Jack Traynor
Encyclopedia
John Traynor, from Liverpool
, was a former Royal Marine severely wounded during the First World War. He lived as an invalid until 1923 when, upon his own insistence, he joined with fellow Catholics from the area and journeyed to the Catholic
shrines at Lourdes
.
Whilst there he suffered from extremely poor health exacerbated by the long, arduous journey. Despite this he stubbornly continued to attended services and visited the baths nine times during this period.
According to accounts given on the afternoon of July 25 when he was in the bath, his paralysed legs became suddenly agitated. Later that day a procession passed by including the Archbishop of Rheims, carrying the Blessed Sacrament
. He blessed the assembled pilgrims and John, whose right arm had been paralysed since 1915, blessed himself. Later that evening John awoke from his hospital bed and walked out of his room, to the amazement of those around him. He proceeded to the Grotto and prayed the rosary
, not fully realising the significance of the events that were unfolding. By this time, word of his recovery was spreading among those in Lourdes and crowds were gathering wherever he went. Contemporary reports say John himself continued his pilgrimage as if nothing untoward had occurred.
Upon his return to Liverpool, a huge crowd had assembled at Lime Street Station to greet his arrival. John lived out the rest of his life in good health, having started a coal delivery business (the former invalid had no trouble hauling 200 lb (90.7 kg) bags of coal around the street of Liverpool) and returned to Lourdes many times as a stretcher bearer and was one of the pre-war Presidents of the Liverpool Brancardiers Association
. Despite this recovery, he is not listed amongst the verified Lourdes cures and the British Army refused to consider withdrawing his invalidity pensions awarded to him after he was originally wounded.
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, was a former Royal Marine severely wounded during the First World War. He lived as an invalid until 1923 when, upon his own insistence, he joined with fellow Catholics from the area and journeyed to the Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
shrines at Lourdes
Lourdes
Lourdes is a commune in the Hautes-Pyrénées department in the Midi-Pyrénées region in south-western France.Lourdes is a small market town lying in the foothills of the Pyrenees, famous for the Marian apparitions of Our Lady of Lourdes occurred in 1858 to Bernadette Soubirous...
.
Whilst there he suffered from extremely poor health exacerbated by the long, arduous journey. Despite this he stubbornly continued to attended services and visited the baths nine times during this period.
According to accounts given on the afternoon of July 25 when he was in the bath, his paralysed legs became suddenly agitated. Later that day a procession passed by including the Archbishop of Rheims, carrying the Blessed Sacrament
Blessed Sacrament
The Blessed Sacrament, or the Body and Blood of Christ, is a devotional name used in the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Catholic Churches, Old Catholic, Anglican, and Lutheran churches, to refer to the Host after it has been consecrated in the sacrament of the Eucharist...
. He blessed the assembled pilgrims and John, whose right arm had been paralysed since 1915, blessed himself. Later that evening John awoke from his hospital bed and walked out of his room, to the amazement of those around him. He proceeded to the Grotto and prayed the rosary
Rosary
The rosary or "garland of roses" is a traditional Catholic devotion. The term denotes the prayer beads used to count the series of prayers that make up the rosary...
, not fully realising the significance of the events that were unfolding. By this time, word of his recovery was spreading among those in Lourdes and crowds were gathering wherever he went. Contemporary reports say John himself continued his pilgrimage as if nothing untoward had occurred.
Upon his return to Liverpool, a huge crowd had assembled at Lime Street Station to greet his arrival. John lived out the rest of his life in good health, having started a coal delivery business (the former invalid had no trouble hauling 200 lb (90.7 kg) bags of coal around the street of Liverpool) and returned to Lourdes many times as a stretcher bearer and was one of the pre-war Presidents of the Liverpool Brancardiers Association
Liverpool hospitalite
The Liverpool hospitalité is a voluntary organisation associated with the annual Liverpool Archdiocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes. The Hospitalité of Our Lady of Lourdes spend their pilgrimage caring for those who need support both while travelling and whilst in Lourdes. They also provide support for...
. Despite this recovery, he is not listed amongst the verified Lourdes cures and the British Army refused to consider withdrawing his invalidity pensions awarded to him after he was originally wounded.
External links
- http://www.olrl.org/stories/lourdes.shtml, account of John Traynor story
- http://www.pamphlets.org.au/england/b405.html, I Met a Miracle - (The story of John Traynor) By Rev. Patrick O'Connor 1973