OUR LADY OF THE BROKEN

Pope Leo XIV has officially recognized the statue known as Broken Mary as Our Lady of the Broken. The pontiff granted this recognition and blessed the statue during a meeting with Kevin Matthews in February.

Matthews encountered the broken concrete statue of the Virgin Mary outside a flower shop in the Midwest while facing personal hardships, including a career loss and a diagnosis of a rare form of multiple sclerosis. The statue has since traveled to various locations, including Chicago, the Vatican, and the Diocese of Orange.

Matthews recently visited San Antonio de Padua Catholic Parish in Anaheim Hills on Oct. 17. He uses the statue to share a message regarding God's love for those who are broken.