MEDJUGORJE MIRACLES -- DANIJEL SETKA

[One of the first recorded miracles at Medjugorje — apart from the apparitions themselves — concerned a little boy called Danijel Setka.  He is mentioned in books, including Mary Craig’s excellent Spark From Heaven and on many website articles. I have put together his story by combining two separate reports one from www.medjugorje.org, the other from www.ministryvalues.com]:

Danijel was born normal and healthy on 21 September 1978, the third child of John and Snda Setka.  Four days after his birth he came down with septicemia. He turned blue, became rigid and had convulsions. He was taken to the children’s hospital in Mostar where he remained for a month, showing no signs of improvement. Doctors did not believe he would live a year. In Sarajevo, Danijel was diagnosed with a combination of epilepsy and spastic hemiparesis, making the child unable to speak, walk or barely hold his head up. Since his father worked in what was then West Germany he was taken to a hospital there for a month, again with no improvement.

Danijel’s parents were religious and turned  to Heaven for help. Pilgrimages were made to Saint John of Jace in Bosnia and to Saint Roko. After two years and nine months there was still no change in the child’s condition. It was then that his parents heard of Medjugorje. The whole family including Danijel immediately went to the hillside where the apparitions were taking place. His mother and father carried him up the hill at Podbrdo (now known to English speakers as Apparition Hill) where his father asked the visionaries to intercede with Our Lady for him. They were told they already had too many requests to submit to Her and that they should come back the next day. The did; it was 29 June 1981, the sixth day of the apparitions. One of the visionaries, Vicka, presented Danijel to the Virgin. After the apparition, another visionary, little Jakov (only ten years old himself) reported that the Blessed Virgin had told them that Danijel’s parents were to believe firmly and the boy would be healed.

On the way home the family stopped at a restaurant. Up to that time, Danijel had not been able to talk, his head had always titled to the right, and he could only take one or two steps without falling. To everyone’s amazement, Danijel tapped on the table with his hand and said, “Give me a drink!” or words to that effect. From that moment on his speech gradually improved. He began putting words together and speaking. He was also able to stand up and walk on a level surface. His walking continued to improve to the point that he could go up stairs normally and run down. When their local priest, Fr. Svetozar left Danijel’s house after interviewing the parents, he saw the boy kicking a soccer ball in the yard.