himself the penance of standing whenever it was not necessary to sit. This led to varicose veins, which later deteriorated into an open sore on his leg, and was eventually diagnosed as cancer.

Peregrine's leg wound became so serious that the local surgeon decided to amputate the leg. The night before the surgery, Peregrine prayed before the image of the crucified Christ, and when he awoke, the wound was healed and his leg saved. He lived another 20 years, dying on May 1, 1345, and the age of about 80. Peregrine was canonized on December 27, 1726, and has been named the Patron Saint of those suffering from cancer.

Each week Mass is said for the many intentions that we receive at the National Shrine of St. Peregrine. You can have you petitions remembered in this Mass by writing the Shrine Director in Chicago or by sending an e-mail to National Shrine of St. Peregrine via the link below. Please be sure to that you send us the actual names so they may be properly enrolled on our prayer lists.

Click here to send a prayer petition to the Shrine

or

Click here to view petitions and pray for others' intentions

The St. Peregrine Shrine at The Grotto, The National Sanctuary of Our Sorrowful Mother, located in Portland, OR, celebrates a St. Peregrine Mass on the first Saturday of each month at noon in the Chapel of Mary.

For more information or to send a prayer request to the St. Peregrine Shrine a the Grotto, click here.

For more information on devotion to St. Peregrine, or to obtain a prayer-card of St. Peregrine, please contact:

NEWS FROM THE NATIONAL SHRINE OF ST. PEREGRINE

Feast Day Mass on Sunday, May 4, 2008

Mass for the Feast of St. Peregrine will be celebrated Sunday May 4 at 2:00pm. at Our Lady of Sorrows Basilica. At the end of Mass all those seeking healing will be invited to approach one of the priests for an individual blessing with the relic of St. Peregrine. All nurses and nursing students will be honored at this Mass, in commemoration of the fiftieth anniversary of the last Chicago Nurses Day Parade in May, 1958. Ample secure parking will be available in the church lots at the rear of the Basilica.

If you are nearby or find yourself in the area for other reasons, please consider joining us fin celebrating this great feast.