600 attend special St Peregrine Mass at Rossnowlagh Friary

Upwards of 600 people attended a special Mass at the Franciscan Friary in Rossnowlagh on Sunday to celebrate the Feast of St Peregrine.

Last November, over 2,000 descended upon the Friary for an open day for a blessing with the relic of St Peregrine.

When the news was posted on social media, 75,000 either liked or shared the news .

Reflecting on what was a very special Mass at the weekend, the ‘Democrat’ caught up with Fr Vincent Finnegan OFM this week, just as he was boarding a flight from Dublin airport to Medjugorje, in the company of 54 pilgrims, yesterday:

He said: “Last Sunday I decided to celebrate the feast of St Peregrine, the Sunday closest to the actual feast day.

“By 1pm the people started to arrive and at 3pm when the Mass began, over 600 within the church and without, in the glow of the beautiful sunshine, came to ask for the intercession of St Peregrine, to whom they have adopted as a powerful intercessor in their struggle with Cancer and life debilitating illnesses.

"He said that many others attended as well.

The relic of St Peregrine was also at the Friary on Sunday

“They came with the support of loved ones, family and friends who also shoulder the weight of pain on behalf of loved ones too. Many have come back to St Peregrine to say thanks for answered prayers, while others recently diagnosed hang on to hope and faith rekindled as they battle on.

“They have come too to ask for prayers and to be heard, to hand over to a compassionate God, who suffers with them, the life altering condition they carry.

“They were from all walks of life, all ages and abilities, showing that Cancer shows no partiality and there isn’t a family the length and breadth of the country who hasn’t been touched by this disease.

Powerful

On a personal level, Fr Vincent also reflected on the momentous influence the relic itself has had upon himself, since first introduced at the friary.

He said: “For myself it was so powerful to see so many whom I’ve met over this past year for individual blessings, and to see so many new people who have only recently heard of what we are doing in Rossnowlagh.

“The Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick took place during the Eucharist, administered by the Franciscan community and we were also blessed by help from volunteers and our own amazing friary staff.

“All in all it was a beautiful witness to faith and trust, companionship, solidarity and a determination not to let cancer have the last word. I am so grateful to all those who came, and I will continue to have the individual blessings every Saturday.”