Saga of the statue
Someone asked me to describe my experience with the statue of Mary being stolen recently. The words of our Lord sum it up the best: “You will grieve, but your grief will turn into joy” (Jn 16:20).
It started early on Saturday, February 10. I walked over to unlock the church and did my usual bow to the small (2’) statue of Our Lady in the garden outside the lower level doors. But, the statue wasn’t there. My first thought was that it was related to the Stations of the Cross that we had just put in that day (we were worried about security for the stations). I went inside to check the security camera footage from the night before and was horrified at what I saw. One young woman casually lifted the statue while another appeared to be recording it on her phone. They loaded the statue into their car and drove away. Statue gone.
People arrived that morning for men’s and women’s groups and Mass. They were all devastated at the news as was I. ‘Who would do this!’ was one of my first and prevailing thoughts. After three weeks of working with the police and thinking about it, I’m no closer to answering that question. Even if and when we find out who did it, I won’t even really understand. Prank or no prank, this was diabolical. The fact that the two people on the video were so casual in stealing a significant religious item from a church shows evil at work.
During the two weeks that the statue was gone, I was happy that our parish prayed for two things: 1) the statue’s return, and 2) the conversion of heart of the two people. Implicit (and even explicit on the news coverage) to the second one was the thought all along of not pressing charges. We have maintained a strong attitude of mercy which is incredible given how sad and mad so many of us were.
That sadness turned into joy when news of the statue’s return came last Monday. I wouldn’t let myself believe it until I saw it. I was actually giddy when I first saw the statue. And even happier when I examined her and saw she was unharmed. That still blows my mind because I was thinking the worst in terms of what might have been done to her during those two weeks. I am grateful to those who had her that they kept her in perfect shape.
We celebrated her return last Friday night which was beautiful and amazing. It has been an ordeal that isn’t quite finished yet. But, overall, the Lord’s prediction about the saga of the statue has come true: our grief has become joy.
