Fr. Norberto Sandoval, associate pastor of Blessed Sacrament, Milwaukee, anoints a worshipper during the parish’s monthly St. Peregrine Mass of Healing as Dcn. Paul Klingseisen holds a relic of Saint Peregrine Laziosi and assists with individual blessings. The first-Friday liturgy includes the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick and veneration of the saint’s relic for those praying for healing from serious illness. (Submitted photo)
A South Side Milwaukee parish is taking three hours every first Friday to offer area Catholics a combination of multiple sacramental encounters of healing, amidst both intentional community and the presence of a saint from seven centuries ago.
Blessed Sacrament opens its doors once every month for the St. Peregrine Mass of Healing, an event that has delivered healing of body, mind and spirit through the power of both prayer and connection to those enduring medical battles, or those praying for a loved one in need.
“It’s like a whole health kit here, a care kit. You get it spiritually, physically, emotionally,” said Arlene DeMott, a member of nearby Our Lady Queen of Peace, Milwaukee, who has made it a point to come to Blessed Sacrament for the Mass for the last 10 years.
“I’m with a community who wants to be with Jesus, wants to pray, a community that is suffering (themselves), or suffering for other people. I just love to come here.”
St. Peregrine Laziosi, born in the north central Italian town of Forli in 1265, developed a cancerous ulcer on his foot. He dreamed that Christ touched his foot, then woke up and found himself healed. The Church sees him as a patron saint of those battling cancer and other serious diseases.
Blessed Sacrament’s former pastor, Fr. Robert Turner, began the monthly tradition around the year 2000.
“He contacted the National Shrine of St. Peregrine in Chicago, Our Lady of Sorrows Basilica,” Dcn. Paul Klingseisen said.
“He went down and talked to them, and obtained a relic of St. Peregrine. He was so grateful. He took that back up to Milwaukee, and we use that at every first Friday Mass when we celebrate the St. Peregrine Mass.”
The relic and the presence of the Mass also reflect how Cardinal Timothy Dolan designated the parish as a shrine of St. Peregrine in 2002 during his time as archbishop of Milwaukee.
Because the first Friday in April is Good Friday, the next Mass of Healing will be delayed one week to April 10.
The liturgy and full three-hour experience includes:
– Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament at 10:45 a.m. — opening the door for personal prayer.
– Benediction at 11:45 a.m. — offering a pre-Mass blessing.
– Mass at 12:10 p.m. Attendees can offer their own special intentions for anyone who is ill, their loved ones and those who care for them.
– The Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick — for anyone battling illness or the burdens they endure.
– A blessing with a relic of St. Peregrine. People can ask for his intercession for emotional, physical and spiritual healing.
DeMott said in 2018, two years after she began coming simply to pray and experience community in faith, her sister began a battle with breast cancer.
“I came every first Friday and prayed for her, and now it’s been over five years and she’s completely free of cancer,” DeMott said, while also crediting her niece’s successful healing of an ulcer in her leg and her own lessening of mobility issues to these monthly encounters.
“We have to remember the giver, and what the gift is. The giver is Jesus, and the gift is St. Peregrine’s intercession. I just find it amazing we have a relic here, and it’s important. I don’t know why, but it’s just important for me to touch that relic.”
The parents of parishioner Mike Talaska attended the Mass regularly for years, a tradition he is continuing to honor them.
“Mom and Dad had an awful lot of friends with cancer, so they were very devoted to God and the Church, and specifically to the St. Peregrine Mass. My mom passed away about a year and a half ago. My dad’s currently in a nursing home,” Talaska said through tears.
“This is my effort to carry on. I can do a little bit of what they did.”
Jill Zilles makes it a point to come to Blessed Sacrament every Friday as well to carry on in prayer for her daughters.
“I have two daughters that are recovering alcoholics. One of them is an addict and still in treatment. Praying at the St. Peregrine Mass for them has helped immensely with my state of mind, and I think just knowing that there’s people out there, even strangers, praying for them, is awesomely powerful in so many ways,” Zilles said.
“Addiction is such a horrible disease, and it is a lifelong disease. I know we say some cancers aren’t curable, but they don’t have a cure for mental illness and addiction. It’s just really powerful to sit there and tell my story to someone and then have them pray for her.”
She credits the sense of community with those who endure similar struggles as a key piece of why she and so many return for the Mass on a regular basis, and she believes that strength of community in union with the Lord through St. Peregrine has led to miracles.
“When we gather as a group once a month, it all just increases beyond the increase in the number of people,” Zilles said.
“I’m sure many, many people who come here know people who have had their cancer go into remission. I don’t know if we can ever say anyone’s cancer-free forever, but certainly, with our group prayer, I’m sure there’s been much fruit from our prayers,” Zilles said.
The next St. Peregrine Mass of Healing is scheduled for April 3 — Good Friday — a day that could bring even more spiritual fruit from the Easter Triduum.
“You have adoration, Benediction, Mass, Anointing of the Sick, touching a relic, all at one time,” DeMott says. “What more can you ask for in a day in your life?”
