Sometime late Friday night or early Saturday morning thieves made off with an 8-foot statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe, an icon that greeted parishioners at Our Lady of the Pillar Catholic Church in downtown Half Moon Bay.
The statue is made of hollow fiberglass, but even in its absence it occupies a sturdy place in the hearts of many in the congregation. That is particularly true for those who come from Mexico, but really we are all victims in this one.
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Theft seems to have become as integral a part of life on the San Mateo County coast as the coastline itself. Every week there are multiple reports of home burglaries and car break-ins. The theft of scrap metal has become epidemic as the cost of such things rise.
The things that are stolen from our cars and our yards are at once more and less valuable than the statue at the church. Thieves have made off with a mountain of iPods, laptops and cell phones in recent years. Coastsiders often count their losses in the hundreds of dollars.
The dollar value of the statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe is really not the point. Mexican author Carlos Fuente, whose work frequently touched on the heart of his national identity, once said, “One may no longer consider himself a Christian, but you cannot truly be considered a Mexican unless you believe in the Virgin of Guadalupe.” The statue at Our Lady of the Pillar was made in Mexico and carried here by loving hands. It was dedicated according to Catholic tradition, and it is nothing less than a touchstone for a community that is far from home but no less close to God.
The church’s Parochial Vicar, Erick Arauz, said that about 40 percent of the church’s 1,300 families are of Hispanic heritage. More than that actually attend services in either English or Spanish.
“This,” he said, “is a terrible thing for the whole community.”
Believers know the legend: The image of Our Lady of Guadalupe miraculously appeared on the cloak brought by Juan Diego to the local bishop in 16th-century Mexico. It was said to be a sign that the bishop should allow an abbey on the site.
Let’s hope she appears again, in her rightful place at Our Lady of the Pillar Catholic Church. Let her be a symbol of Mexico and our own friendship with our neighbors of Mexican descent, as well as a symbol of our resolve to tackle the growing problem of theft in our community.
— Clay Lambert
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