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 love our holy angel, 
The Blessed Virgin, and our Savior,
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, One Hail Mary, and one Glory Be
with the invocation:
"St. Peregrine, pray for us!"

Story of St. Peregrine

    St. Peregrine was born in 1265, in Forli, Italy which was a papal-state town governed by the pope.  Forli was a stronghold of anti-papal sentiments, and Peregrine's family was very active in the political party which strongly opposed the pope.  The Vatican took the strong measure of placing Forli under interdict, forbidding the celebration of the Mass and sacraments in the tow. 

    The prior of a local Servite order of monks was sent to Forli to try and create peace within the church. The prior, now known as St. Philip Benizi, was not received well.  Peregrine was among the hecklers, and at one point, struck the monk. 

    Perhaps this was Peregrines turning point, for he soon showed evidence of charity and good works, and at the age of 30, became a Servite himself!  During his lifetime service to the sick and poor and forgotten, Brother Peregrine practiced a penance of standing instead of sitting whenever possible.  Years of this extreme wear resulted in varicose veins which eventually broke down into open, running sores which were diagnosed as cancer.  The leg was putrid and so painful amputation was scheduled. 

    As the story goes, the eve before the operation, Peregrine prayed before a crucifix, and entered a trance-like state during which he envisioned the crucified Christ coming down from His cross to touch Peregrine's cancerous leg.  When Peregrine awoke, his leg was healed.  The cancer was cured.  The leg was saved.  In fact, he lived on to the age of 80, dying on May 1, 1345. 

    Peregrine was canonized on December 27th, 1726 and named the patron saint of those who suffer from cancer.  St. Peregrine's feast day is celebrated on May 4th.