By Charles Igwe
In a story that has left both doctors and believers astonished, 16-year-old Mary Bartold of DeWitt, Michigan, experienced the sudden disappearance of two tumors after prayers for the intercession of Blessed Solanus Casey. With no medical intervention, the tumors—one measuring 7.3 centimeters and the other 1.5 centimeters—vanished just days before her scheduled surgery, reinforcing the deep faith her family has placed in the power of prayer.
Mary’s journey began nearly a year ago when she started experiencing severe abdominal pain while at school. Concerned about her health, her parents, Susan and Rick Bartold, took her for a CT scan and ultrasound, which revealed two masses on each of her ovaries. The diagnosis brought immediate fear, not only for her health but also for the potential impact on her future fertility. The Bartolds sought care at University of Michigan Health, choosing Catholic physicians who, Susan explained, would understand the importance of making moral decisions guided by faith rather than secular perspectives.
As the family prepared for Mary’s surgery, scheduled for August 2, they turned to their faith for solace and intervention. Susan and Rick made a pilgrimage to Blessed Solanus Casey’s tomb in Detroit, entrusting their daughter’s healing to the Capuchin friar known for his humility, compassion, and devotion to those in need. Susan also organized a novena in his name, enlisting the prayers of family, friends, and their church community. Having always felt a personal connection to Blessed Solanus, who spent much of his life in Michigan, she was determined to seek his intercession for her daughter’s healing.
The Bartolds’ faith was soon met with a stunning turn of events. On July 30, the feast day of Blessed Solanus, Mary went in for a pre-surgery MRI scan. As Susan prayed on the drive to the appointment, she placed her hopes entirely in the hands of the friar: “Solanus, this is your feast day. I am doing this for you. I know you have big news.” That hope was realized the next day when doctors called with unexpected news—the surgery was no longer needed. After reviewing the scans multiple times, radiologists and specialists confirmed that there was no trace of the tumors. They had disappeared completely.
Initially, Mary struggled to believe what had happened, suspecting a mistake in the imaging. But follow-up scans over the next six months continued to confirm the absence of any tumors, leaving the family with only one explanation: the power of prayer. “We forget about the power of prayer,” Susan reflected. “And this is just a testimony to the power of prayer.”
Instead of arriving at the hospital on August 2 for surgery, the Bartolds made a return visit to Blessed Solanus Casey’s tomb—this time to give thanks. While there, they submitted Mary’s case to the Solanus Casey Center for review, hoping it might contribute to the friar’s canonization process. The Vatican previously recognized a miracle attributed to Casey in 2017 when a woman with a genetic skin condition was miraculously healed after praying at his tomb. If Mary’s case is deemed a second miracle, it could advance his path toward sainthood.
For Mary and her family, there is no doubt that Blessed Solanus played a role in her healing. She expressed her hope that her story might help bring him one step closer to canonization, saying, “He deserves to be a saint.”
