Teen’s Marian encounter brings hope amid battle with brain tumor

A New Jersey teenager whose brain tumor shrank after he says the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to him is sharing a message of hope as Catholics prepare to celebrate Our Lady of the Rosary Oct. 7.

Dominic Auricchio, 13, said the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared beside his bed in May 2023 as he faced possible surgery for a large mass in his brain. The mass had been discovered during an MRI that January after Dominic began suffering from persistent headaches, according to a New York Post report.

“[The Blessed Virgin Mary] was dressed just like we imagine her … and she told me that everything would be OK,” Dominic said.

A scan taken the following month showed the mass had begun to shrink to what his mother described as a “small blip,” and surgery was no longer considered necessary, according to the report.

“I like telling other people because it reminds them that God is always there,” Dominic said. “It gives them hope.”

Dominic’s story drew renewed attention this year when he won the Archdiocese of Newark’s 2026 Cardinal Joseph Tobin Essay and Video Contest, which asks seventh graders to explain why priests are important. His entry reflected on the priesthood and his own desire to become a priest.

“I was really happy when I won,” Dominic said. “Becoming a priest is important to me, so I worked hard on everything. Accepting the award in front of so many people made me feel very accomplished.”

Dominic, who now is an altar server at his parish, said he first felt called to the priesthood at age 4. His health struggles have influenced how he thinks about that vocation.

“[My medical problems] helped me understand how other people feel when they are scared, different, or going through something difficult,” Dominic wrote according to the archdiocese. “Because of this, I feel called to help people who are hurting… A priest walks with people during sickness, grief, and fear, and I want to be someone who brings comfort and hope.”

Because Dominic was taking medication that may have caused the improvement, the change cannot be confirmed as miraculous, according to the archdiocese.

“I do not know exactly where God will lead me, but I trust that He is guiding me step by step,” Dominic wrote in his essay.

“The Roman Catholic priesthood is a life of service, sacrifice, and joy centered on Jesus,” he wrote. “That is why I believe God is calling me to become a priest, and why I hope to answer that call one day.”

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