The ‘miracle’ that enthralled a city 100 years ago

Dr Moriarty, 73, continued his research in the archdiocesan archives, which had boxes of files relating to Traynor, including his son’s unpublished memoir .

“This has been a long journey for me,” said Dr Moriarty.

“My grandparents were on Liverpool Lime Street station on 28 July 1923 when John Traynor returned from Lourdes cured.

“I heard the story of the cure when I was around eight years old and I always thought that it was a recognised miracle, until I came to Lourdes as a medical student in 1971 and realised it wasn’t.”

A commission convened by the Archbishop of Liverpool the Rt Rev Malcom McMahon met in Liverpool last month to validate Traynor’s recovery

The archbishop declared said: “Given the weight of medical evidence, the testimony to the faith of John Traynor and his devotion to Our Blessed Lady, it is with great joy that I declare that the cure of John Traynor, from multiple serious medical conditions, is to be recognised as a miracle wrought by the power of God through the intercession of Our Lady of Lourdes.

For Taylor and other descendants of Traynor this official answer to their “prayers” has been a complete surprise.

“I’m still taking it in to be honest,” he said. “We are delighted – the family were told a week before they attended Mass at Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral last Sunday where the archbishop made the official announcement.

“The ramifications go far beyond our family.”