Teenager’s Tumors Vanish After Prayers to Blessed Solanus Casey
Mary Bartold, a teenager from DeWitt, Michigan, experienced a sudden disappearance of two ovarian tumors following prayers for the intercession of Blessed Solanus Casey. Diagnosed in late April 2024 at age 16 after suffering severe abdominal pain, scans revealed two teratoma tumors on her ovaries, measuring 7.3 cm and 1.5 cm.
Mary and her parents, Susan and Rick Bartold, consulted with Catholic physicians at University of Michigan Health, and surgery was scheduled for August 2, 2024. Concerned about the implications for Mary’s health and future fertility, the family turned to prayer.
Pilgrimage, Novena, and Unexpected Healing
Susan Bartold organized a nine-day prayer period (novena) invoking Blessed Solanus Casey, involving family, friends, and their church community. The family also made a pilgrimage to Casey’s tomb in Detroit. Susan felt a personal connection to Casey, a Capuchin friar known for his ministry in Michigan and helping the poor, potentially including her own father.
On July 30, 2024 – Blessed Solanus Casey’s feast day – Mary underwent a pre-operative MRI scan. The following day, her doctors called to cancel the surgery. Multiple radiologists confirmed that the scans showed no evidence of the tumors; they had completely vanished without medical intervention.
Follow-up scans six months later continued to show no sign of the tumors. The family attributes the healing directly to the power of prayer and the intercession of Blessed Solanus Casey.
Case Submitted for Sainthood Cause
On the day originally scheduled for her surgery, Mary and her parents returned to Casey’s tomb to express their gratitude. They submitted documentation detailing Mary’s experience to the Solanus Casey Center.
This case could potentially serve as the second miracle required for Blessed Solanus Casey’s canonization. A first miracle, the healing of a woman with a skin condition after praying at his tomb, was recognized by Pope Francis in 2017, leading to Casey’s beatification. If the Vatican investigates and approves Mary’s healing as a miracle, it would clear the path for Casey to be declared a saint. Mary expressed hope that her story would contribute to this outcome, stating, “He deserves to be canonized.”
