The Catholic Defender: The Story of St. Peregrine

St. Peregrine sought to pray for cancer patients. The Rebel Who Became a Saint Peregrine Laziosi (1265-1345) was born in Forli, Italy, the only son of well-to-do parents. In his teens he joined the enemies of the Pope in his hometown and soon became a ringleader of rebels.

Pope Martin IV had placed Forli under a spiritual interdict which closed churches in the city, hoping to bring its citizens to their senses. That failing, he sent Philip Benizi, of the Order of Servites (Servants of Mary), as his personal ambassador to try to bring peace to the angry rebels.

No welcome mat was spread for the papal delegate. While addressing crowds of malcontents one day, he was dragged off the rostrum, beaten with clubs and pelted with rocks. Peregrine knocked him down with a vicious blow to the face.

Moments after, stricken with remorse, the youth cast himself at the feet of the bruised and bleeding priest and asked for his forgiveness, which was granted with a smile.

Peregrine became a staunch champion of Philip Benizi. He heeded Philip’s suggestion and often prayed in Our Lady’s chapel in the Cathedral.

While kneeling there he had a vision of the Blessed Mother holding in her hands a black habit like the one the Servites wore.

“Go to Siena,” Mary told the astonished Peregrine. “There you will find devout men who call themselves my servants. Attach yourself to them.”

The Servites gave him a warm welcome. He was clothed ceremoniously in the religious habit by Philip Benizi himself.

One of Peregrine’s slogans as a Servite may well have been: “Better today than yesterday, better tomorrow than today!”

Daily he sought to become a more fervent religious man. To atone for past misdeeds he treated himself harshly and worked hard for the poor and afflicted.

People took to calling him the “Angel of Good Counsel,” so grateful were they for his wise advice so freely given.

His great fervor and qualities as a confessor brought many back to the true Faith. Afflicted with cancer, Peregrine turned to God and was richly rewarded for his Faith, enabling him over many years to lead others to the truth. He is the patron of cancer patients.

Evangelism is one of our main apostolates here at DeepertruthCatholic-Radio/Blog to reach out seeking to snatch them out of the fire.

"Keep yourselves in the love of God and wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life On those who waver, have mercy; save others by snatching them out of the fire; on others have mercy with fear, abhorring even the outer garment stained by the flesh."

After being ordained a priest he went to Forli to found a Servite monastery.

A few years later a cancerous growth appeared on his right foot. It was so painful that he finally agreed with the surgeon who wanted to amputate.

The night before the scheduled surgery, Peregrine spent hours in prayer. Then he dozed off and dreamt that Christ was touching him and healing his foot.

The thrill of it woke him up. In the dim moonlight he saw that his foot, carefully bandaged a few hours earlier was completely healed.

The Forlineses appreciated him still more after learning of the miraculous cure. When they were sick they appealed to his prayers.

Some were cured when he whispered “Jesus” into their ears. The Church has since appointed him patron of persons with cancer, foot ailments, or any incurable disease.

Peregrine died on May 1st , 1345 and was ranked with the saints in 1726. Thousands of clients pay him special honor on May 1st each year.

Recently my brother and I both were diagnosed with prostate cancer.

Finding this story of St. Peregrine is a great blessing. The key here is early detection, God works miracles through the miraculas such as St. Peregrine's intercession.

Along with this truth, the Lord uses Doctors who can heal through modern medicene. I would recommend both. God is good and He hears our prayers and supplication.

There are times when I felt the hand of Jesus intervening saving me from near death experiences and there have been times when Jesus used doctors to heal me.

I have been graced to recieve both healings. I took notice that "Peregrine knocked the papal delegate Father Philip Benizi, of the Order of Servites him down with a vicious blow to the face." While in Iraq at Camp Victory located in Baghdad, I met a Soldier who identified himself as a Neopagan. I spoke with him and he told me he was once Catholic who was a lot like the younger Peregrine in knocking down a Catholic priest. He told me that he was excommunicated for that assault. I reached out to him and brought him back to the Catholic Faith.

A mortar shell landed and exploded in Iraq close enough to cause my 3rd and 4th cervicle disk to lodge into my spinal cord. Today I have a titanium plate, screws and part of my right hipbone in the place of the 3rd cervicle disk that had to be replaced.

Today, I no longer have the numbness from my right foot to my face or the neck contractions which were very painful.