Here is my Catholic/Mary story. I lived across the street from a Catholic woman for nearly 20 yrs. [Actually, in Boston I was surrounded by Catholics. Most were just downright mean. But this one woman, the subject of my story, started out very nasty to me but warmed up when I started shoveling snow out of her driveway, & kept it up for many years.] It took a while, but we finally struck up a relationship.
This woman was born in a Catholic home. She went to Catholic school, & then to Catholic college. From there, she was hired by a Catholic/parochial school, where she taught all her life. When she eventually retired, she volunteered five days a week at her local parish. She even willed her house to the Catholic church.
On the windowsill of her kitchen she had a statue of Mary. Usually the statue faced into the room. One day I came over & the statue was facing outward, with her back to the room. I mentioned the statue had gotten turned around, & I shifted it 180 degrees, so that it again faced the interior of the house.
My Catholic friend promptly turned the statue another 180 degrees, so that it again faced the window/overlooked the back yard. As she did so, she explained. “The draught has lasted so long, the grass is turning brown. I want Mary to see it, so she will send rain.”
True story. Totally creepd me out, I must say. Living so long in the Boston area was an educational experience. I didn’t enjoy it, though. Being a non-Catholic got me looked down on & engendered a lot of cold shoulders. I’m glad to be back in the South.
Yeah, but did she make it rain??? ;o)