WWI official miracle

The Catholic Church in the person of Archbishop Malcom McMahon announced that it has declared the cure of a WWI vet in in 1923 an official miracle, the first one  for an Englishman at Lourdes. (No, I will not take pot shots at the English despite being such low-hanging fruit.)

Archbishop Malcolm McMahon, of Liverpool in the United Kingdom, has declared the case of John (Jack) Traynor a miracle.Jack was a pilgrim on the archdiocese’s first official pilgrimage to Lourdes in 1923 and was cured dramatically of epilepsy, paralysis of the right arm and paraplegia during the pilgrimage.

The case has been believed to be miraculous from people across the archdiocese and beyond, but, despite an attempt in 1993, there has never been an official ecclesiastical declaration until today.

Sufficient medical evidence enabled the archdiocese to reconsider the possibility that the cure of John Traynor might be declared miraculous.
Archbishop Malcolm said: “Given the weight of medical evidence, the testimony to the faith of John Traynor and his devotion to Our Blessed Lady, it is with great joy that I declare that the cure of John Traynor, from multiple serious medical conditions, is to be recognised as a miracle wrought by the power of God through the intercession of Our Lady of Lourdes.

Traynor was thoroughly examined before and after his visit to Lourdes, and four doctors found no physical reason for his cure, but agreed that he was cured. Unfortunatel, this report never made it to the approving authority and the case has languished for most of a century, from 1926 to 2023.

I have seen many strange things in my life, and know that a deep faith can accomplish many otherwise impossible tasks. No, I don’t know what works for you, and wouldn’t even hazard a guess (as a favorite character once said “I don’t know Who is cranking, but I am pleased that He doesn’t stop.”) but I know what works for me. But to hear of a vet who was cured of paralysis and epilepsy – let’s just say say I find it uplifting. Too often, folks are disappointed to find that the answer to their prayers is “No” – good to hear of one when the answer was “Yes.”

Category: Veterans in the news, WWI