The story of the "broken statue of Our Lady": from the garbage dump to the procession in Chicago

Kevin Matthews found a "broken statue of Mary" outside a dump at a florist, covered in trash and cracked in half. He brought it back and repaired it. This event also marked a change in his faith life. After finding the statue of Our Lady, reciting the Rosary was his first priority: saying the Rosary and encouraging others to do the same.


On Friday, May 31, 2019, four lanes of traffic on a major thoroughfare in Chicago closed for an hour and a half, while 3,200 people joined a procession through it.

Instead of political banners, procession participants held candles. Instead of shouting, they quietly prayed the rosary and sang Ave Maria. Instead of a politician or a city official, the procession was led by the "Broken Mary," a statue of the Virgin Mary picked up from a landfill, which still bears traces of its past. - a crack in the middle where the statue was broken in half, chipped hands, faded paint with scratches.

The Marian procession was organized by St. John's parish in Chicago and Kevin Matthews, who picked up the statue of Our Lady from the landfill. But according to Mr. Matthews, the procession was entirely according to the will of Our Lady.

"Broken statue of Our Lady"

Mr. Matthews first discovered what is now known as the "broken statue of Mary" outside a dump at a florist, covered in trash and cracked in half. Feeling confused, he picked up the heavy concrete statue, took it home, and cleaned it up. He asked the castor to put the statue back together, but kept the cracks and scratches. He told the craftsman: “The statue is broken, just like me. We are all broken and in need of repair. It represents breakdown.”

After finding the statue of Our Lady, Matthews experienced a profound new devotion to the Mother of God. Although born a Catholic, he strayed from the faith for many years and never learned how to recite the rosary. After finding the broken statue of Our Lady, it was his first priority: to pray the Rosary and encourage others to do the same.

On his website, Mr. Matthews recites the Rosary every day and anyone can participate. He has two rosary apps, and he also takes the statue around and talks about Mary's love for broken hearts, and how she can lead them to Jesus, her Son Mom.

Plan for the procession of Our Lady

Although Matthews currently lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan, the Marian procession in Chicago is something he has been praying for for a while. He has been a DJ on the city radio for many years, and in many ways, it is. is his second home. He contacted Fr. Joshua Caswell, auxiliary at St. John's Church, to talk about the broken statue. After much prayer, they decided to hold a procession with the broken statue of Our Lady in February. “We need to bring Our Lady into the city, we need to receive her on the streets, she has to be received and venerated by everyone,” Mr. Matthews said.

If Our Lady wants

But planning a large procession through the busy streets of Chicago is no small task, and closing four lanes of traffic on a busy street on a Friday night is a big deal. “We know the procession will only be successful if it is Our Lady’s plan and how she wants it to be done,” said Andrea Eisenberg, a member of the procession organizing committee.

“Hope for the Hurt”

When Father Joshua applied for permission, a city official who saw the title of the event, “Hope for the Hurt,” said, “Oh, I really hope so, Father, because because we can really use some hope around here, in this city.” Two days later, Father Joshua received his permit.

The procession was the result of the combined efforts of various police and fire departments, as well as collaboration with Relevant Radio, Shalom TV, the International Apostolic Society of Fatima and city officials. "It's a combination of everyone's efforts to get our faith all the way," Eisenberg said, "and it's important to everyone as a visible sign to everyone that there's hope. , and it comes from our Lord, and Our Lady will always bring us closer to Him.”

On the day of the event, more than 2,000 people packed St. John's Church and flooded the streets during Kevin Matthews' presentation on Mary and the Rosary. After that, an estimated 3,200 people joined the procession.

“It was a peaceful prayer walk,” said Mr. Matthews. We recited 4 rosaries, sang Ave Maria. It was a very beautiful prayer, you could feel the grace of Mary and the people… they noticed and this was the first time the city stopped for a moment and said a prayer for itself.”

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