Our Lady of Healing (I)

In the city that is regarded as the world’s largest crystal factory, in a tower that is the only remnant of the thirteenth-century Franciscan Friary known a Saint Savior’s, is enshrined a small oaken figure of the Blessed Virgin that is known locally as Our Lady of Waterford or as Our Lady of Healing. The history of the statue begins with the Reverend Nicholas Fagan, an Irishman by birth, who took the habit of religion in the famous Cistercian Abbey of Farrara in Castile, Spain, in the latter part of Queen Elizabeth’s reign. After some years he was sent back to Ireland. He managed to preserve his life and engage in apostolic labors, in spite of being exposed to many dangers. More than once he was beaten and wounded by his enemies. Reverend Fagan was very intent on promoting devotion to the Blessed Virgin as a powerful means of restoring and strengthening the Catholic Faith in Ireland. For this purpose he brought with him from Seville an image of Our Blessed Lady, which he enshrined in the hospital of St John in the city of Waterford. Don Gaspard Jongelino relates in his work entitled, Propora di S. Bernardo, that “Large numbers of Catholics devoutly visited the image where Our Lord, through the intercession of His Blessed Mother, worked many and astounding miracles at the shrine.”