In 2005, claims were made that a water stain on the inside street level wall of a overpass on Chicago's Kennedy Expressway resembled an image of the Blessed Virgin Mary. For weeks, swarms of people came to this site at the intersection of Fullerton Avenue and the Kennedy Expressway to view this site.
As a priest, I was impressed with the desire of these people to find encouragement that brought them to prayer and faith.
Since 2005, the crowds have gone, but a continuing makeshift shrine to our Lady has been tended to and small numbers of visitors continue to come.
Yesterday, I revisited this place of faith and prayer, nicknamed "Our Lady of the Expressway" and/or "Our Lady of the Fullerton Bypass." I found candles burning and fresh flowers support a makeshift shrine to our Lady. The walls had much writing on it - not graffiti, but rather deeply personal prayers to the Blessed Mother.
I cannot tell anyone with absolute certainty that at this site, our Blessed Mother did indeed appear, but I can state with certainty that this site draws people to prayer and to faith and maybe that is the more important miracle.
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