Chilton parish honors cancer saint

Cancer victims, their families and friends are invited to visit the new St. Peregrine Shrine at Chilton. The shrine will be dedicated at an 11 a.m. Mass on Thursday, Aug. 30, at St. Mary Church, 62 E. Main Street. Fr. Christopher Krymski, OSM, national director of St. Peregrine Ministries at Our Lady of Sorrows Basilica in Chicago, will be the main celebrant at the dedication Mass.

The Chilton shrine, located in a renovated confessional to the right of the church sanctuary, was the idea of Fr. Gary New, SDS, pastor of Chilton Area Catholic Ministry. He and the other pastoral staff had seen many reports that Chilton has a higher than normal rate of cancer in its population, though no one has determined the reason. Many parish members have been affected.

"Every time you turn around," Fr. New said, "someone here has cancer or is being checked for cancer. I've had so many deaths (among parishioners) from cancer, so I thought, 'Why not have a shrine?'"

St. Peregrine Laziosi was a 14th century Servite. He was diagnosed with ulcerative cancer of the leg and amputation was planned. The night before surgery, Peregrine prayed before the crucifix. He fell asleep and dreamed that Jesus came down from the cross and touched his leg. In the morning, the doctors found Peregrine's leg healed. He died in 1345 in Forli, Italy, where his main shrine is located. He is the patron for cancer, ulcerative sores and AIDS.

There are national shrines to St. Peregrine in Portland, Ore., and Chicago. The Chilton shrine, already being visited by people from outside the parish, is the only shrine honoring St. Peregrine in the Green Bay Diocese.

The shrine will be open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Saturdays from 8 a.m. until after the 7:30 p.m. Mass. On Sundays, Mass is at 8:30 a.m. and the church will remain open until 7 p.m. Weekday Masses are at 8 a.m., except on Mondays. There are free St. Peregrine prayer cards at the shrine, as well as candles, holy oils, prayer cloths and booklets available for a small charge.

The parish also has a perpetual adoration chapel behind St. Mary Church. Healing Masses are held twice a year at the parish, near the feasts of St. Peregrine (May 4) and St. Therese (Oct. 1).