maria di chicago

JNM <*> Penampakan Maria di Chicago

pttwr
Fri, 23 Sep 2005 02:39:36 -0700

From: Suryanto S 

Penampakan Maria di Chicago  
The faithful are flocking to a Fullerton Avenue underpass in larger numbers 
than ever, three days after the image was first noticed. Believers and 
non-believers are traveling -- some very long distances -- to see for 
themselves what it is. 


  

Whatever you think it is, it's drawing people by the hundreds. They pray by it, 
pose for pictures in front of it, touch it, and even kiss it. 
Most who get close to it believe they are seeing an image of the Virgin Mary.   
                       "I see her. It's just faith. You have to believe, and 
you'll see her," said Carmen Garcia, from Crete. 
"It's impressive. You see it more when you take the pictures than when you see 
it with your own eyes," said Maria Garcia, from Crete. The Garcias drove from 
Crete.
Jean Keirgher of Joliet and says the face shows up better in her Polaroid 
picture. 
"Really, it doesn't show as much as in pictures, I think. I think that's how 
all the miracles were," said Keriger, from Joliet. 
Many of the faithful are Polish. Moved to tears, they believe the timing is 
linked to the passing of their beloved Polish pope. 
"There's always connections, and the Holy Father was a Holy Mary priest. He 
even had that on his casket and by the cross," said Barbara Herzic, 
Polish-American. 
Many more are Mexican immigrants, who say it looks like our Lady of Guadalupe, 
the patron saint of Mexico. Guadalupe Enriquez was named after the Lady of 
Guadalupe. 
"When I was born, my mom was 35-years old, and they thought it was too old for 
her to have a baby. The doctors told her that she should abort me," said 
Guadalupe Enriquez, Mexican-American. 


Other people in the crowd aren't so convinced it's a blessing from a above. 
"It's a water mark. I think people are just looking for something to reaffirm 
their belief, especially with times as they are now. I consider myself a 
skeptic," said Jeffrey Wojcik. 
Yes, even skeptics are being drawn to it. Some might say the Illinois 
Department of Transportation belongs to that last group of skeptics, because 
IDOT says it is a salt stain, formed from salt run-off from the overpass above. 
IDOT says as long as the so-called image doesn't cause a traffic safety issue, 
they have no plans of scrubbing it down.. But the traffic was very heavy around 
the underpass Wednesday.