The Irish first arrived in Philadelphia before the Revolutionary War. William Penn, himself, had ties to Ireland; Benjamin Franklin had visited the country in 1771; and eight of the Declaration of Independence signatories were of Irish descent.
Almost a century later, the Great Hunger ushered tens of thousands to the City of Brotherly Love. They brought with them a steadfast faith, for which they had been persecuted for more than 300 years, and a deep devotion to Mary.
When they settled in Germantown, they helped build the chapel now known as The Miraculous Medal Shrine. The Shrine was a gathering place for this community, a place where people could come and hear news about home. A place where they found comfort in the Blessed Mother’s presence.
Her presence was not a metaphorical one to the Catholics who were still in Ireland in 1879. In her apparition at Knock, Mary appeared next to a small, stone church in an impoverished area of County Mayo. With her were St. John the Baptist, St. Joseph, and the Lamb of God, standing on an altar surrounded by adoring angels.
It was a rainy night, yet the water didn’t touch the heavenly visitors or the ground beneath them—even though the visions stood a few feet above the earth. Not a word was spoken, making this apparition exceptional. Words weren’t needed. Comfort was. And that’s what flowed from the apparition: peace, consolation, and hope. In the two hours that passed, more than twenty people witnessed this event.
Jim Dowling, a second generation Irish Philadelphian, laments that while there have been more than 300 miraculous cures recorded at Knock, it isn’t as well-known as Fatima and Lourdes. But in the tri-state area, many of the Irish are once again coming together at the Shrine to share their love for their homeland, their faith, and their devotion to Mary. As she appeared tangibly to their forefathers to comfort them, they’re creating something tangible to honor her, who continues to comfort her children. Now, a shrine to Our Lady of Knock stands in our Rosary Walk.