By Terry Karkos,Staff Writer
Some people are skeptical. Others say the image in Mexico is a sign from God.

MEXICO – Sunday morning, reactions among Catholic parishioners attending Mass at St. Theresa’s Catholic Church, ranged from skepticism to certainty that a likeness of the Virgin Mary had appeared on a wall on Jan. 15 in a fire-gutted Burton Street house.

“I’m skeptical, but these things happen,” Charles Lepage of Rumford said prior to heading inside the Route 17 church for Mass.

Despite saying he didn’t think the image was a sign from God, Lepage added, “I’m sure it’s going to turn people to have a little more faith.”

“It was just a miracle, I guess,” Elton Stone of Carthage said of the Madonna’s appearance on a fire-blackened kitchen wall at the 4 Burton St. home of Veronica Dennis.

“A lot of people don’t believe in God, but to do things like that, it’s proof that there is a God,” Joseph Pelletier of Rumford said.

Following worldwide media reports about it, Dennis had the image cut from the paneled wall on Thursday night to prevent people flocking to the house from damaging her home or trying to steal the icon.

Initially, she wanted to frame it and keep it after rebuilding her house. About 24 hours later, Dennis said she was considering selling it.

However, the image had lost its original luster and been smudged. It also was missing some of the smoke dust that Mexico fire Chief Gary Wentzell said created it.

“Myself, I think she should have stayed right there” on the wall, Pelletier said.

“By taking it down and trying to sell it, it could bring them more tragedy. It was a sign from the Lord, and it should be there for people to visit it and see it, like a shrine,” he said.

Rena Fitzmorris, 72, of Mexico agreed.

“I don’t think it’s a good thing,” she said, adding, “you can’t think of making money.”

“She should have left it where it was. The problem is that’s where the miracles would have come from. It’s what I feel,” Fitzmorris said.

The image was discovered on Jan. 15 when a framed painting of a palm tree was taken from the wall.

Many Catholics believe that the Virgin Mary was the mother of God and Jesus Christ, Pelletier said.

“She plays a big role in Catholic religion,” he added.

Fitzmorris said she believes in saints, but the Virgin Mary is her favorite, because it was her mom’s top saint.

When Fitzmorris saw a photograph of the image on the front page of Wednesday’s Sun Journal, she said it made her think of the Lady of Fatima.

In 1917, the Blessed Virgin reportedly appeared several times before three children tending sheep near Fatima in Portugal.

Fitzmorris said she believes the Blessed Virgin showed up at the Dennis house because “the world is so bad. She’s probably trying to straighten things out.”

Georgette Beauchesne, whose Harlow Hill Road house in Mexico is near the Dennis house, said she wasn’t sure what the image means. But, she said, she thought it “was wonderful.”

“I truly, truly believe in the Blessed Virgin, and I’m hoping that it performs miracles,” she said.

“It’s my belief that anything you ask her for, she’ll ask her son (Jesus) for it, and I believe he won’t refuse her. Most of us won’t refuse our mothers,” Beauchesne added.

Fitzmorris, Beauchesne and Pelletier all hoped that miracles would follow in the wake of the Madonna’s appearance.

“I hope for miracles and that it will help us to have a better world, and I hope people will listen to it,” Fitzmorris said.