Sister Briege McKenna’s life is itself a testimony to the truth proclaimed in the title of her book: miracles really do happen. For more than 25 years—following her own dramatic healing from crippling arthritis—Sr. Briege has carried a ministry of hope, healing, and renewal across the world, from massive rallies in Latin America to quiet retreats in Asia and Europe.
Miracles Do Happen recounts her personal encounter with the healing power of God and unfolds her deep convictions about faith, prayer, and the transforming power of the Eucharist. More than a collection of miracle stories, the book consistently directs the reader toward what Sr. Briege sees as the heart of every authentic healing: a living relationship with Jesus Christ, deeper trust in His love, and confidence in His power to do the impossible.
A Life Marked by God’s Call
Sr. Briege was born on Pentecost, a detail that seems almost prophetic in hindsight. Her early life was marked by profound loss. On Christmas Day, 1959, when she was only thirteen years old, her mother died suddenly. That night, as she wept, she recalls hearing a gentle but unmistakable voice say, “Don’t worry, I’ll take care of you.” Though she did not yet recognize it as the Lord, she felt a deep peace. By the following morning, she knew she wanted to become a nun (p. 1). Three years later, she entered the Poor Clare community.
A Miraculous Healing
Years later, Sr. Briege developed advanced arthritis so severe that doctors eventually gave up hope. She was told she would soon be confined to a wheelchair. Then, in 1970, during an ecumenical retreat, everything changed. While quietly praying, “Jesus, help me,” she felt a powerful force move through her body—an experience she vividly describes as “like a banana being peeled” (p. 4). In an instant, the deformities in her hands and feet disappeared. The sores were gone. She jumped up crying out, “Jesus! You’re right here!” From that moment on, she has remained completely free from arthritis and pain—a total and lasting healing.
This experience introduced her to the charismatic renewal, opening her eyes to the living action of the Holy Spirit. Yet she was initially reluctant to speak publicly about her healing. As a Poor Clare, she feared sensationalism and wanted to avoid drawing attention to herself. She admits struggling with the desire for approval and respect. About a year later, however, she began receiving persistent interior promptings and prophetic confirmations from others that the Lord had entrusted her with a gift of healing. Again and again she heard the same message: “You have my gift of healing—go and use it.”
Prayer, Humility, and the Eucharist
One of the most formative moments in her ministry came through a simple but profound encounter with Mother Angelica. Taking Sr. Briege by the hand and leading her into the chapel, Mother Angelica pointed to the exposed Blessed Sacrament and said:
“If Jesus wanted you to be somebody else, He would have made you somebody else. He made you to be Briege McKenna—and there’s the Teacher. Don’t try to copy other people’s styles. Come to Jesus and let Him teach you.” (pp. 19–20)
From that day on, Sr. Briege committed herself to two to three hours of daily personal prayer, wherever her travels took her. She came to understand that not everyone would be healed physically—and that this was not her responsibility. “My business was not to defend Him, but to proclaim Him,” she writes. She adds with striking humility: “I don’t pray because I am holy, but because I want to become holy and I need Jesus to teach me” (p. 22).
At one point, when she considered reducing her prayer time, a priest delivered a prophetic message to her: “Tell Sr. Briege that the hour she gave away is my hour, and I want that hour for myself.” This confirmed for her that Jesus does not call us to prayer because He needs us—but because He desires to love us, teach us, and give Himself to us. He waits for us not as an idea, but as a living Person.
The Healing Power of the Eucharist
Some of the most compelling passages in Miracles Do Happen concern Sr. Briege’s experiences of healing flowing directly from the Holy Eucharist. In one remarkable account, she describes an outdoor Mass in Latin America where a severely burned child was brought by his parents. The priest instructed them to place the boy beneath the altar and proceed with the Mass. The priest’s faith, she recalls, awakened an expectant faith in the entire congregation. During the consecration, the people lay prostrate, lifting their eyes only at the elevation of the Host.
After Mass, Sr. Briege discovered that the child had been completely healed—as was another boy with a facial deformity who had attended the same liturgy. What struck her most was that the people were not surprised. They had expected Jesus to act. This experience deeply impressed upon her the importance of cultivating living, Eucharistic faith—faith that truly believes the Lord is present and active on the altar (pp. 59–61).
In another story, she recounts a Eucharistic procession led by Fr. Kevin Scallon. As she encouraged people to keep their focus on Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, a young Mormon girl—who knew little about Catholic theology but believed Catholics truly worship Jesus in the Eucharist—asked Him to heal her deformed hands. As she gazed upon the Host, she felt power flow from it into her hands. They were completely healed (pp. 112–113).
Final Impression
Miracles Do Happen is ultimately not a book about extraordinary signs for their own sake. It is a call to faith, prayer, Eucharistic devotion, and surrender to Jesus. Sr. Briege’s stories consistently remind the reader that while God may not always heal physically, He always desires to draw us into deeper trust and intimacy with Himself. The greatest miracle, she insists, is not simply restored bodies—but renewed hearts that know Jesus is alive, present, and still acting among His people today.
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