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We often wonder if a so-called miracle is, in fact, a miracle. As hundreds of thousands of the faithful (and even those with little faith) have made the pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes in Lourdes, France, there have been more than 7,000 claims of miraculous healing. But the Catholic Church doesn’t just accept claims of miraculous recoveries. It vets them thoroughly through its Lourdes Office of Medical Observations, established in 1883, not long after Our Lady appeared to St. Bernadette Soubirous in 1858. The healings must be inexplicable, and often take decades to be confirmed.
CBS’s “60 Minutes” in December 2022 shared the story of just how thoroughly each claim is investigated. Of the thousands submitted as miraculous healings, just 72 have been deemed miracles, according to the CBS report.
You can watch the 14-minute segment here. Reporter Bill Whitaker sits down with Dr. Alessandro de Franciscis, head of the investigations, who explains the seven criteria that must be in place in order for a healing to be approved as a miracle. (Note: Only the Church can approve miracles. The work of the Lourdes Office of Medical Observations is only to verify there is no other explanation for the healing.) Whitaker also speaks with a woman whose recovery was recently approved as miraculous.
As posted on the Holyart.com blog, below are the criteria that identify a true miracle, from the perspective of the medical world. They were agreed upon and approved by then-Cardinal Prospero Lambertini, who in 1740 became Pope Benedict XIV. The criteria, listed below, are still used today.
– The illness must be of a severe nature, with a negative prognosis
– The actual diagnosis of the illness must be certain and precise
– The illness must be strictly organic
– Any treatment provided must not have contributed to the healing process
– The recovery must be sudden, unexpected, and instantaneous
– The return to normality must be complete (and without convalescence)
– The healing must be lasting (without relapse)
As one who is always on the hunt for “proof,” I appreciate the efforts of Dr. Alessandro de Franciscis and company. But as my faith continues to grow (That first Hail Mary when I begin my rosary prayer is for “faith.” I think it’s working.), I seem to be more aware of the little miracles in my own life. I believe that constant, focused, and humble prayer is always heard by Our Lady. I have a long list of prayer requests that seem insignificant in light of the plight of so many others. But somehow, I am feeling that my own prayers are actually being answered in small ways. Small miracles.
I am hoping to bring more knowledge about the Virgin Mary to the world, especially during these times when we need her most. Please consider sharing this post, this site, or its social media pages on Facebook and Instagram. I invite you to subscribe to this site (below) to be notified of new posts. Thank you.
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