A Bit of History of Our Parish

St. Blase Parish was established on June 21, 1967 by His Eminence John Cardinal Dearden with Father George Schrauder as its first pastor. At the time, there were 224 families registered. Sunday Mass was celebrated at Haitema Elementary school until the church building was completed and dedicated in December of that same year.

Due to the phenomenal growth during the first seven years (from 224 to 2,234 families), the church needed to be expanded. The expansion effort was dedicated on December 18, 1976 with Monsignor Gerald Flanigan as pastor. Our third pastor was Father Joseph Killeen who guided the parish as it continued to grow and mature as a strong faith community. In June of 1993, Monsignor Michael LeFevre was called to be our fourth pastor. Our current pastor is Father Randy Phillips who took over in 2003.

St. Blase Parish History Timeline   View large version of the Timeline

St. Blase, Bishop & Martyr - Patron Saint of Our Parish One of the most popular devotions in today's church community is the blessing of throats invoking the intercession of Saint Blase. While a bishop, Blase was arrested; on the way to prison he performed the miraculous healing of a young child who was choking. After the bishop's execution in February of 316 A.D., the story of this healing spread throughout the region what is now present day Armenia. Down through the centuries, many believers have been protected and even cured from all types of throat problems through the intercession of this gentle man of God.

Saint Blase, Bishop and Martyr (From "The Flame" February 2, 2008)

Saint Blase was a bishop of the early church, exercising his ministry in Sebaste in Armenia. He was martyred during the persecutions of the Roman emperor Licinius in about 316AD.

While there is little factual knowledge about our patron, legends abound.

Tradition says that he was a student of philosophy and perhaps even a physician prior to
becoming a bishop. According to legend, when the persecutions began in his city, Blase took refuge in the woods, making a home in a cave. There he lived as a hermit in solitude and prayer. One day hunters seeking wild animals for the amphitheatre games found him. They were in shock, for here was Blase, kneeling in prayer, surrounded by lions, bears, and wolves.

The hunters dragged him away to prison. While incarcerated, a distraught mother came to visit the bishop. Her son had a fish bone caught in his throat and was choking to death. Blase offered prayers for the boy and her son immediately coughed up the bone. The boy’s mother then brought Blase food and candles to the prison. This is the probably the most famous story of Saint Blase and the one depicted at the shrine in our church. Of course it is also the basis for the blessing of throats which we do on February 3, Blase’s feast day.

Another legend involves a wolf and a pig. It seems a woman went to the bishop to ask for his help because a wolf had taken her pig. Blase reasoned with the wolf and the woman’s pig was returned to her. In addition it was said that sick animals would find there way to him to be healed.

Because of these stories, during the 14th and 15th centuries in Germany, Blase was part of the popular devotion to the Fourteen Holy Helpers. These were saints to whom it was common to offer intercessory prayer.

While in prison, Bishop Blase suffered much torture. When he first refused to sacrifice to pagan idols, he was beaten. When he continued to refuse, Blase was suspended from a tree and his flesh was torn apart by iron combs, the kind used for working with sheep’s wool. Finally, the saint was beheaded.

The cult of Saint Blase can be found as early as the eighth century. Today the feast is found on both Catholic and Orthodox calendars. He is the patron saint of veterinarians, physicians, wool combers, wild animals and those with throat maladies.

While these legends may make us smile, they do tell us about the things that were important to remember in a person’s life.

Blase gives us the tradition of the blessing of throats. Do we take care of our health, remembering that our bodies are gifts from God? Special blessings today go to health care providers who offer their daily lives that other people may be well.

Our patron is also known as a friend to animals. Do we remember we are charged to be
stewards of the earth, taking care of everything God has blessed us with, including animals? Can we still wonder at the great blessing of diversity which God created?

Blase was a leader in the Church and died because of his belief in Jesus Christ. Like many other men and women he suffered for his faith. Are we willing to stand up for what we believe, even if other people disagree? What does being a Catholic mean to me?

As we celebrate our patronal feast, may we have insight into our own unique place in this world. May we live our discipleship as Blase lived his, in faith, truth and courage.

Prayer to Patron Saint Blase, Bishop & Martyr   St. Blase, pray for us. Deliver us from diseases of the throat and from every other illness. Deliver us from the blindness of ignorance, deafness that refuses to listen and stilled hearts lacking in empathy and compassion. Deliver us from turning religion into a weapon, the good news of Christ into the bad news of judgment and damnation and from using the Spirit’s gift of faith to imprison rather than to liberate. Holy bishop and martyr, deliver this community from every disease and through your intercession may we be a welcoming Catholic community where the love of Jesus Christ is learned and lived, sung and shared. Amen.

Excerpts from Randy’s Rummage (From "The Flame" February 2, 2008)

CONGRATULATIONS TO US, THE COMMUNITY OF ST. BLASE. TODAY WE REJOICE IN THE FEAST OF OUR PATRON. Elsewhere in “The Flame” (above) you will find an article describing what little we know of Blase, bishop and martyr. Most is the stuff of legends, but they are wonderful legends and they are our legends. In that article I want to draw your attention to the fact that the execution of Blase is dated in the year 316. However, the Edict of Milan, which granted
religious toleration throughout the Roman Empire, was set forth in 313. This means that when Blase was martyred religious freedom was the law of the Empire. He should not have been
executed. Being a Christian was no longer a criminal offense, let alone a capital one. So what happened?

The answer is so obvious that we tend to miss it. We live in an age of instant communication. Not so our ancestors. Word of the Edict of Milan had not yet reached the Eastern part of the Empire in which Blase was bishop. Those who carried out his execution had no idea the law had changed and were acting in ignorance. So not only is our patron a martyr, bishop, miracle worker and friend to animals, he places us in solidarity with all who are wrongfully convicted and those unjustly imprisoned. (I would add tortured and / or executed but these, by definition, are unjust.) Remember that unjust convictions and imprisonments do not always occur in courtrooms and prisons. All too many have been and continue to be wrongly condemned in the court of popular opinion...

May this Season of Lent be a time of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. May the grace of the Holy Spirit and the prayerful guidance of the holy saint Blase, bishop and martyr, inspire us to
leave behind that which prevents us from growing closer to Christ and to one another.

Fr. Randy Phillips