>>> TODAY WE CONTINUE OUR WEEK-LONG SERIES EXAMINING FAITH
WITH A LOOK AT MIRACLES.
IN THE U.S., THERE IS ONLY ONE PLACE THATS BEEN RECOGNIZED BY
THE CATHOLIC CHURCH AS A SITE
WHERE THE VIRGIN MARY HAS ACTUALLY APPEARED.ARY HAS
ACTUALLY APPEARED. AND THATS A SHRINE JUST OUTSIDE
OF GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN. THIS MORNING, A LOOK AT THAT
SHRINE, AND AT A MAN WHO CALLS
HIMSELF A MIRACLE HUNTER.
HE HAS STUDIED SEEMINGLY
INEXPLICABLE EVENTS WORLDWIDE,
AND SAYS MIRACLES CAN AND DO HAPPEN.S MIRACLES CAN AND DO
HAPPEN.
TAKE A LOOK.
♪
MICHAEL ONEILL IS KNOWN AS THE MIRACLE HUNTER.IS KNOWN AS THE
MIRACLE HUNTER. HE HAS SPENT HIS LIFE
INVESTIGATING THE UNBELIEVABLE
AND UNEXPLAINED.
AND UNEXPLAINED.
>> THESE ARE THINGS THAT HAVE
HAPPENED THROUGHOUT THE
CENTURIES, AND I LIKE TO RESEARCH WHETHER THEY TRULY
HAPPENED OR DIDNT.
I AM A SKEPTIC AS MUCH AS I AM A
BELIEVER.
BUT I LIKE TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF IT.LIKE TO GET TO THE BOTTOM
OF IT.
>> THIS QUEST HAS TAKEN HIM AROUND THE WORLD. TAKEN HIM
AROUND THE WORLD.
>> SO YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT THE HISTORY.U HAVE TO LOOK AT THE
HISTORY.
YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT THE SCIENCE, WHERE AVAILABLE. AT THE SCIENCE,
WHERE AVAILABLE. >> INCLUDING THE FIRST AND ONLY
HOLY SITE IN THE U.S. THAT WAS
VERIFIED BY THE VATICAN. OUR LADY OF GOOD HELP IN
CHAMPION, WISCONSIN.
CHAMPION, WISCONSIN. IN 1859, A YOUNG BELGIAN
IMMIGRANT CLAIMED SHE SAW THE
VIRGIN MARY THREE TIMES.
A CHURCH WAS BUILT ON THE SITE
SOON AFTER.
SOON AFTER. >> SHE SAW A WOMAN APPEARING IN
FRONT OF HER DRESSED IN DAZZLING
WHITE WITH A GOLD SASH AROUND
HER WAIST, AND THE REPORTS SAY
STARS AROUND HER HEAD.
>> EXACTLY 12 YEARS LATER, THE
DEADLIEST FIRE IN U.S. HISTORY
DEVASTATED THIS ENTIRE RURAL AREA.TATED THIS ENTIRE RURAL
AREA.
BUT LEFT THE GROUNDS OF THE CHURCH UNTOUCHED.NDS OF THE
CHURCH UNTOUCHED. >> THE FIRE CAME ALL THE WAY UP
TO THE FENCE OF THE SHRINE, AND
THE PEOPLE WERE GATHERED AND
THEY WERE PRAYING FOR THE
INTERCESSION OF VIRGIN MARY,
THAT SHE MIGHT SPARE THEM.
>> TODAY, THE SITE IS A
DESTINATION FOR HUMBLE PILGRIMS
WITH MANY SAYING THEY HAVE BEEN
SPONTANEOUSLY HEALED HERE.
THE CRUTCHES ON THE WALL A
TESTAMENT TO THOSE CLAIMS.
>> THEY COME HERE AND THEY WILL
SAY, THIS IS SUCH A PEACEFUL
PLACE.
PLACE. >> THIS PLACE IS REALLY MY
HEAVEN ON EARTH.
>> MIRACLES CAN BE A POINT OF
INSPIRATION.
INSPIRATION.
THEY CAN BE A BRIDGE IN THE GAP
FROM WHAT PEOPLE BELIEVE AND
WHAT THEY EXPERIENCE.
THEY CAN GET TO KNOW GOD IN A
DEEPER WAY THROUGH MIRACLES.
WE ALL HAVE STRUGGLES WITH OUR
FAITH.
BUT THROUGH MIRACLES, PEOPLE CAN
REALLY BE ENERGIZED.
>> AND JOINING US NOW IS THE MIRACLE HUNTER HIMSELF, MICHAEL
ONEILL.
ONEILL.
MICHAEL, WELCOME.
>> THANKS.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> ALL RIGHT. SO HOW DOES AN ENGINEERING
STUDENT AT STANFORD WIND UP A
MIRACLE HUNTER?
MIRACLE HUNTER?
>> ITS AN INTERESTING QUESTION. EVERYBODY WANTS TO KNOW THIS.N.
EVERYBODY WANTS TO KNOW THIS. HOW DO I GO FROM SOMEBODY
FOCUSED ON NUMBERS TO SOMEBODY
WHO IS IN THE ETHEREAL WITH
MIRACLES.
MIRACLES.
IT ALL STARTED WITH MY GRANDMOTHER, ACTUALLY.
GRANDMOTHER, ACTUALLY. AND TODAY, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, IS
THE TEN-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF HER
DEATH.
DEATH.
SO I FEEL THAT SHES SMILING DOWN ON ME TODAY ALLOWING ME TO
BE ON YOUR SHOW.
AND WE HAVE THIS LITTLE MIRACLE
STORY IN OUR FAMILY WHERE IT
GOES THAT WHEN MY MOTHER WAS
VERY YOUNG, 8 OR 9 YEARS OLD, MY
GRANDMOTHER FELL AWAY FROM THE
FAITH.
FAITH.
AND, IN FACT, BEGAN TO THROW AWAY THE ROSARY BEADS ANDROW
AWAY THE ROSARY BEADS AND STATUES IN HER HOUSE, AND EVEN
TRIED TO GET HER OWN CHILDREN TO
STOP BELIEVING.
STOP BELIEVING. AND MY MOTHER WAS DISTRAUGHT, AS
YOU MIGHT IMAGINE.
AND SHE, LIKE ANY BELIEVER WILL
DO, TRIED TO MAKE A DEAL WITH
GOD.
GOD.
SHE SAID, GOD, IF YOU BRING MY
MOTHER BACK TO THE FAITH,
SOMEDAY WHEN I GROW UP, IM
GOING TO SHARE THE STORY OF THIS
MIRACLE AND THE MIRACLES OF THE CHURCH WITH ALL THE STUDENTS IE
CHURCH WITH ALL THE STUDENTS I TEACH.
TEACH.
ILL BECOME A SCHOOL TEACHER. AND YOU BLESS ME WITH ANYER.
AND YOU BLESS ME WITH ANY CHILDREN OF MY OWN, I WILL TEACH
THEM EVERY YEAR ON THIS DATE THE
STORY OF THIS MIRACLE.
SO NEEDLESS TO SAY, SHE CAME
BACK TO THE FAITH AND DIED IN
GOOD STANDING WITH THE CHURCH,
AND HAS BEEN AN INSPIRATIONAL
STORY FOR US AS CHILDREN.
>> AND YOUR MOM AND SON HAVE
MADE IT THEIR LIFE MISSION.
SO WHAT QUALIFIES AS A MIRACLE?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> ABSOLUTELY. SO WE ALL HAVE DIFFERENT THINGS
WE CALL MIRACLES.
WE LOSE OUR CELL PHONE AND FIND
IT.
IT.
WE CALL THAT A LITTLE BIT OF A
MIRACLE.
IF YOURE A SPORTS FAN LIKE I AM
FROM CHICAGO, YOURE CELEBRATING LOYOLA CHICAGO IN THE FINALTING
LOYOLA CHICAGO IN THE FINAL FOUR.
FOUR.
[ APPLAUSE ]
THATS RIGHT.
>> THE CUBS WINNING THE WORLD
SERIES.
THESE ARE ALL MIRACLES OF SOME
FORM OR ANOTHER. BUT PEOPLE HAVE THIS CONCEPTION
THAT WHENEVER THERE IS A HEALING
THAT THE VATICAN WILL SEND OUT A
MIRACLE HUNTER TO GET TO THE
BOTTOM OF IT.
WELL, THATS NOT HOW TO WORKS AT
ALL.
ALL.
ONLY IN SAINT HOOD CAUSES WHERE
PEOPLE ARE PROPELLED TO BE
RECOGNIZED AS SAINTS DO THEY
LOOK AT THESE THINGS.
SO THE CURE HAS TO BE A SERIOUS CONDITION.E HAS TO BE A SERIOUS
CONDITION.
IT CANT BE JUST A COLD THAT GOES AWAY ON ITS OWN.D THAT
GOES AWAY ON ITS OWN. IT HAS TO BE INSTANTANEOUS,
COMPLETE AND LASTING.
AND THE HARDEST CRITERIA OF ALL
IS THAT YOU CAN HAVE NO MEDICAL
TREATMENT THAT RELATES TO THE
CURE.
CURE.
EVERYBODY SEES THEIR DOCTOR, AND
THE CHURCH ENCOURAGES PEOPLE TO
SEE THEIR DOCTORS.
BUT IN THESE VERY RARE CASES,
THOSE ARE ONES THAT GET USED.
>> BECAUSE THE CHURCH RECOGNIZES THAT SCIENCE CURES CERTAINGNIZES
THAT SCIENCE CURES CERTAIN AILMENTS AND THEY DONT WANT TO
SAY THATS A MIRACLE.
IT HAS TO HAVE SOMETHING -- BE
SOMETHING EXTRAORDINARY.
SOMETHING EXTRAORDINARY. WITH THIS NATIONAL SHRINE IN
WISCONSIN, YOU HEAR THAT THE
BLESSED VIRGIN VISITED
WISCONSIN, AND YOU THINK, WHAT?
RIGHT?
RIGHT?
SO, LIKE, WHATS -- WHAT MAKES
THIS PLACE SO SPECIAL?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE HISTORY OF
THE VISIONS OF THE VIRGIN MARY, IVE CATALOGED ON MY WEBSITE,RY,
IVE CATALOGED ON MY WEBSITE, MIRACLE HUNTER.COM.
MIRACLE HUNTER.COM. 2,500 ALLEGED VISIONS OF MARY.
THERES ONLY BEEN ONE IN THE
HISTORY OF THE ENTIRE UNITED
STATES.
STATES.
AND THATS IN CHAMPION, WISCONSIN.IN CHAMPION,
WISCONSIN.
SO THIS IS SUCH A GREAT PLACE OF PEACE AND PRAYER. GREAT PLACE OF
PEACE AND PRAYER. PEOPLE COME FROM ALL OVER THE
WORLD.
WORLD.
AND WHEN I DO MY RADIO SHOW ON RELEVANT RADIO, THE PHONES LIGHT
UP EVERY TIME WE TALK ABOUT
CHAMPION, WISCONSIN, AND THIS