Down Syndrome “Cured”

Father DiOrio’s claims cover a wide spectrum. He says, for example, that during one of many hundreds of miraculous performances, he instantly changed the facial features of Sarah DeMoon, a Down syndrome child, by the touch of his hand. The child’s father had brought her 1,200 miles from Addison, Illinois, to be healed by DiOrio. Following the charismatic service, the girl’s father, Carl DeMoon, was ecstatic:I not only think Sarah is cured, I think she’s a genius. She’s alert, attentive, doing everything that’s expected of a normal 1-year-old child. Science and medicine don’t have all the answers. God still has the last word.

Naturally, I was very interested in looking into this claim, because Down syndrome is a basic birth defect, and there has never been a recorded reversal of this condition in medical history. Never. So I wrote to all concerned, asking for some evidence. At first, Carl DeMoon agreed to be interviewed about the healing, but now will not discuss the matter with anyone. Several letters I have sent to DiOrio’s organization (the Apostolate of Prayer for Healing Evangelism, in Leicester, Massachusetts) asking for information on this specific case have been unanswered. In fact, similar inquiries simply asking for information on a medical validation team that DiOrio claims to have in operation have all been ignored. If the validation group cannot be identified, of what use can it possibly be? Or does it actually exist? So that the reader will understand that my inquiries have been simple, direct requests for information, I will present here in its entirety one of the letters sent to this healer. The letter is typical of others I have sent to other faith-healers: Fr. Ralph DiOrio Apostolate of Prayer for Healing Evangelism 761 Main Street Leicester, Mass. 01524   December 14, 1986   Dear Rev. DiOrio:   I have before me an article from the Albuquerque Journal of November 22nd, 1986. In that article, you are quoted as saying that the APHE “has a medical team that documents ... healings [brought about by your services].” I should like to know how I might obtain the evidence that this team has gathered which establishes these healings. The article also quotes you as saying that some healings are “inexplicable by medical standards.” May I know what cases these are? Is it true that your services have brought about healings of deafness to the point where people no longer need their hearing aids, as claimed in this article? Has your medical team evidence to support this fact, if you accept that claim? I am preparing material for a book on faith-healing, and I would much appreciate the answers to these questions. Thank you for your attention to this request.

Please note that I was referring to claims made in the press and wanted to know if there was any truth to them. DiOrio did not respond to my requests for information. I believe he has good reason for not doing so. Surely, with almost 200 volunteers helping him at his headquarters, he has time to answer a simple request for information.