![]() In a dream Christ seemed to stretch out His hand from the Cross and touched his diseased foot. He fell asleep before the image of the Crucified Savior. He even crawled into the monastery chapel and offered a prayer of resignation, mixed with the plea, that his leg would not be amputated. Peregrine spent the night before the operation in trustful prayer to God. He, too, wanted to sacrifice and pray for sinners. Many souls are lost, because there are none to make sacrifices for them." Devoted child of Mary that he was, Peregrine wished to carry out her desires. How earnestly she pleaded at Fatima: "Pray, pray very much and make sacrifices for sinners. Did she not emphasize the need of penance and prayer both at Lourdes and Fatima? She wants the world to make reparation to the good God and to her Immaculate Heart in order that souls may be saved from eternal damnation. How well Peregrine understood that souls are saved by sacrifice and prayer! This was entirely in keeping with the spirit of the Blessed Mother. Amputation of his leg would mean he would lose a golden opportunity to suffer with the Queen of Sorrows. Constant meditation on the Passion of Christ and the Sorrows of Mary had made him realize the infinite value of souls—the great price Mother and Son had paid to save them from Hell. Peregrine had great dreams for the future. At last the surgeon decided that the only thing to do was to cut off the foot. ![]() The gangrenous stench from the wound was so foul that no one dared approach him. Besides being very painful, it made him repulsive to his associates. The genuine worth of Peregrine's sanctity was tested by a great affliction which befell him in the form of a loathsome cancer of the foot. The grace of God had worked wonders in transforming this sinful, misguided youth into a Saint. After having spent some years in Siena, his superiors sent him to Forli to found a new house for the Order. He was untiring in preaching and bringing sinners back to God. He was a fervent priest and displayed his fervor above all in celebration of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. As far as he could, he observed silence and solitude, for he considered this a most necessary aid in fostering the spiritual life. It is said that for thirty years he never sat down, and when forced to sleep, it was most often on the bare ground with a stone for a pillow or leaning against a wall. For sixty-two years he lived a life of austere penance and prolonged prayer. Only because of the vow of obedience did he consent to be ordained a priest. He set about following with zeal the path of perfection. Having reached Siena, he was received into the Order of the Servants of Mary by the same St. Join them." Peregrine being deeply touched by this tender consideration of the Mother of God, obeyed her command at once. There you will find the devout men who call themselves my servants. One day she appeared to him in the Cathedral and said to him: "Go to Siena. It was the Blessed Mother who led him closer to her loving son. ![]() He spent long hours upon his knees in the Chapel of Our Lady in the Cathedral. ![]() This incident was God's way of calling Peregrine from the world, to dedicate himself to the service of Christ and the souls for whom he died. Philip consoled his penitent, exhorting him at the same time to amend his life and to cultivate a childlike devotion to the Mother of God. With tears he confessed his guilt and begged forgiveness on his knees and promised to change his way of living. He soon realized what a fool he had made of himself and how rude he had been, so he ran three miles to catch up to the retreating Saint. This heroic meekness deeply impressed Peregrine. The saintly Servite's only reply was to offer the other cheek and to pray for this misguided youth. To prove his leadership, the proud Peregrine went so far as to strike the holy man on the face with his fist, knocking him down. Philip in behalf of peace were met with abusive language, rocks and clubs. Peregrine himself, hotheaded and impetuous, with a gang of followers met the Saint at the gates of the city. Philip Benizi, who had been sent by Pope Martin IV to act as a mediator and preach peace at Forli, was severely mishandled by the popular leaders. As a young man of eighteen he took an active part in the politics of his native city, which belonged to the anti-papal party that disturbed the peace of Italy. Peregrine was born in 1260 at Forli, Italy. The only son of well-to-do and noble parents St. Peregrine, O.S.M., a priest of the Order of the Servants of Mary. It will be encouraging and helpful for people to know that there is a patron of America's most deadly disease. ![]()
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