For the past week the Pilgrim Virgin has stood on a table in the basement of the Cannones’ bungalow on the western edge of the city, framed by an arc of tiny white lights and flanked by candles and vases full of flowers. Now it’s someone else’s turn to have the statue for a week, and an honor guard from the Ambassadors of Mary has come to take it away.
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Frank Cannone, who moved to the U.S. from Italy 42 years ago, says most of the people who’ve come each evening during the past week to say prayers and have cake and coffee are also older people from the old country. His children haven’t come. “They’re Catholic, but they go to work, they’re busy,” he says. “They have to drive an hour, an hour and a half to get here. Maybe next time.” His wife has signed up to get the statue again the same time next year.
He and other custodians, all volunteers, report to the president of the Ambassadors of Mary, Pat Hackett, at the group’s storefront headquarters on Diversey near Austin. Hackett says the custodians are always men, because the statues are three feet tall and weigh 25 pounds and because the founder of the organization “thought it would say something to see men coming into homes and doing devotions, where it’s always women. You can get women to do just about anything when it comes to church. When it comes to men it’s difficult.”
Once everyone’s seated Ross asks Calvero if she would like the group to say a special prayer. She says she has a 17-year-old grandson with cancer, adding, “He starts chemo again this week.” They all pray for him, then start the rosary.
“It does, it happens,” says Restivo. “It’s like she gives you strength before something may happen in your life.”
Josephine Hargus, who’s been an honor guard for ten years, has been sitting quietly during the discussion. Suddenly she says, “We all have a real devotion to the Blessed Mother.”
