The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

SUPERSTITION

MY GREAT AUNT USED TO TELL
THE STORY OF AN OLD STATUE OF THE SACRED HEART
WHICH WAS BURNED AND PARTIALLY DESTROYED IN FRANCE BY THE SOLDIERS O
THE UNITED STATES WHO ACCIDENTALLY RUINED IT DURING WORLD WAR TWO.
MY AUNT INSISTED THAT THE STATUE WAS A BAD OMEN FOR THE UNITED STATE
AND THAT CALAMITY WAS CERTAIN UNLESS AMENDS WERE MADE IMMEDIATELY
SENT WORD TO THE CLOISTERED NUNS TO BEG FOR EARNEST AND SINCERE
REPARATION LEST THE UNITED STATES SUFFER HEAVY CASUALTIES IN THE WAR
FOR ITS HEEDLESS AND CARELESSS DESTRUCTION. MY AUNT IMMEDIATELY
TOLD ME THAT THE STATUE TALKED TO SEVERAL
PEOPLE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS,
THE WORDS ON THE STATUE WERE BLOTTED OUT
BY ITS PARTIAL DESTRUCTION, BUT MY AUNT INSISTED THAT THE STATUE
WOULD TELL PIOUS PEOPLE THIS MESSAGE: "I HAVE NO ARMS BUT YOURS".
IT WAS SAID TO BE A DIVINE INDICATION THAT EACH PERSON WAS TO SHARE
IN THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF WAR AND THAT NOBODY, NO MATTER HOW
RELIGIOUS ONE CLAIMED TO BE
WAS EXEMPT FROM IT. MY AUNT ALSO SAID THAT
THE STATUE WAS TAKEN TO HEAVEN AFTER THE WAR ENDED BUT THAT IT WOULD
RETURN DURING WORLD WAR THREE.

Submitter comment: INFORMANT LEARNED ITEM WHILE IN CANADA ON TOUR OF MARIAN SHRINES.

Where learned: DETROIT

Date learned: 00-00-1979