The seemingly inexplicable healing of a paralyzed sailor, which occurred over a century ago, has been officially declared a miracle by church authorities. John «Jack» Traynor, a native of Liverpool, returned from the French shrine of Lourdes pushing his own wheelchair on July 28, 1923, after having traveled to the holy site six days earlier with his right hand paralyzed and unable to walk.
Church documents support the miracle
Recently discovered church documents have convinced the Archdiocese of Liverpool and a medical panel at Lourdes that Traynor experienced an irreversible healing that cannot be medically explained. Archbishop Malcolm McMahon made the announcement during a Mass celebrated at Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral on Sunday, making it the first recognized case in England.
«I still haven’t fully processed the news,» said Alex Taylor, Traynor’s great-great-grandson. Taylor added that although the story may seem incredible to many, it is not to him, after having visited the shrine personally. «This will have an effect beyond Merseyside and across the world. We are delighted,» he stated.
Relatives were informed just over a week ago and attended the cathedral to hear Archbishop McMahon announce with «great joy» that the healing was a miracle. A previous attempt in 1993 to revive the case had failed due to insufficient «contemporary medical evidence.»
Strict Vatican criteria
The authorities at Lourdes adhere to strict Vatican criteria dating back nearly 300 years. These stipulate that a serious and intractable medical condition must have an instantaneous, medically «inexplicable,» and lasting healing to be classified as a miracle, and it must also be ratified by the recipient’s local bishop.
Traynor’s case, which moved the Catholic community of Liverpool and beyond, now joins the list of miracles recognized by the Church, reaffirming the faith of many believers in divine intercession through Our Lady of Lourdes.
Original source: www.bbc.co.uk (published on December 9, 2024)
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