Miraculous Cures at Lourdes

[GoldenArrow]

Someone on another thread requested information on the documented miracles that have taken place at Lourdes.

There are over sixty recognized miraculous cures that have occurred at Lourdes, listed at the link below. I have in my possession a booklet sent to me by the Oblate Missions listing the Miracles of Lourdes. The lists are identical, so this is good information.

catholic-forum.com/saints/stb06001.htm

I have more detailed information for Col. Paul Pellegrin, Vittorio Micheli, Serge Perrin and Jean-Pierre Bely, which I’ll post tomorrow.

God Bless!

 

[GoldenArrow]

Copied from the booklet titled, Miraculous Cures at Lourdes, published by Oblate Missions: Missionary Association of Mary Immaculate www.oblatemissions.org

1950 - Col. Paul Pellegrin
A veteran of military campaigns in Africa, Indo-China, World War I and II, Pelegrin had never been wounded or sick before. In 1948, severe pain and fever were signs of chronic fistula from an abscess of the liver. By the time of his pilgrimage to Lourdes, his condition had worsened to an open wound requiring multiple dressings each day. Upon emerging from his second bath, the wound had completely closed and never bothered him again.

1963-Vittorio Micheli
Diagnosed with cancer of the pelvis, Miceli’s tumor had grown so large that his left thighbone became loose from the socket leaving his leg limp and paralyzed. Encased in a plaster cast, he began a pilgrimage in May 1963. Upon taking the baths, he was freed from bone pain and although still in a cast, he was able to walk. By February of 1964, the tumor had completely disappeared and his hip joint had recalcified, allowing him to lead a normal life.

1970-Serge Perrin
Perrin is the very first person to be cured during the Ceremony of the Anointing of the Sick. In February, 1964, Perrin awoke with a severe headache, speech impairment and partial right-side paralysis with further deterioration in vision impairment to near-blindness. On April 26, 1970, he made a pilgrimage to Lourdes and was almost on verge of death on the evening of April 30. On the morning of May 1, he insisted on being wheeled to the Basilica for the Ceremony where he sensed a feeling of warmth starting from his toes up to his head. He then realized he was completely cured - his vision returned and he could walk unaided after years of confinement to a wheelchair.

 

[GoldenArrow]

Copied from the booklet titled, Miraculous Cures at Lourdes, published by Oblate Missions: Missionary Association of Mary Immaculate www.oblatemissions.org

1987-Jean Pierre Bely
Bely is the most recent cure at Lourdes to be declared miraculous. Stricken with Multiple Sclerosis in 1972, Bely came to Lourdes on October 8, 1987. On October 9th, while in his room after attending Mass, Bely began experiencing a high fever that caused him severe pain. Suddenly, he woke up to find himself sitting by the side of the bed, able to move his arms and even sensing feeling back into his body. The following night, Bely awoke abruptly. To his surprise, he could walk. Within 12 hours, he head regained his physical abilities and showed no further symptoms of illness.

 

[Della]

GoldenArrow:

Copied from the booklet titled, Miraculous Cures at Lourdes, published by Oblate Missions: Missionary Association of Mary Immaculate www.oblatemissions.org

1987-Jean Pierre Bely
Bely is the most recent cure at Lourdes to be declared miraculous. Stricken with Multiple Sclerosis in 1972, Bely came to Lourdes on October 8, 1987. On October 9th, while in his room after attending Mass, Bely began experiencing a high fever that caused him severe pain. Suddenly, he woke up to find himself sitting by the side of the bed, able to move his arms and even sensing feeling back into his body. The following night, Bely awoke abruptly. To his surprise, he could walk. Within 12 hours, he head regained his physical abilities and showed no further symptoms of illness.

I remember seeing him featured in a special interest story about a little girl from the US and her family who went to Lourdes for her needs. Mr. Bely talked about his healing and how he felt that even if his MS came back he was thankful for the time God had given him without it. I believe he and his wife had had a daughter since his recovery for which he also thanked God because without his cure they never could have had children. I wondered ever since if his case had been ruled as miraculous and am happy to see that it has been.

 

[GoldenArrow]

Heres another list from the Lourdes website, in .pdf format:
lourdes-france.org/upload/pdf/gb_guerisons.pdf

And here’s a link to the 67th documented miracle, as of 2005. Mr. Bely was the 66th:

lourdes-france.org/index.php?goto_centre=ru&contexte=en&id=1342&id_rubrique=1342

Also, let us not forget the miracle of Incorruptibility. St. Bernadette Soubirous, the Saint who received the messages from Our Lady of Lourdes, is an Incorruptible. That is, her body is free of decay and is on display.

catholicpilgrims.com/lourdes/ba_bernadette_intro.htm

(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)

St. Bernadette of Lourdes. She died 126 years ago. Isn’t she beautiful?

 

[Celia]

Wow, those stories are amazing. God is good!

Bernadette looks like her nails are polished, lol. Is it just discoloration maybe?

 

[Della]

Celia:

Wow, those stories are amazing. God is good!

Indeed they are! It was through Our Lady of Lourdes that I became interested in the Catholic Church, so I credit her and St. Bernadette with my conversion.

Bernadette looks like her nails are polished, lol. Is it just discoloration maybe?

Actually, it’s a light coating of wax that was applied years ago.

 

[Celia]

quotedella/Actually, it’s a light coating of wax that was applied years ago/quote

Oh, ok.

 

[mylo]

I was talking about St. Bernadette with my boyfriend, and showing pictures of her, being incorruptible and all. A caption read that there was wax applied (lightly), to which my boyfriend questioned if that “takes away” from her incorruptibility.

I didn’t have an answer for him then, and it keeps coming up in my head from time to time. What is the purpose of the wax, and how does that “fit into” the incorruptibility aspect of her?

 

[GoldenArrow]

What is the purpose of the wax, and how does that “fit into” the incorruptibility aspect of her?

I actually don’t know the purpose of the wax. I dunno … maybe if they need to dust her body the wax protects the body from new bacterial contamination? Just a guess.

I wouldn’t think a coating of wax would be enough to prevent decomposition of caused by bacteria and enzymes already present in the body, so the presence of a light coating of wax would not detract from the miraculous Incorruptibility.

Good question. Anyone know?

 

[BlueRain]

GoldenArrow:

I actually don’t know the purpose of the wax. I dunno … maybe if they need to dust her body the wax protects the body from new bacterial contamination? Just a guess.

I wouldn’t think a coating of wax would be enough to prevent decomposition of caused by bacteria and enzymes already present in the body, so the presence of a light coating of wax would not detract from the miraculous Incorruptibility.

Good question. Anyone know?

This is what I found

“She was again exhumed in April 1919, and was found to still be preserved except for a slight discoloration her face which was said to have resulted from her body being washed in 1909. The body was proclaimed “incorruptible” and never reburied; a light wax covering was made for her face and hands.”

So, apparently her face had become a bit discolored when they washed the body so I guess at that time they put wax to protect it more I guess. I also read that her body is not stiff like other “treated” bodies and that is unexplainable.

 

[undeserving]

I heard this from my parish priest. He is a jesuit, he says that their head ie the head of the jesuits in the vatican, I don’t remember what the title actually is, was once a student studying to be a docter. Though he was a catholic he was not particularly religous or anything. As a student he volunteered to help as a medical aide at Lourdes.
At the time the event happened, he was standing by the side of a very sick and paralysed man in a wheelchair at Lourdes, the Blessed Sacrament was being taken out in a procession. They he and the patient , were waiting and praying while the procession o passed by, as the Blessed Sacrament was taken past the sick person, our docter soon to be priest, noticed that the shadow of the monstrance fell upon the paralysed man in the wheelchair. he thought nothing of it. But- my parish priest says, after the procession went by, the patient began to sit straight, started to say he was feeling better, and within a week or so was completely cured. I have no idea whether this story is true or not. Or whether it lead to a young medical student giving up his studies to enter the priesthood. It is certainly inspiring. Perhaps someone better informed can comment on it?

 

[Mijoy2]

There is nothing I want more then to believe in these miraculous cures. Yet there is an inner voice in my head that keeps suggesting that there is some natural explanation for the sudden disappearance of tumors and the like (for example). A disease such as cancer has some yet not understood attributes such as definitive reasons for the cause; why some and not others; the remission in some and not others; degree of progression etc. My father, 80 years old, was just diagnosed with a form of leukemia and I had disussions on what the scientific community understands (or more so does not understand) about such things, with the Oncologist.

So I find myself asking (reluctantly) why is it not possible that sudden disappearences is simply something else yet not understood?

Darn I wish I could simply believe.

 

[Mike_O]

Mijoy2:

Darn I wish I could simply believe.

Read the list, sir. That many spontaneous disappearances of multiple sclerosis, Hodgkin’s, leukemia, paralysis, and some of those severe tumors (one guy had such a large tumor that it caused his hip to SEPARATE from the joint; the Blessed Mother put it back and RECALCIFIED the bone)…there is not now and never will be a natural explanation for those. The idea of NOT understanding, for example, that a blind person took the waters and could see again is a miracle is nothing short of foolishness.

 

[Mijoy2]

Mike O:

Read the list, sir. That many spontaneous disappearances of multiple sclerosis, Hodgkin’s, leukemia, paralysis, and some of those severe tumors (one guy had such a large tumor that it caused his hip to SEPARATE from the joint; the Blessed Mother put it back and RECALCIFIED the bone)…there is not now and never will be a natural explanation for those. The idea of NOT understanding, for example, that a blind person took the waters and could see again is a miracle is nothing short of foolishness.

You have the right, of course, to your opinion of my being a fool. Doubt, unfortuntaley is not something an individuall has much control over. A person can only follow his heart and mind to the best of his ability and with an effort of the best of intentions.

The list, in its own right is certainly impressive and I draw hope from it. However the list, is simply that, a list.

I often ask myself why certain illnesses (to the best of my knowledge) are on lists such as this and not others. I even posted a thread on this one time but received no response.

Why are there no cases of the severly retarded gaining intellect? Why are there no cases of amputees regaining thier limbs? Why are there no cases of extreme physical issues such as one being morbidly overweight or abnormally short or tall becoming of normal weight/height? Why not a burn victim regaining thier preaccident form?

I have trouble reconciling these things.

 

[nMbR1BaRlOwGiRl]

An amazing miracle happened to a friend of mine, and I’m not sure if it was St. Bernadette of Lourdes, but that definately rings a bell, so I think it might be. She didn’t even have to go to Lourdes, St. Bernadette (I’m pretty sure that’s who) came to her:

It happen when she was really little. Maybe like 10 or 11 or so. Her little brother was really sick. He was in a lot of pain, and the doctors couldn’t figure out what was wrong with him. When she visited him in the hospital, he told her that he wanted to die. So, she prayed and prayed for him. She asked Jesus to give her a sign to let her know if he was going to be ok. Then one day she was in a car with her mom, and she looked at the car in front of them. On the spare tire on the back of it, there was a picture that looked almost like the Virgin Mary. A light from a car was shining on it. She remembered that picture, and one day, her grandma (I think it was her grandma) brought her this card that she found with a picture of St. Bernadette on it. It was the exact same picture she saw on the tire. She took that as a sign, and knew that her brother was going to be ok. But then he kept getting worse and worse. She was almost mad at God because He had given her a sign, but her brother wasn’t getting better. She continued to pray for him. Then, one night her mom came into her room and saw her smiling in her sleep. She woke her up just to see what she was smiling about. She told her mom that she had a dream that Jesus came to her. He told her that her brother would only have to go to the hospital one more time, and he that he would get better. Then that same thing happened. They went to the hospital a little time after that, and the doctors found what was wrong with him. (I don’t remember what it was, sorry) Then he got better and better. Today he is perfectly healthy, and their family has never been closer to God. Just recently she actually opened up the card that she got of St. Bernadette. She never looked inside of it untill a couple months ago. I don’t know why. But I read it and I remember that it was about some kind of healing spring or something, and many miracles of healing have happened there. So, that’s why I’m pretty sure it was St. Bernadette.

This story really touched me, especially because sometimes I have trouble praying to saints because so many protestants have told me it’s wrong. Now I know that it’s perfectly ok, and they really are listening to our prayers.

 

[nMbR1BaRlOwGiRl]

Mijoy2:

There is nothing I want more then to believe in these miraculous cures. Yet there is an inner voice in my head that keeps suggesting that there is some natural explanation for the sudden disappearance of tumors and the like (for example). A disease such as cancer has some yet not understood attributes such as definitive reasons for the cause; why some and not others; the remission in some and not others; degree of progression etc. My father, 80 years old, was just diagnosed with a form of leukemia and I had disussions on what the scientific community understands (or more so does not understand) about such things, with the Oncologist.

So I find myself asking (reluctantly) why is it not possible that sudden disappearences is simply something else yet not understood?

Darn I wish I could simply believe.

My answer to this is to pray. A lot. That little voice in your head giving you doubts about God’s wonderous powers is Satan. He tempts all of us because we are human.

Remember that the healings we understand, like surgeries and things, are also God’s miracles. He gives us the knowledge to be able to make these things happen. The healings that we don’t understand, like the one’s on this thread, may or may not have a logical explanation, but they are still God’s miracles. They definately can be very hard to believe because humans don’t always believe what they don’t understand. You need to have faith in God, and know that He is very capable of making miracles happen. Pray that He will help you simply believe.

 

[Mijoy2]

nMbR1BaRlOwGiRl:

My answer to this is to pray. A lot. That little voice in your head giving you doubts about God’s wonderous powers is Satan. He tempts all of us because we are human.

Remember that the healings we understand, like surgeries and things, are also God’s miracles. He gives us the knowledge to be able to make these things happen. The healings that we don’t understand, like the one’s on this thread, may or may not have a logical explanation, but they are still God’s miracles. They definately can be very hard to believe because humans don’t always believe what they don’t understand. You need to have faith in God, and know that He is very capable of making miracles happen. Pray that He will help you simply believe.

What a wonderful tribute to the faith you are nMbR1BaRlOwGiRl. I read your words, then your date of birth.

 

[urban-hermit]

Here are more details about the most recent officially proclaimed miracle at Lourdes:

67th Lourdes Miracle Officially Proclaimed
Italian Woman Cured of Heart Trouble in 1952

ROME, NOV. 15, 2005 (Zenit.org).- An archbishop in Italy has officially proclaimed the “miraculous cure” of a long-suffering woman who went to the shrine at Lourdes, France, in 1952.

Archbishop Gerardo Pierro of Salerno made the proclamation last Friday. It is the 67th miracle tied to Lourdes and officially recognized by the Church.

The patient, Anna Santaniello of Salerno, now 94, suffered from childhood from a cardiac malformation, declared incurable by doctors.

At age 40, her health deteriorated severely and, despite the opinion of her doctors and family, she decided to travel to Lourdes.

Her malformation hindered her ability to walk and speak clearly. It also caused cyanosis in her face and edemas in her lower extremities.

Salerno’s La Città newspaper explained that the patient said she could “scarcely breathe anymore” and told her brother that “my last desire is to go to Lourdes,” where she arrived “alive but on a stretcher.”

Restored

Nuns lowered her into the pool and “the water was freezing,” Santaniello recalled.

“But I immediately felt something boiling in my chest, as if my life had been restored to me,” she said. “After a few seconds, I got up on my own and began to walk, refusing the help of the stretcher-bearers, who looked at me in disbelief.”

On her return home, Santaniello asked for an appointment with a well-known cardiologist, who “told me I didn’t have anything, that I was very healthy and that he couldn’t understand all the certificates and examinations that had previously been made.”

Santaniello has returned on subsequent occasions to the Marian shrine at Lourdes to offer her service as a volunteer in assisting the sick.

She and her family and friends attended the ceremony to proclaim the miracle, held in the John Paul II Metropolitan Seminary in Pontecagnano. source

 

[Aurelia]

For those who believe, no explanation is necessary. For those who do not believe, no explanation will suffice.