Our History

Peregrine Laziosi was born in Forli, Italy in 1265. At that time, Forli was governed by the Pope as part of the Papal States. As a young man, Peregrine led a rebellious and dissolute life and was very hostile to the Church. He grew up in a family of well-to-do parents who were actively involved in the anti-papal party. Because of anti-papal political activity, the city was under the church penalty of interdict. This meant that Mass and the Sacraments could not be celebrated in the city.

St Philip Benizi, the Prior General of the Servants of Mary was sent to Forli to preach the reconciliation of the city and the removal of the penalty. Young Peregrine was so intense in his political commitment that he heckled St. Philip during the preaching and at one point punched St. Philip viciously in the face. This good and gentle saint meekly turned the other cheek. The moment of striking St. Philip seemed to drastically change Peregrine.

The Blessed Virgin appeared to Peregrine in a vision and urged him to go to Siena where he joined the Servants of Mary. Peregrine then returned to Forli, where he spent the rest of his life. The best information indicates that he was not a priest, but a choir brother, who undertook an apostolate among the people of Forli. He especially dedicated himself to a life of repentance, prayer and, whenever possible, helped the sick and the poor.

He also imposed a special penance on himself – to stand whenever it was not necessary to sit. This led to varicose veins. The varicose veins deteriorated into an open, running sore on his leg. The sore was diagnosed as cancer. The wound became so obvious, odorous and painful that the local surgeon scheduled surgery to amputate the leg.

Suddenly Peregrine was confronted with the ugliness and suffering of his own life. He had given himself to people in similar situations and then found he must lean on his own faith in the goodness of God. At the age of 60, he was challenged to carry a new and more difficult cross. The night before the surgery, Peregrine prayed before the image of the crucified Christ. His prayer led him into a deep trance-like sleep during which he envisioned the crucified Christ leaving the cross and touching his cancerous leg. When Peregrine awoke from the trance of prayer, the wound was healed and the leg was saved.

Peregrine lived another 20 years. He died on May 1, 1345 at the age of 80 and was canonized on December 27, 1726. Peregrine has been named the Patron Saint of those suffering from cancer. His feast day is celebrated on May 2nd.

Father Robert Dmitri died of cancer in August 1991. He did not want scholarships or memorials named after him. He only asked that his friends encourage devotion to St. Peregrine. Seven of his closest friends honored his wish and formed the Friends of St. Peregrine.

As a lasting icon, the Friends decided to purchase a statue of St. Peregrine for the Mount St. Mary’s Hospital Chapel in Lewiston, NY, where "Father Bob" was chaplain. The cost, between $9,000 and $15,000, proved to be prohibitive. So Father Jim Judge, one of the seven friends and former senior chaplain at Collins Correctional Facility, suggested that an inmate and accomplished artist, Peter Rentz carve the 41-inch oak-stained white ash statue.

Mr. Rentz also carved an 18-inch St. Peregrine statue for the Scalia family when their daughter, Diane, was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 31. After her passing, Diane’s mother, Tina decided to share this statue with other families. As Tina quietly fought her own battle of cancer, she viewed the statue as a means by which she could let others know that God would help them through their most difficult times. Since 1992, the Scalia family has been delivering the “traveling” St. Peregrine statue to the homes of people stricken with cancer. Along with the statue, a journal is provided where cancer patients can write down their thoughts and feelings. The statue has visited over 174 families.

The Friends of St. Peregrine celebrate healing masses from April to November throughout the Buffalo Diocese. Twelve masses are held each year. From 1992, we estimate that over 30,700 people have attended our healing masses.

Rev. Robert T. Dmitri (1946-1991) attended St. John Vianney Seminary in East Aurora, NY earning bachelor's and master's degrees. In 1972, Father Dmitri was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Buffalo. He served as parochial vicar at St. Mark, Rushford; St. Agnes, Buffalo; St. John de LaSalle and Sacred Heart parishes in Niagara Falls.

Father Dmitri was also a faculty member at Niagara Catholic High School from 1980 to 1986. Father Dmitri served as chaplain at St. Mary’s Manor and Mount St. Mary’s Hospital in Lewiston and for the Niagara Falls Police and Fire Departments.

It was Father Bob’s dying wish to increase devotion to St. Peregrine and he was the inspiration in forming the Friends of St. Peregrine. Father Dmitri passed away from cancer at the young age of 45.

Rev. David A. Bellittiere is the current spiritual leader of the Friends of St. Peregrine. He continues the tradition of healing masses offered by the Friends of St. Peregrine throughout the communities of Western New York. He is a strong believer in the power of prayer to comfort individuals and families that are experiencing the difficult challenges of illness.

Father Bellittiere is a native of Amherst, NY and attended Wadhams Hall Seminary College in Ogdensburg, NY. He entered SS. Cyril and Methodius Seminary in Orchard Lake, MI where he earned his Master of Divinity Degree. In 1988, he was ordained a transitional deacon and assigned to Our Lady of Czestochowa Parish in North Tonawanda. In 1989, he was ordained a priest at St. Benedict Parish in Eggertsville, where he grew up.

Father Bellittiere served at All Saints Parish in Buffalo as a parochial vicar until 1995 and then assisted as temporary administrator at St. Bridget's Church in Newfane. His next assignment was parochial vicar at Christ the King Parish in Amherst where he served for eight years. In 2002, he was appointed pastor at Holy Trinity Church in Dunkirk. In 2008, he was given additional responsibilities at the Newman Center on the campus of SUNY at Fredonia.

The Diocese of Buffalo Vocation Office recognized Father Bellittiere as “Priest of the Month for May 2012,” because his vocational journey is an inspiration to those who are considering the call to priesthood.

Father Bellittiere was the pastor at Fourteen Holy Helpers Church in West Seneca and is now assigned as pastor of the Northern Erie Vicariate Family #16. Fr. Bellittiere is responsible for St. Leo the Great, Amherst; St. Benedict, Eggertsville; Christ the King, Snyder; St. Aloysius Gonzaga, Cheektowaga; Infant of Prague, Cheektowaga; and Saints Peter & Paul, Williamsville.

Rev. James G. Judge was the founding spiritual leader of the Friends of St. Peregrine. For fifteen years, he celebrated healing masses throughout the Western New York area. Through his inspirational message, he provided hope to those afflicted with cancer and other life-threatening illness and has touched the hearts of many.

Father Judge, a native of Buffalo, NY attended the Diocesan Preparatory Seminary and St. John Vianney Seminary in East Aurora, NY where he earned a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Divinity Degree. Father Judge also studied at the University of Notre Dame, and earned a Master of Arts Degree in Sociology.

His first assignment as a priest was an assistant pastor at Ascension Parish, North Tonawanda. In 1975, Father Judge taught at Notre Dame High School in Batavia. During his years there, he was the weekend assistant at St. Vincent de Paul Parish, Attica and at St. Joseph Parish, Albion. He was chaplain at the Genesee County Jail and the Albion Correctional Facility. In 1978, he was named Religious Educator of the Year, and in 1980 received the Diocesan Teacher of the Year award.

Father Judge became senior chaplain at the Collins Center Correctional Facility in 1983 and was in residence at Immaculate Conception Parish, Eden. In the early 1990s, he was an adjunct professor at Medaille College. He received his first pastorate in 1994 when Bishop Edward D. Head named him pastor of Annunciation Parish in Buffalo and he was later assigned as pastor of Holy Spirit in North Collins. Father Judge was the pastor of St. Martin of Tours and St. Thomas Aquinas in South Buffalo, prior to his retirement.

After fifteen years of uplifting and comforting healing masses, Father Judge will devote himself to other ministries. We deeply regret his departure and we express our profound gratitude and appreciation for his many years of leadership and spiritual guidance.

Peter Rentz accepted the challenge of carving our St. Peregrine statue. This gifted artist from Ithaca, NY won the Best of Show at the Keuka Lake Art Festival and twice at the Albany Exhibition of Convicts' Art for his oil paintings.

Carving The Statue

Thoughts from the artist...

Not often enough am I at my best, yielded to the Lord God my maker, resisting not the mercies that flow from His Throne.

In those brief moments when my will consents to be part of things greater than itself, the floodgates open and I am filled with faith, hope, and love. From this reserve of wealth come gifts, such as my agreement to embrace the St. Peregrine Project. The strength and inspiration to carry out my part, and the grace to grow closer to Christ through it.

For all of this I am thankful. Yet most of all I am filled with joy to share in the love that brought us all together in remembrance of Christ and of Father Robert Dmitri.

While laboring upon the statue, I turned my meditations to Christ's suffering and the hope that sustained St. Peregrine through his suffering. It was an enormous challenge for me to convey this, which has so inspired the beloved Father Dmitri.

Struggling within myself during this period, the advent of my appearance before the Parole Board, serenity enveloped me while I embraced the Saint Peregrine statue and clutched the Cross. Through tears shed on his shoulder, I felt hope kindled within me.

It is my prayer that all in need are blessed with the kindling of hope within, through embracing the gifts God has given us in Christ-like examples of St. Peregrine and Father Dmitri.

Peter Rentz
August 1992