More prayers for the sick

Several weeks ago, Funfare published a brief history of St. Peregrine, Patron of cancer victims, upon the request of a reader whose father was afflicted with the Big C. Religious readers have been responding since then, some of them sending prayers not only for cancer victims but for those suffering from other ailments.

This time (especially) is as good as any to reacquaint readers with who St. Peregrine is. St. Peregrine was born in Forli, Italy, in 1260. As a youngster, he worked against the church but after meeting St. Philip Benizi he changed his life. Influenced by St. Philip’s compassion, Peregrine dedicated his life to God and the Blessed Mother. He entered the Servites at Sienna and became a priest. After his ordination, he returned to Forli to work with the poor and those in hospitals.

Most of his time was spent with the sick and dying. Late in life, Peregrine developed cancer on his leg. The doctors wanted to amputate his leg but Peregrine decided to leave everything to God and pray for an answer. He was miraculously cured after having a vision in which Jesus touched his leg and the cancer disappeared. Because of this, Peregrine became known as the Patron of cancer victims. He died in 1345. His feast day is May 2.

Here’s a reaction from "anonymous":

I also want to share a novena to St. Peregrine with those suffering from cancer. I want to challenge them and those suffering from other illnesses to realize the fact that, more than medicine, what could help them is perseverance to overcome their ailments and, of course, faith in God.

Prayer to Saint Peregrine

O God, you gave St. Peregrine an angel for his companion, the Mother of God for his teacher, and Jesus for the Physician of his infirmity. Grant, we beg you, through his merits, that on earth we may intensely love our holy angel, the Blessed Virgin, and our Saviour, and in heaven bless them forever. Grant that we may receive the favor we now ask Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Say one Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be with the invocations: St. Peregrine, pray for us.

Novena to Saint Peregrine

O glorious wonder-worker, St. Peregrine, you answered the divine call with a ready spirit, renounced all the comforts of a life of ease and all the empty honors of the world, to dedicate yourself to God in the Order of his most Holy Mother, the Servites. You labored courageously for the salvation of souls, meriting the title of "Apostle of Emilia." In union with Jesus Crucified, you patiently endured the most painful sufferings and so merited to be healed miraculously from an incurable wound in your leg with a touch of His divine hand. Obtain for us, we pray, the grace to answer every call from God. Inspire in our hearts a consuming zeal for the salvation of souls. Deliver us from the infirmities that so often afflict our weak bodies. And obtain for us the grace of perfect resignation to the sufferings which our merciful God allows us to endure. So may we, imitating your virtues and tenderly loving our crucified Lord and His sorrowful Mother, merit glory everlasting in paradise. Amen.

Say one Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be.

And here are two more prayers from reader Agnes Concepcion whose own father is cancer-stricken:

Prayer to Our Lady of Healing

Our Lady, Health of the Sick, I look to you for the comfort of a mother’s love, I pray to you on behalf of those who are suffering and for my own healing needs. Mary, your love strengthens me and brings me peace.

Our Lady, Health of the Sick, embrace all who are emotionally and physically ill that they may return to good health under your tender care. And please intercede for my very special needs (mention your needs here).

Mary, your love strengthens me and brings me peace.

Our Lady,

Health of the Sick,

we pray for the comfort of your love.

Prayer to Blessed Padre Pio

Beloved Padre Pio, today I come to add my prayer to the thousands of prayers offered to you every day by those who love and venerate you. They ask for cures and healings, earthly and spiritual blessings, and peace for body and mind. And because of your friendship with the Lord, he heals those you ask to be healed, and forgives those you forgive. Through your visible wounds of the Cross, which you bore for 50 years, you were chosen in our time to glorify the crucified Jesus. Because the Cross has been replaced by other symbols, please help us to bring it back in our midst, for we acknowledge it is the only true sign of salvation.

As we lovingly recall the wounds that pierced your hands, feet and side, we not only remember the blood you shed in pain, but your smile, and the invisible halo of sweet smelling flowers that surrounded your presence, the perfume of sanctity. Padre Pio, may the healings of the sick become the testimony that the Lord has invited you to join the holy company of Saints. In your kindness, please help me with my own special request: (mention here your petition, and make the sign of the Cross).

(Note: The relic, a piece of rib of St. Peregrine is displayed at the St. Peregrine Lazioni Shrine in Barangay Tunasan, Muntinlupa City where a special healing Mass for the sick is held every Sunday at 2 p.m. For inquiries about the shrine schedule, you may call Fr. Rhett Sarabia, OSM, at 842-2424, or lay worker Bro. Pershing Golez of the St. Peregrine Healing Ministry at +632-807-1914 or 0917-8281027.)

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E-mail reactions at: rickylo@philstar.net.ph