Vatican City – Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday blessed a damaged Virgin Mary statue found in a dumpster by a Michigan native and former Chicago radio host, formally approving the title “Our Lady of the Broken.”
The blessing took place at the Vatican on the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes. According to Vatican officials, the Holy Father recognized the message conveyed by the statue, affirming it as a sign of hope for those who feel discarded, wounded or forgotten.
“How many people — perhaps we ourselves — feel like they are worthless or broken,” Pope Leo XIV said. “Jesus, however, proclaims a God who will never throw us away, a Father who cares for our names and our uniqueness.”
The statue was discovered in 2010 by Kevin Matthews, a Michigan native and longtime Chicago radio personality known for his work on WLUP-AM and FM (The Loop) and WCKG-FM during the 1980s and 1990s. Matthews later connected the discovery to his own spiritual renewal following a 2008 diagnosis of multiple sclerosis.
Since publishing Broken Mary: A Kevin Matthews Story and following the October 2025 release of a documentary by Odb Films, Matthews has visited churches, Catholic colleges and community groups nationwide, sharing the statue’s message of healing and dignity.
Earlier this week, Matthews and the Very Rev. Joshua Caswell, SJC, transported the 55-pound statue from Chicago to Rome. According to organizers, Swiss Air pilots allowed the statue to travel in the cockpit after its case exceeded cargo load limits.
When not traveling, the statue is housed at St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
The story has drawn attention from students and young adults reflecting on faith and personal adversity.
