# Miracle of Lourdes

An episode of [Saints Alive Podcast](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1598392451), 28 Jul 2025, 22 min.

Audio: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1882754/episodes/17552229-miracle-of-lourdes.mp3

Today, Saints Alive brings you the incredible true story of a World War I veteran with an indomitable spirit. After bravely fighting and nearly losing his life in the war, John Trayor was told he would never recover from his injuries. But after years of suffering, John took a leap of faith and went on a pilgrimage to the grotto of Lourdes. Come listen to the story of the 71st officially recognized miracle from Lourdes! Saints Alive is brought to you by the #1 Catholic Prayer App, Hallow! Sign up today with a 30-day free trial! Please rate, review and share with friends and family! Find out more about Saints Alive at our website: https://www.saintsalivepodcast.com/

## Transcript

[0:02] SPEAKER_05: Welcome to Saints Alive, where we take you with us to meet God's most heroic followers.
[0:08] SPEAKER_05: The Saints were just ordinary boys and girls who allowed God's love to transform them into real life superheroes.
[0:16] SPEAKER_05: Their love for God changed our world.
[0:19] SPEAKER_05: Did you know that God has sent you here to become a saint?
[0:22] SPEAKER_05: It's up to you to choose love over fear, to be courageous, faithful, and kind.
[0:27] SPEAKER_05: The choice to become a saint won't be easy, but it will be worth it.
[0:31] SPEAKER_05: So listen closely and open your hearts.
[0:34] SPEAKER_05: These real-life tales of the saints from the past may just inspire you how to live your story.
[0:40] SPEAKER_05: Let's go on this adventure together.
[1:01] SPEAKER_05: Today, we'll listen with Mia and Paul as they hear the incredible story of the 71st miracle that has been confirmed from Lords.
[1:17] SPEAKER_06: Well, this is it.
[1:19] SPEAKER_04: I can't believe we're actually here.
[1:21] SPEAKER_04: Amazing, isn't it?
[1:22] SPEAKER_04: As you hear the story of Saint Bernadette, you hear about the Grotto of Lords, but actually being here, it's beautiful and humbling.
[1:32] SPEAKER_06: Do you mind if we sit down for a minute?
[1:34] SPEAKER_06: My legs are starting to ache from standing in line.
[1:38] SPEAKER_04: Sure.
[1:38] SPEAKER_04: Looks like we can sit right over there.
[1:40] SPEAKER_04: And we'll still have a view of the grotto.
[1:44] SPEAKER_04: You know what?
[1:44] SPEAKER_04: Why don't I tell you the story of Saint Bernadette while we rest?
[1:48] SPEAKER_06: Dad, that's Mia's favorite Saints Alive episode.
[1:51] SPEAKER_04: I've heard that story like a hundred times.
[1:54] SPEAKER_04: Okay.
[1:55] SPEAKER_04: Well, I have another story up my sleeve that will be perfect.
[1:58] SPEAKER_06: About Saint Bernadette?
[2:00] SPEAKER_04: Sort of.
[2:01] SPEAKER_04: One of the stories that came about because she said yes to God's will.
[2:06] SPEAKER_04: What do you mean?
[2:07] SPEAKER_04: Well, the thing is, when a saint says yes to God, they allow so many more beautiful stories and miracles to come from that one yes.
[2:15] SPEAKER_04: It's like tossing a stone into water.
[2:18] SPEAKER_04: That initial yes is the stone landing, but the ripples from their life keep spreading in the most beautiful ways.
[2:24] SPEAKER_06: Okay, so you're gonna tell us about one of these ripples?
[2:27] SPEAKER_04: Yes, you're gonna love it.
[2:30] SPEAKER_04: The year was 1915, and the world was consumed by the devastating grip of World War I.
[2:37] SPEAKER_05: A young Navy Englishman lay in the mud of a trench, clutching his gun and desperately trying to reload ammunition with shaking hands.
[2:56] SPEAKER_02: Now I just need to reload.
[2:58] SPEAKER_02: There's no time! One two three!
[3:21] SPEAKER_00: The same.
[3:22] SPEAKER_00: It's been five weeks of this coma.
[3:25] SPEAKER_07: Hmm.
[3:26] SPEAKER_07: Well his life is going to look entirely different when he wakes, poor chap.
[3:32] SPEAKER_00: Doctor, he's stirring.
[3:34] SPEAKER_07: Fancy that.
[3:37] SPEAKER_07: John, can you hear me?
[3:40] SPEAKER_07: Yes.
[3:42] SPEAKER_07: I can hear you.
[3:43] SPEAKER_07: Please.
[3:45] SPEAKER_07: Tell me what's happened.
[3:47] SPEAKER_07: John, there's no easy way to tell you this.
[3:50] SPEAKER_07: You've been severely injured in battle.
[3:53] SPEAKER_07: Your right arm is completely paralyzed, and you have extensive brain damage resulting in epilepsy from the bullet you took to the head.
[4:01] SPEAKER_07: And you and your wife will never be able to have more children.
[4:08] SPEAKER_07: Is there is there a treatment?
[4:12] SPEAKER_07: We've operated on you numerous times.
[4:15] SPEAKER_07: But I'm afraid these injuries will remain with you for the rest of your life.
[4:20] SPEAKER_07: I'm so sorry.
[4:22] SPEAKER_02: My wife.
[4:24] SPEAKER_02: My children.
[4:26] SPEAKER_02: How will I provide for them?
[4:28] SPEAKER_02: If I'm not able to work.
[4:30] SPEAKER_00: We've received word that you will have a complete pension for permanent and total disability.
[4:35] SPEAKER_00: So not to worry about providing for your family.
[4:38] SPEAKER_00: I am truly so sorry for all you've been through.
[4:41] SPEAKER_07: It's a miracle you're alive, John.
[4:44] SPEAKER_07: You were hit 14 times and will live to tell the tale.
[4:49] SPEAKER_07: Remarkable, really.
[4:51] SPEAKER_00: We'll let you get some rest, and I'll contact your wife.
[4:54] SPEAKER_00: You have a long journey home.
[5:01] SPEAKER_05: Eight years passed, and John lived a quiet life at home in England with his family.
[5:07] SPEAKER_05: He was grateful to be alive, but each day was filled with immense suffering.
[5:13] SPEAKER_05: His legs were partially paralyzed, and he was unable to walk or even stand on his own.
[5:18] SPEAKER_05: He was reliant on his caregivers to function and would be debilitated by the severe epileptic seizures that would grip his body on a daily basis.
[5:28] SPEAKER_05: There was no logical reason to think that his life would change.
[5:32] SPEAKER_05: But on a clear sunny day in the spring of 1923, he was filled with the conviction that there was something he must do.
[5:43] SPEAKER_03: It's uh warmer than it looks out there.
[5:49] SPEAKER_03: Wonderful to have the sun after all the rain last week.
[5:53] SPEAKER_03: John.
[5:55] SPEAKER_02: Sorry, darling, but I was lost in thought.
[5:58] SPEAKER_03: I can see that.
[6:00] SPEAKER_03: What's on your mind, my love?
[6:02] SPEAKER_02: Well, I don't quite know how to say this.
[6:08] SPEAKER_02: Have you heard about the pilgrimage to Lords in July?
[6:11] SPEAKER_03: Yes.
[6:12] SPEAKER_02: Well, I I was thinking of going.
[6:15] SPEAKER_03: What?
[6:17] SPEAKER_03: But how would you I John?
[6:20] SPEAKER_03: I I don't even know if that's possible.
[6:23] SPEAKER_02: I know, I I know it sounds mad, but I have this unexplainable conviction that I have to get there.
[6:32] SPEAKER_03: Have you spoken with the doctor?
[6:34] SPEAKER_02: Yes.
[6:35] SPEAKER_02: And he doesn't think I'll survive the train.
[6:43] SPEAKER_03: I know how you've suffered.
[6:49] SPEAKER_03: And Lord knows I pray for a miracle for you, but this seems rash, dangerous, and completely unlike you.
[6:59] SPEAKER_02: I know.
[7:00] SPEAKER_02: We don't even have the funds for it, honestly, but this idea has seized my heart in a way I can't even explain.
[7:09] SPEAKER_02: Would you do me a favor and just pray about it?
[7:14] SPEAKER_03: Of course I will.
[7:21] SPEAKER_05: In time, John's wife relented and agreed he could go, even selling some of her own jewelry to pay for the trip.
[7:29] SPEAKER_05: She was his sole supporter.
[7:31] SPEAKER_05: John's doctor, caregivers, friends, and family all begged him not to go.
[7:37] SPEAKER_05: Even the priest leading the pilgrimage implored him to stay home.
[7:41] SPEAKER_05: But he had made his resolve.
[7:43] SPEAKER_05: And in July 1923, John boarded the train to travel to Lourdes.
[8:04] SPEAKER_05: But within days of the journey, John's health began to decline.
[8:09] SPEAKER_05: His caregivers desperately tried to help.
[8:12] SPEAKER_05: But each day, he slipped deeper into his illness.
[8:16] SPEAKER_05: Upon arriving in Lourdes, one of his caregivers took it upon herself to write to his wife.
[8:25] SPEAKER_11: Dear Mrs.
[8:26] SPEAKER_11: Trainer, it is with a heavy heart that I write to inform you that your husband John is on the brink of death.
[8:35] SPEAKER_11: We're no hope of survival.
[8:37] SPEAKER_11: Please know of my deepest condolences.
[8:50] SPEAKER_05: Though John was gravely ill, he was determined and insistent to be brought to the waters of Lords.
[8:58] SPEAKER_05: And so, each day he was lowered into the frigid baths, praying to God for our miraculous healing.
[9:05] SPEAKER_05: On the third day, John was gently lifted into the water when something began to change.
[9:17] SPEAKER_02: I feel a sort of agitation in my legs.
[9:20] SPEAKER_11: Oh, it must be the shock of the cold.
[9:23] SPEAKER_11: Yeah, we'll get you out and tried off.
[9:25] SPEAKER_02: No, no, this is something different.
[9:29] SPEAKER_02: I want to try to stand.
[9:31] SPEAKER_02: I I think I can walk.
[9:34] SPEAKER_10: Oh, John, don't be silly.
[9:36] SPEAKER_10: Come sit down and we'll get you warm and dry.
[9:41] SPEAKER_10: The Eucharistic procession is starting soon, and I know you don't want to miss that.
[9:47] SPEAKER_05: Confused, John sat back in his wheelchair, trying to understand the growing sensation in his legs.
[9:54] SPEAKER_05: His caregivers tucked a warm blanket around him and wheeled him out to the crowd, adoring Jesus in the Eucharist.
[10:06] SPEAKER_05: It was a beautiful sight to behold.
[10:08] SPEAKER_05: Thousands knelt in adoration as a priest slowly and reverently made the sign of the cross with the monstrance above each pilgrim.
[10:24] SPEAKER_05: When the Eucharist was above John, he bowed his head and closed his eyes before our Lord, letting the peace that only God can provide fill his weary heart.
[10:38] SPEAKER_05: Suddenly, John felt a similar change within, but this time from his withered right arm.
[10:57] SPEAKER_05: Without thinking, he violently tore the bandages off his paralyzed arm and slowly, deliberately made the sign of the cross.
[11:10] SPEAKER_09: Oh! Did he just move his arm?
[11:13] SPEAKER_09: Yes, I dare say he did.
[11:28] SPEAKER_05: As the sun set, a cool breeze swept over the grotto.
[11:33] SPEAKER_05: Though just hours before it had been packed with crowds of pilgrims, it now stood peaceful and quiet in the darkness.
[11:41] SPEAKER_05: The only sound that could be heard was the soft trickling of water from the bath.
[11:48] SPEAKER_05: John was wheeled back to the infirmary, exhausted from the full day and lifted into bed by his caregivers.
[12:01] SPEAKER_02: It was.
[13:16] SPEAKER_10: What was that?
[13:17] SPEAKER_10: Oh goodness, he must have fallen out of bed.
[13:23] SPEAKER_11: I don't believe it! Look! He's praying the rosary on his knees!
[13:31] SPEAKER_02: Oh Clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary, pray for us, O holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
[13:41] SPEAKER_02: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
[13:44] SPEAKER_02: Amen.
[13:51] SPEAKER_11: Oh John, let us help you back to bed.
[13:56] SPEAKER_10: John, can you hear us?
[14:00] SPEAKER_05: Still on his knees, John eyed the open door.
[14:09] SPEAKER_05: And without warning, sprang to his feet and ran with the strength and agility of his youth down the infirmary hallway.
[14:18] SPEAKER_09: Oh no! Oh no!
[14:21] SPEAKER_11: Oh my god! He's running! Someone's in his pajamas!
[14:31] SPEAKER_05: John slid past a doctor that tried to block the door to the outside and ran out into the night with strength and determination.
[14:39] SPEAKER_05: He was completely unaware of his bare feet pounding the gravel as he raced towards the grotto, or even the fact that he was suddenly able to run.
[14:49] SPEAKER_05: Hearing the panic streaks of his caregivers chasing him, a crowd of pilgrims slowly began to gather to see the miracle of a man running.
[14:58] SPEAKER_05: When John finally reached the grotto, he collapsed to his knees on the hard stone ground and began to pray.
[15:12] SPEAKER_02: Blessed Mother, thank you.
[15:14] SPEAKER_02: Thank you for bringing me here, for drawing me closer to your son.
[15:19] SPEAKER_05: John continued to pray, and the throngs of people grew.
[15:25] SPEAKER_05: Quiet gasps echoed from the crowd, and many were moved to tears at the sight of the man.
[15:32] SPEAKER_05: Only 112 pounds, suddenly able to move.
[15:38] SPEAKER_05: At long last, John crossed himself and turned to see the astonished crowd behind him.
[15:46] SPEAKER_02: Oh, um hello?
[15:49] SPEAKER_02: Hi.
[15:52] SPEAKER_02: I didn't know there was a prayer service happening.
[15:55] SPEAKER_02: Well, good night.
[15:57] SPEAKER_10: He has no idea.
[16:01] SPEAKER_10: He doesn't seem to have any idea that he's been healed.
[16:06] SPEAKER_11: Or that he's in his pyjamas.
[16:26] SPEAKER_05: John Traynor had no recollection of his illness or his miraculous healing at Lourdes.
[16:33] SPEAKER_05: For days, the other pilgrims watched him from a distance in awe of the miracle he seemed oblivious to.
[16:42] SPEAKER_05: Soon, the day arrived for the long journey home, and John plopped himself down on the seat of the train.
[16:49] SPEAKER_05: He looked out the window and smiled, thinking of being with his wife and children again soon.
[17:00] SPEAKER_08: Do you mind a visitor?
[17:03] SPEAKER_02: Archbishop?
[17:04] SPEAKER_02: Of course.
[17:05] SPEAKER_02: Uh um come in.
[17:07] SPEAKER_08: Did you have a pleasant pilgrimage, John?
[17:10] SPEAKER_08: Yes.
[17:11] SPEAKER_08: Yes, it was lovely.
[17:13] SPEAKER_08: John, I uh I don't know quite how to say this, but uh do you realize how ill you've been?
[17:23] SPEAKER_08: I'm not sure what you mean.
[17:25] SPEAKER_08: It seems as though you have no memory of your injuries at all.
[17:30] SPEAKER_08: Injuries?
[17:32] SPEAKER_08: I don't understand what injuries.
[17:34] SPEAKER_08: John, you have been miraculously cured by the blessed virgin.
[17:50] SPEAKER_07: I'm afraid these injuries will remain with you for the rest of your life.
[17:56] SPEAKER_09: Did he just live?
[17:59] SPEAKER_09: I dare say he didn't.
[18:03] SPEAKER_02: Oh sweet moment of memory.
[18:05] SPEAKER_02: Maybe for us, a lovely mother of God.
[18:08] SPEAKER_02: We may be made one of the of the promises of Christ.
[18:11] SPEAKER_02: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
[18:18] SPEAKER_10: Someone catch him.
[18:33] SPEAKER_02: I I can run?
[18:38] SPEAKER_02: Look, look, I can move my arm.
[18:42] SPEAKER_02: I've been healed.
[18:44] SPEAKER_02: I I've been healed!
[18:47] SPEAKER_08: Oh Do you uh do you happen to have a pen and paper on you?
[18:55] SPEAKER_08: As I well, as a matter of fact, I do.
[18:59] SPEAKER_08: Someone you need to send a message to?
[19:03] SPEAKER_08: Yes.
[19:04] SPEAKER_05: Yes, there is.
[19:05] SPEAKER_05: John wiped the tears that slipped down his cheeks and took the pen and paper with trembling hands.
[19:11] SPEAKER_05: His heart caught in his chest as he penned the three words he never thought he would write to his beloved wife.
[19:23] SPEAKER_02: I am better.
[19:35] SPEAKER_05: John came home from Lourdes with full strength of his arm and legs and never again suffered from a single seizure.
[19:43] SPEAKER_05: Upon examination, his team of physicians agreed that he had been completely and inexplicably healed.
[19:51] SPEAKER_05: This miraculous healing led to the conversion of his two caregivers to Catholicism and three more beautiful children for he and his wife.
[20:01] SPEAKER_05: The first, a daughter whom they named Bernadette.
[20:17] SPEAKER_04: And that is just one story of a man whose life was forever changed by Saint Bernadette.
[20:23] SPEAKER_04: If it hadn't been for her faith, her yes to God, he never would have been healed at Lourdes.
[20:29] SPEAKER_06: I can't believe I didn't know that story.
[20:31] SPEAKER_06: Actually, that's kind of the cool part.
[20:34] SPEAKER_06: What do you mean?
[20:35] SPEAKER_06: I mean, think of all the stories.
[20:37] SPEAKER_06: All the miracles we haven't even heard of.
[20:40] SPEAKER_06: All the ripples, as Dad would put it.
[20:42] SPEAKER_06: That's true.
[20:43] SPEAKER_04: There have been thousands of people cured here at Lourdes, but only 71 confirmed miracles.
[20:49] SPEAKER_04: Can you guess who number 71 was?
[20:52] SPEAKER_04: John Trainer?
[20:53] SPEAKER_04: Yep.
[20:54] SPEAKER_04: Confirmed in December 2024.
[20:56] SPEAKER_06: Wow, okay.
[20:58] SPEAKER_06: What's another ripple story?
[20:59] SPEAKER_04: Oh man, too many to count.
[21:01] SPEAKER_04: But I think it's time to catch up with the group.
[21:04] SPEAKER_04: Come on, guys.
[21:10] SPEAKER_05: Thank you so much for listening to this incredible miracle story.
[21:14] SPEAKER_05: Make sure to tune back in tomorrow to pray with Paul and Mia.

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