“Broken Mary” brings hope in Chicago procession

On May 31, 2019, four lanes of traffic on a major thoroughfare in the city of Chicago shut down for an hour and a half, while 3,200 people marched past.

Instead of political banners, they held candles. Instead of shouting, they quietly prayed the Rosary and sang Ave Maria. Instead of a politician or city official, they were led by ‘Broken Mary,’ a statue of the Virgin Mary rescued from a dumpster, who still bears the scars of her past—a crack in the middle where she was broken in half, chipped hands, faded paint with scratches.

The event, called “There is Hope for the Broken,” was organized by the Chicago parish St John Cantius and by Kevin Matthews, who rescued Mary from the garbage in 2010. But really, Matthews told CNA, the procession was all Mary’s idea. Matthews first spotted what is now known as ‘Broken Mary’ outside of a dumpster at a flower shop, covered in trash and cracked in half. Mortified, he picked up the heavy concrete statue, brought her home and cleaned her up.

He had her restored to one piece again, but asked that her chips and scratches be left as they were: “No, she is broken, just like me. We all are broken and in need of repair. She represents the broken,” he told the repairman.

After finding Mary, Matthews experienced a profound new devotion to the Mother of God. Although born a Catholic, Matthews had strayed from his faith for many years, and had never learned how to pray the Rosary. After finding ‘Broken Mary,’ it became his top priority: praying the Rosary and encouraging others to do the same.

Then Matthews connected with Fr. Joshua Caswell, S.J.C., an associate pastor at St John Cantius in Chicago… to organize a Chicago procession with ‘Broken Mary’ in February.

But planning a large procession through the busy streets of Chicago is no small task, and shutting down four lanes of traffic on a busy street on a Friday night is a big ask.

“We knew it would only succeed if it was (Mary’s) plan and how she wanted it to go and how she wanted it to be,” Eisenberg said.

When Fr. Joshua applied for the permit, a city official saw the title of the event, “Hope for the Broken,” and said: “Oh, I really hope so Father, because we could really use some hope around here in this city,” Eisenberg recalled. Two days later, the permit came through.

On the day of the event, more than 2,000 people filled St John Cantius Church and spilled out into the streets during a talk on Mary and the Rosary by Kevin Matthews. Afterwards, an estimated 3,200 people joined in the procession.

Throughout his ministry, Matthews said he has witnessed many people come back to their faith through ‘Broken Mary.’

“It’s just a concrete statue, but where that statue is, Mary is, and where Mary is there’s Christ, and where there’s Christ, there’s God,” Matthews said, “and I’ve seen a lot of people literally cry and empty themselves in front of Mary.”

By Mary Farrow June 2019

Adapted from CNA