RCReptiles.com

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*FAMILY SEES MARY’S IMAGE ON TURTLE*

She has appeared on a grilled cheese. Then, a highway underpass.

Now, behold, the Virgin Mary has descended upon the belly of a Burbank
pet turtle.
In a shallow plastic tank on Lotus Drive, the chocolate brown vision
beams from the pink gut of a sand turtle named Mary.

Sitting beneath a gold-speckled paper plate featuring a coloring book
version of Jesus' mom, Shirley McVane dangled the turtle from her plump
fingers.

"She came to a holy house," said the 81-year-old. "I think she came to
visit us so God knows she's happy and safe."

About a year ago, McVane's grandson bought little Mary and her
tank-mate Joseph (they were named after the silhouette appeared) from a local
pet store.

The turtles were just babies then, smaller than a quarter. But as they
grew, the image on Mary's belly began to take shape.

"I thought we were going crazy the first time I saw it," said Dolly
Fordyce, 58, McVane's daughter. "I looked at it and said, 'It can't be.'
But then I looked again. I mean, you can't deny it."

A member of St. Nicholas of Tolentine on the Southwest Side for nearly
50 years before moving to Burbank, McVane has splashed her walls with
rosaries, prayer cards and paintings of the Last Supper.

When she moved in to her new home three years ago, she had her priest
come to bless it. And he also blessed her dog, Precious; her bunny,
Peter; and the array of kids, grandkids and great-grandkids who live in the
modest ranch home.

McVane shouldn't be expecting a visit from her priest to bless her
turtle, though. The Archdiocese of Chicago doesn't typically send out
investigators to debunk or authenticate such sightings, spokeswoman Dianne
Dunagan said.

"If something like that causes people to think about God and pray,
that's a good thing," Dunagan said. "Time usually takes care of these
things. If it gets to the point where people are flocking to this thing, the
church will call in experts. If people forget about it, it may just
fade away."

McVane doesn't really care whether anyone believes her. She just knows
that the Virgin Mother has visited, for the second time.

Just after McVane's husband of 49 years died in 1994, McVane was
struggling with her grief. One night, she said, Mary appeared in a vision and
told her everything would be all right. The visit helped her soldier
through those tough years after his death.

"I have a lot of faith in the church, a lot of faith in religion," she
said. "That vision got me through."
McVane said she mostly thinks the turtle's markings are fun. But she
still may bring her priest over to take a look.

"Maybe he can bless her," Fordyce said excitedly.

McVane corrected her, smiling.

"Maybe she can bless him."

COURTESY OF THE CHICAGO SUN-TIMES