Knock miracle cure woman thanks her former Offaly neighbours

A Midlands woman who has had her recovery from MS officially declared a miracle by the Catholic Church has paid tribute to her former Offaly neighbours for their support during some of her toughest times.

Over 30 years have passed since the day when Marion Carroll's life was transformed. In 1989, the Cartron Drive, Athlone, resident was wheelchair-bound and almost blind after seventeen years of a debilitating illness, diagnosed as MS.

That September, Marion was brought, on a stretcher, to the anointing of the sick at Knock Basilica.

After receiving Holy Communion at the Mass, she felt "a wonderful sensation, like a whispering breeze" which told her she had been cured and could now get up and walk. To everyone's astonishment, she did.

Over the years that followed, medical records and personal testimonials were gathered as part of lengthy process in which Knock Shrine sought to have Marion's case officially declared a miracle by the Catholic Church.

Eventually, last September, the Church confirmed that Marion had, indeed, been healed at Knock and that her healing "defies medical explanation".

Her story is now told at length in a book - 'My Miracle Cure' - which was published on May 28. It was written by Roscommon author John Scally, a prolific author of books which are often about sport or religion.

Marion’s husband Jimmy is a native of Cloghan and emerges as one of the heroes of the book, according to its author.

When Marion was struck down by illness, the family moved to Cloghan. Marion describes the difficulties she faced at the time:

"We moved to Cloghan, Co Offaly in 1976. I was pregnant with our daughter Cora at the time. Because of a series of infections I spent most of the time in Portiuncula hospital in Ballinasloe. However, that was when things got worse - much worse.”

Having seen her disabilities, neighbours and friends of her husbands raised funds to purchase an electric wheelchair and sold tickets for a fundraising function in places like Ferbane, Cloghan and Shannonbridge.

"Since my husband was a sergeant in the army, much of his time was spent on border duty and despite his best efforts to spend every possible minute at home I was left on my own a lot. We lived in a mobile home, near Jimmy’s parents’ house.

“With no running water it was not the ideal environment for a sick mother with a baby and a young child. My illness put a huge strain on the family’s finances. Frequent extended stays in hospital and visits to doctors and specialists as well as expensive medication put an impossible burden on Jimmy’s salary. Yet the greatest tragedy was that I could not be the type of mother I wanted to be.’

"I knew the decision was made to make my cure official back in January 2019. They decided to hold over the announcement until the 30th anniversary in September. That was the hardest part because I could not tell my family in case the word leaked out. All my friends who came to Knock thought they were coming to celebrate the 30th anniversary of my cure. They all got a huge shock when the announcement was made."

Marion moved back to Athlone in the mid-1980s but was happy to share her special day with the people of Offaly.

“It was so lovely to have all my family involved in the ceremony. It was great to be able to invite those who have helped me down the years like the representatives of the people of Offaly who when I was very sick sent me to Lourdes and those from Cloghan who got me an electric wheelchair when I was at my very lowest.”

Marion is now 69, but quipped that she feels no older than 40. She and Jimmy recently celebrated their 48th wedding anniversary.

They have a son and daughter, Cora and Anthony, and five grandchildren; Chantel, Faith, Bethany, James and Ben.

For the last three decades her work has been "a ministry of healing" which has involved speaking with the sick and giving talks in Churches all over the world.

She said that this ministry has been as busy as ever in recent times. "It's really been constant, because I am either travelling or if I'm at home the phone is ringing for people to be prayed with over the phone," she explained.

She has taken "a vow of confidentiality" so that people can talk with her in confidence.

"I've always had lots of requests, and even though there was a lockdown (in recent months), I was still working. I was praying and talking with people over the phone.

"To be there for people is very important to me, because I have been where they are now, so I understand what they're going through.