Saint Alice of Schaerbeek Patron Saint of The Paralyzed Blessed Prayer Card

This prayer card features Saint Alice, the patron saint of the paralyzed. Despite her own suffering from leprosy, she offered her pain for the salvation of others. Her love for God and reception of the Eucharist brought her comfort during her paralysis and blindness. A powerful example of faith and selflessness.

Alice was a very pretty girl and lovable child, and soon showed a high intelligence and a great love for God. She became a laysister at the abbey. However, at some 20 years of age (c. 1240), she contracted leprosy and had to be isolated in a small hut. The disease caused her intense suffering, which she offered for the salvation of sinners and the souls in purgatory.

Eventually she became paralyzed and afflicted with blindness. Her greatest consolation came from reception of the Holy Eucharist, although she was not allowed to drink from the chalice because of the presumed danger of contamination. However, it is said that the Lord appeared to her with assurance that He was in both the consecrated bread and the wine.^[2] She died in 1250, at the age of c. 30.