Miracles

Lourdes

Healing of the fracture of the leg

The healing of the Flemish artist Pieter de Rudder, healed in April of 1875, became famous as a result of a lively clash that Father Agostino Gemelli had with atheists and anti-clerical doctors of the Sanitary Association in Milan. The monk, founder of the Catholic University, a student of medicine, good talker, well trained, defended effectively, in various meetings, the The latter was born in Jabbeke at Ostend, Belgium, July 2nd 1822. He was 44 years old when his left leg was smashed by a tree trunk fracturing the tibia and fibula in the upper part of the calf. At that time he was working as a gardener for the Marquis Du Bus, who had him under the cure of several doctors for seven years, but always to no avail. The lower part of the leg literally dangled as a rag and was tied to the upper part only by soft tissues. The doctor, Dr. Boisserie, tells about the sudden healing of the patient as follows: "On April 7th 1875 Pieter embarked on his pilgrimage to the shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes in Flemish Oostakez near Gent.

For eight years he could barely walk with crutches. Devoted to the Virgin, while praying, he felt totally healed. The same evening, the doctor says Pieter came back without crutches and dancing. The next day,overjoyed, he walked for several hours. " The doctor continues the story: "I went immediately to see him and I must admit that I did not believe in the healing. But what did I find? A leg that was missing nothing, and if I had not visited the unhappy man in the past, I would have certainly expressed the opinion that his leg had never been broken. In fact, running my fingers in the corner of his tibia I did not feel the slightest trace of ruggedness."

After his recovery Pieter de Rudder lived for 29 years, never suffered again because of the leg. Around this miracle, a passionate debate developed among many doctors. The Diocesan Commission, presided over by Bishop Gustave Waffelaert, in July 1908, declared the healing of Pieter "a miracle recognized by the Church." It was considered a cure so extraordinary as to be placed on the list of the miracles of Lourdes, despite being accomplished outside of Lourdes.

Now I can see
Marie BIRE was born on October 8th 1866, in the Vendee, got married and gave life to six children, but in 1904 she lost two of her children. The pain led her to a deep depression, until she started to have moments of unconsciousness.

On February 14th, Mrs. BIRE "was discovered to be blind in both eyes,she also suffered from a crippled foot and arm and was also tortured by terrible headaches: intracranial hypertension." His doctor diagnosed "bilateral blindness due to papillary atrophy of the optic nerve 'determined by apparent irregular cerebral circulation. The visual system therefore was irreparably damaged. On August 15th Marie BIRE went to Lourdes, attended Mass and received Communion in front of the cave, suddenly she regained her sight and cried out: "Now I can see." In the doctor's office she was checked by several ophthalmologists who certified the healing and prepared their regular report: "... it was white atrophy of the optic nerve with brain origins." This form is considered by each expert as one of the most serious and incurable eye disease. In a second visit, in September, Mrs. BIRE was examined by three ophthalmologists who did not find in her any injuries whatsoever and her recovery was recognized to be total and complete because her eyesight had returned to normal and acute.

The conclusion of the doctors was this: "The sudden recovery of sight by Marie BIRE is completely inexplicable from the clinical point of view." Following the completion of the canonical investigation, the bishop of Luçon, S. Bishop Joseph Clovis Catteau, declared, in his decree of July 30th 1910,Mrs. BIRE healing to be miraculous.

Either I'll die or I will go home healed
Marie Thérès Canin was born in 1910 in Marseilles, her father and her mother had died of tuberculosis and two sisters were hospitalized in a nursing home for the same disease. At the age of 24, Marie manifested the symptoms of tuberculosis of the bones. In November 1936 an X-ray revealed the presence of Pott's disease. The disease was treated with ultraviolet rays. Since June 1944, the abdominal pain became so strong that she had to lay in bed. The following January,she underwent two operations: bone graft in the spine and sacroiliac articulation, but with little success, because in January 1947,the pain in the abdomen reoccurred violently. On the state of health of Marie, the doctor wrote: "TB infection develops in the peritoneal area. Although there is no paralysis, Marie no longer has the strength to move the lower limbs, in which is present a painful edema, her feet are deforming in stumps.".

Marie with a glimmer of hope joins the diocesan pilgrimage in Marseilles on October 6th 1947 to Lourdes and told everyone: "Either I will die or I will go home healed." On Thursday morning, October 9th, she was taken to the pools, in the afternoon, lying on a stretcher, she takes part in the Eucharistic procession. What happened is described by Dr. Olivieri, for many years President of the Medical Office of Lourdes : "On the way back from the procession she felt the strength to get up. She sat on her bed,she put on the slippers that for nine months she had not been able to wear, she got up, got dressed, and walked without difficulty. Her appetite returned and dined in the hospital of Notre Dame. " On her way back she stopped at her doctor's, who "ascertained the total disappearance of all manifestations of the illness. The medical records were sent to the Medical Commission of Paris, which recognized that "no natural or scientific explanation could be found in the sudden healing of Marie Thérès Canin.".

The Archbishop of Marseille by decree of June 6th 1952 solemnly declared the miraculous character of the cure, which "must be ascribed to a special intervention of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Immaculate Mother of God.".

A load of diseases
Maddalena Carini, was born in March 1917 in the province of Pavia, her life has been a true Calvary. Her father and two aunts of hers died of tuberculosis, her mother of angina pectoris.
Since a teenager she was affected by several diseases, pleurisy, sore throat, and tuberculosis inflammation to the spine. The diagnosis was ankylosing of the fourth and fifth dorsal vertebra that forced her to long hospitalizations in sanatoriums, until the age of 20. Diagnoses were catastrophic.

Magdalene in August 1948 went on a pilgrimage to Lourdes during the feast of the Assumption and while praying before the Grotto, she suddenly felt a sense of warmth and a tingling and strong palpitations in her chest, after which she felt a sense of well being. The swelling in her stomach had disappeared, as the pain in her spine.

Her doctor, Dr. Bonizzi,after visiting her, wrote: "We find ourselves faced with a" restitutio in integrum "total and absolute." On April 13th, Mary Magdalene presented herself in front of the Lourdes Medical Bureau. After investigations by the Medical Office, it was established the inexplicable nature of this healing which were submitted to the judgment of the National Medical Committee. The latter supported the findings, in the report by Dr. Lanos. The opinion was issued March 4th 1951. The case was sent to the archbishop of Milan.

The archbishop of Milan, Montini, by decree of June 2nd 1960, declared, in turn, that the healing of Magdalene Carini was a "miracle of God".

Hit by two tumors
Born in March 1913 in Casale Monferraro, father of five children,Evasio Ganosa, in 1949 was struck by lymphogranuloma, (Alzheimer's Hodgkim), a malignant process that attacks the lymph nodes.At the Casale hospital the patient received 22 blood transfusions and an attempt was made to deal with the two malignant tumors that were in his left armpit, but on May 5th 1950, according to the diagnosis of his doctor, Dr. Capra, Evasio Ganosa was given a few months to live.
Evasio put his hopes of life in the hands of Our Lady and, full of faith, took a train, with other sick people, to Lourdes. On June 2nd 1950 Evasio, brought in a wheelchair to the pools, was immersed in the water. At first the bath felt like a great warmth that seemed to cover his entire body and, to the amazement of all, he got out of the pool and, without any body's help, returned to the hospital.

Here Dr. Visetti, himself an eyewitness, certified the disappearance of the fever and asthenia, and the swelling of the lymph nodes. In a pilgrimage of 1954, Evasio went to the Lourdes Medical Bureau, which confirmed the statement of Dr. Visetti. In February 1955, the International Committee of Paris confirmed the data of the sudden healing of Ganosa and declared the necessity to submit this case to the ecclesiastical authorities.

This certificate was signed by 25 doctors. The Bishop of Casale Monferrato, S. Bishop Agrisani, heard the favorable vote of the Diocesan Commission, declared by decree of May 1955 that "the healing of Evasio Ganosa was miraculous.".

Multiple sclerosis and hemiplegia
Brother Leo Schwager, born in 1924 in German-speaking Switzerland, is a typical example of a Eucharistic healing in Lourdes. In his childhood and adolescence Leo had numerous traumatic incidents, but at twenty-one he entered into a community of Benedictine monks because he wanted to devote himself to missionary work. Soon he developed the symptoms of multiple sclerosis and in December 1950, the superiors admitted him to their order, although temporarily.

In 1951 brother's Leo health worsened, he developed aphasia and hemiplegia or paralysis of half the body. In April 1952 he went to Lourdes with the pilgrimage of Freiburg. On April 30th, in the afternoon, in the Eucharistic procession, he noticed that every ailment had disappeared. Brother Leo himself narrates: "The pilgrims were singing: Show mercy Lord." I said to the Lord: "Thy will be done." The celebrant drew upon me a large cross. At this point, a kind of lightning ran through my body from head to toe, like an electric shock. Was it the end? No, I knelt in front of the wheelchair, quite straight with folded hands. How it happened, I do not know. But suddenly I knew I was healed.

I no longer felt any pain and in my limbs, which, a few seconds earlier, were paralyzed and flaccid, there was a new force. I prayed the "Magnificat", when the procession ended, I got up without any help and support. The crowd surrounded me and when the doctor who accompanied our pilgrimage arrived,I went with him perfectly healthy and free from pain.".

The next day Brother Leo was questioned by the Doctor and in later years he was subjected to more tests. On April 15th 1959, the Paris Committee declared, after a report of Prof. Thebaut, that "The conditions under which the healing took place remain wholly inexplicable to medicine.".

The Bishop of Fribourg, Francois Charriere, with its Decree of the 18th of December 1960, to be read in all churches, declared: "The healing of Brother Leo Schwager was a miracle.".

Bone tuberculosis
Elisa Aloi was born in Patti in November 1931 by parents, both destined to premature death: her father died of TBC and her mother of a heart defect.
Elisa was almost 17 when she developed an outbreak of tuberculosis in the right knee, right femur, at the 12th vertebra and elsewhere, as well as anemia and numerous purulent fistulas.

The relation of her physician, in May 1958, confirmed the dramatic state of health of the young woman. "The limbs, says Professor Di Cesare, are completely paralyzed. The bending movements of feet, knees and femurs are impossible. Her general state of health is very bad. During her hospitalization no prescription made a breakthrough.".
From the 4th to 13th of June 1959 Elisa participated in the pilgrimage to Lourdes. The doctor, accompanying the sick pilgrims,writes about Elisa : "During the journey, and the first two days of stay in isolation, abscesses opened on the surface, secreting a smelly a greenish liquid. At the request of the sick woman these abscesses were treated with Lourdes water, which was also injected under the skin. On the third day the fistula did not secrete any more liquid. The patient began to feel better and since now she could move her toes, she wanted to take off the plaster, but I forbade. I preferred to leave this decision to her own doctor, where she had been treated in Messina.".

Her doctor checked her, and then released this statement: "Miss Elisa returned from Lourdes perfectly healed and she feels so well that it is almost impossible to believe this is the same person, which used to be here in desperate conditions. I confirm that Elisa Aloi is perfectly healed".

The case of Elisa Aloi was considered by the Committee in Paris and the healing was declared "medically unexplained." The Bishop of Messina, Francesco range, after hearing the favorable vote of the Diocesan Commission, dated May 26 1965, declared by decree: "The healing of Elisa Aloi, which took place on June 5th 1965, is miraculous".

Malignant tumor

Delizia Cirolli was born November 17th 1964 in Paternò in Catania. In March 1976 he developed difficulty in walking due to a painful swelling of the right knee. She, initially, Was cared for by her parents as a matter of little importance, but in May 1976, as the pain did not pass the child was hospitalized in the orthopedic clinic of the University of Catania and, after various x-rays, they arrive at a clear diagnosis, confirmed by histological examinations: Delizia was suffering from a malignant bone tumor, a sarcoma at the top of the tibia. Physicians were faced with the decision whether to amputate the leg immediately or to try to slow the spread of metastasis. The chances of a full recovery were, in any case, non-existent.

The parents decided against any operations to the despite the fact that the girl had been given a year to live. In the summer of 1976, thanks to the generosity of her friends and relatives, Delizia participated in a pilgrimage to Lourdes, from which she returned tired and without any relief. But the girl stubbornly continued to pray, while her mother was already sewing the shroud: she had abandoned any hope.
During Christmas of 1976, when the conditions of Delight were now desperate and her life was fast fading, healing came suddenly. The girl could move her leg, and could walk a little, later returned to school.She was healed! The doctors, and later the Medical Office of Lourdes, will say: "The healing of Delizia Cirolli ... is a phenomenon absolutely extraordinary ..., against any medical prediction. It remains unexplained".

The International Committee of Paris in September 1982 gave the same answer: "The healing from a malignancy in the tibia is in contradiction to any medical explanation and therefore it remains unexplained.".
The Archbishop of Catania, Archbishop Luigi Bommarito, with his Decree of June 28 1989, formally confirmed the miraculous character of the cure of Delizia Cirolli, exhorting the faithful of his diocese to give thanks for this gift of God to his Church and stating that it had been obtained through the intercession of the Virgin Mary in response to the request of the hearts of men.

Sarcoma healed
Vittorio Micheli was born in the province of Trento on February 6th 1940. While serving in the military, was admitted to the military hospital in Verona for diagnosis and treatment of a mysterious disease of the left hip. X-rays confirmed the decomposition of bone structure, which had hit the bottom half of the iliac wing and part of the femur. He was diagnosed with sarcoma of the hip that developed with impressive speed, even in the left half of the pelvis, which, after a short time, appeared "almost completely destroyed.".

Vittorio stimulated by faith and hope, decided to join the military pilgrimage to Lourdes from May 24th to June 6th 1963. The medical certificate drawn up on that occasion said: "There is no skeletal element in the lower part of the basin, but only a mass of pasty consistency. The patient is unable to make any movement with the left leg.".
Vittorio was immersed in pools with his plaster, after a bath and he felt a sense of hunger and felt healed. They pain-relieving medicine were immediately stopped the and any other medicine. On the way back he was again admitted to the hospital for controls. The various X-rays showed the process of reconstitution of the once destroyed bony parts.
The military doctor, Dr. Cindolo, after the pilgrimage wrote as follows: "I declare with knowledge and belief: I have received in my department the Alpine Vittorio Micheli, suffering from bone sarcoma of the left pelvis and I treated him,from 1962 and 1964 without the use of anti fungal treatment ... In June 1963 Victor stopped using his crutches, then the cane and began to walk without any support.".

Both the Medical Bureau of Lourdes and the International Committee of Paris examined Micheli's case and unanimously recognized that "the tumor was a sarcoma which suddenly, without any treatment, healed. It is useless to look for a medical explanation for this healing, there is none.".
The Archbishop of Trento, Msgr. Alessandro Gottardi, receiving the approval by the Diocesan Commission declared on May 26th 1976: "The healing of Vittorio Micheli ... is an extraordinary miracle of God worked through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary".