Miracles still happen today.

At the sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes (feast day Feb. 11) in Lourdes, Hautes-Pyrenees, France, 72 cures have been recognized since the Virgin Mary’s first apparition. The most current miracle was proclaimed just last year.

Antonia Raco, a 67-year-old Italian woman diagnosed with primary lateral sclerosis (PLS) in 2006, went on a pilgrimage with the Italian organization UNITALSI in July 2009. Antonia went into the baths and felt an unexpected sense of well-being and the ability to walk again. In August and September of the same year, medical checkups revealed her symptoms had disappeared.

In 2010, she reported that her cure came from visiting the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes. After numerous investigations, a medical consensus declared her case valid, and her bishop proclaimed the miracle on April 16, 2025.

Just like Antonia, I too was searching for a cure when, in October 2012, I walked the path to the baths in Lourdes. I was on a pilgrimage in Spain to celebrate the beatification of Don Alvaro, the second prelate of Opus Dei, and our group took a side trip to the shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes. We stayed in a very old hotel near the sanctuary, which was only a 15-minute walk away.

I was so excited to exercise my French-speaking skills and to visit the place where St. Bernadette saw visions of Mary. I went to Mass, spent time in the adoration chapel, and prayed the Stations of the Cross, walking throughout the grounds and lighting candles. I filled little bottles with the spring water and drank it like I had never tasted water before.

The more I learned about St. Bernadette and the apparitions of Our Lady, the more I wanted to find healing for my mind in the sanctuary. Unfortunately, the lineup to the baths was too long and the doors had been closed.

I was hoping for a miracle to cure my mental illness, but God had other plans, and the miracle I received was spiritual rather than physical.

My visit to the shrine was not in vain. I felt a deep sense of gratitude and spiritual connection to Mary and Jesus. My faith was strengthened even if I didn’t receive the healing for my mind that I was seeking. Sometimes our prayers aren’t answered in the way or the timeframe we want, but our prayers are always answered. God blesses us and gives us tangible ways to connect to him.

In 1858, Mary appeared 18 times to young Marie Bernard (St. Bernadette) Soubirous with the message of “personal conversion, prayer, and charity.” Like the spring water that bubbled up in the grotto where Mary appeared, we too can see his goodness through the miracles of others and our own personal conversion.

As we processed at night holding candles and praying the Rosary, deep in my heart I felt God’s love for me, even with my bipolar disorder. It was never God’s intention for humans to have disease. It was brought on by the disobedience of Adam and Eve. Therefore, I trust that somehow he can turn it into something good to help me become holier.

Sometimes there are miracles of the heart, which are very hard to detect but are still real miracles. As one reflection puts it: “Sickness helps us to trust more in God, to put God’s power above our meagre efforts. Sickness can serve as the wings which will permit us to rise up to God. Mary always leads us to her son who has a special love for the sick. This is the certainty that moves the multitudes who travel to Lourdes every year in search of relief, comfort and hope.” (In Conversation with God, Vol. 6, Francis Fernandez)

When we become closer to Christ, that is a win, and we need to treasure those times when we turn toward God who loves us unconditionally. You do not need to travel to Lourdes to get closer to God. Find a way to take a pilgrimage to a Marian shrine even within your own city. The Virgin Mary will lead us to her son. All we need for the journey is an open heart, and the rest we leave up to God. No matter our situation, Mary will always console us. Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us!