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Bishop blesses site of future cancer shrine
By Ambria Hammel, ahammel@catholicsun.org
December 18, 2008
MESA — Roughly 10,000 Arizonans lost their fight against some form of cancer this year.
“Everyone here will be affected by cancer in their lifetime,” Cindy Bennette, director of the Cancer Resource Center Network for the American Cancer Society told 300 Catholics last month.
The faithful gathered for a land blessing Nov. 15 at the future site of the St. Peregrine chapel and shrine, a place that will honor and support cancer sufferers and those who support them.
The impact cancer has already had on their lives was evident. Lining the perimeter of what will become a 2,300-square-foot shrine, sat 300 hand-decorated luminaries. Each bore at least one name of loved ones the crowd already lost to cancer or is still fighting it.
One of those names was that of Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted’s nephew, who lost a short battle with cancer earlier this year.
The bishop, who presided over the blessing of the land and the shrine’s cornerstone, called cancer “a great challenge to the spirit.”
He added that the shrine, which is under construction on the north side of Christ the King Parish, would be a place of hope, based on the power of Christ’s presence.
The Lord’s presence will always be felt because once the shrine opens — leaders are shooting for summer 2009 — visitors will be able to spend 24 hours in adoration with the reposed Eucharist.
The faithful will also be able to gather for regular prayer group meetings and find information and hope through other spiritual support programs thanks to the diocesan Healing Through the Body of Christ Cancer Ministry, which will be headquartered on-site.
“We need a shrine of St. Peregrine so that we will be reminded of the joys of suffering when we are joined with Christ,” the bishop said.
A handful of members from various Knights of Columbus councils presented Fr. Steve Kunkel, pastor of Christ the King, with $7,600 in checks from second collections during Mass and another $11,000 in checks strictly from the councils.
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