Umfana owabona iNcasakazi uMariya: isimangaliso sikaBronx

Umbono ufike ezinyangeni ezimbalwa ngemuva kokuphela kweMpi Yezwe Yesibili. Imithwalo yamasosha ajabulile yayibuyela kuleli dolobha iphuma phesheya. INew York yayizethemba ngokungenakuphikwa. "Zonke izibonakaliso zaziwukuthi kungaba idolobha eliphakeme kunawo wonke umhlaba wasentshonalanga, noma umhlaba wonke," kubhala uJan Morris encwadini yakhe ethi "Manhattan '45". UNew Yorkers, wanezela, esebenzisa ibinzana elivela encwajaneni enethemba lesikhathi, bazibona bengabantu "okungekho lutho olungenakwenzeka" kubo.

Lokhu okungenakwenzeka, umbono, washeshe wanyamalala kwezihloko. I-archdiocese yaseNew York yenqabile ukukhipha isitatimende ngokusebenza kwayo kanye nokuhamba kwezinsuku, izinyanga neziminyaka, amaRoma Katolika asendaweni akhohlwe i- "Bronx Miracle", njengoba umagazini i-Life wawubiza kanjalo. Kepha uJoseph Vitolo osemncane akakaze akhohlwe, noma ngesikhathi sikaKhisimusi noma kwezinye izinkathi zonyaka. Wayehambela le ndawo njalo kusihlwa, umkhuba owamxosha kude nabangane endaweni yakhe yaseBedford Park ababenesifiso esikhulu sokuya eYankee Stadium noma e-Orchard Beach. Abaningi endaweni yabasebenzi, ngisho nabantu abadala, babemhleka usulu, bemhawukela bethi "ngu-St Joseph."

Eminyakeni yobuphofu, uVitolo, indoda eyisizotha esebenza njengejanitor eJacobi Medical Center futhi ethandazela ukuthi amadodakazi akhe amabili asekhulile athola abayeni abalungile, ukulondolozile lokhu kuzinikela. Noma nini lapho wayezama ukuqala impilo kude nendawo yephawu - wazama kabili ukuthi abe ngumpristi - wayezithola ekhangwa ngumakhelwane wakudala. Namuhla, ehleli endlini yakhe enamakamelo amathathu enamakamelo amathathu, uMnu. Vitolo wathi lesi sikhathi esishintshe impilo yakhe, samenza waba ngcono. Une-scrapbook enkulu futhi eyigugu ngomcimbi. Kepha impilo yakhe yafinyelela ebusheni: yini eyayingancintisana? - futhi kukhona ukukhathala, umgadi omzungezile,

Wake wambuza yini amehlo akho akubonile? "Angikaze ngibe nokungabaza," kusho yena. “Abanye abantu bakwenzile, kepha angikwenzi. Ngiyakwazi engikubonile. " Indaba emnandi yaqala ngobusuku obubili ngaphambi kwe-Halloween. Amaphephandaba abegcwele izindaba ngodaba lokubhujiswa okwenziwe impi eYurophu nase-Asia. UWilliam O'Dwyer, owayengummeli wesifunda sase-Ireland, kwaba nezinsuku ezimbalwa ngemuva kokhetho lakhe lokuba yimeya. Abalandeli bakaYankee bakhala ngokuthi iqembu labo lisendaweni yesine; umshini wayo oyinhloko bekungowesibili uSuffuffy Stirnweiss, hhayi uRuth noma uMantle.

UJoseph Vitolo, ingane yomndeni wakhe futhi emncane ngeminyaka yakhe, wayedlala nabangane lapho kungazelele amantombazane amathathu bathi babone okuthile egqumeni lamatshe ngemuva kwendlu kaJoseph kuVilla Avenue, indawo eyodwa eqhamuka kwaGrand Ingxoxo. UJoseph uthe akukho abonile. Omunye wamantombazane wasikisela ukuba athandaze.

Ikhombe uBaba Wethu. Akukho okwenzekile. Ngemuva kwalokho, ngokuzwela okukhulu, waphinda i-Ave Maria. Masinyane, wathi, wabona isithombe esintantayo, intokazi epinki ebukeka njengeNdlovukazi uMariya. Umbono wambiza ngegama.

Uyakhumbula: "Bengixolile." "Kodwa izwi lakhe lingithusile."

Wasondela ngokucophelela futhi walalela njengoba umbono wawukhuluma. Wamcela ukuthi aye lapho ubusuku obu-16 ngokulandelana ukuyosho irosari. Wamtshela ukuthi ufuna umhlaba uthandazele ukuthula. Akubonwa ezinye izingane, umbono wabe usunyamalala.

UJoseph waphuthuma ekhaya ukuyotshela abazali bakhe, kepha base bezwile izindaba. Uyise, umgqomo kadoti obengumlutha wotshwala, wathukuthela waganwa. Ishaye ngempama umfana amanga. "Ubaba ubeqinile kakhulu," kusho uVitolo. “Ubengashayile umama wami. Bekungokokuqala ngqa ukuthi ngishaye. " Unkosikazi Vitolo, ongowesifazane okholwayo owayenezingane eziyi-18, kuthi eziyi-11 kuphela ezisinda ebuntwaneni, wayizwela kakhulu le ndaba kaJoseph. Ngobusuku obulandelayo wahamba nendodana yakhe lapho kwenzeka lesi sigameko.

Lezi zindaba zazisakazeka. Kusihlwa ngalobo busuku, abantu abangama-200 babuthana. Umfana waguqa phansi, waqala ukukhuleka wabika ukuthi kubuye kwavela omunye umbono weNtombi Enyulu, kulokhu wacela wonke umuntu owayekhona ukuba acule amaculo. "Ngenkathi isixuku sikhonza ngaphandle izolo sikhanyise namakhandlela abavoti abedlula ngendlela, ... okungenani abashayeli bezimoto bamise izimoto zabo eduze kwesehlakalo," kubhala uGeorge F. O'Brien, intatheli yeThe Home News. , iphephandaba eliphambili leBronx. "Abanye baguqe eceleni komgwaqo lapho bezwa ngomhlangano."

U-O'Brien ukhumbuze abafundi bakhe ukuthi le ndaba kaJoseph yayifana nekaBernadette Soubirous, umelusi ophansi owathi wabona iNtombi enguMariya eLourdes, eFrance, ngo-1858. ISonto lamaRoma Katolika lamukela imibono yakhe njengeyiqiniso futhi ekugcineni ngamemezela ukuthi ngongcwele, nefilimu yango-1943 mayelana nokuhlangenwe nakho kwakhe, "Ingoma kaBernadette", yanqoba ama-Oscars amane. UJoseph watshela intatheli ukuthi akazange ayibone ifilimu.

Ezinsukwini ezimbalwa ezilandelayo, umlando wagxumela ngokuphelele ekubukeni. Amaphephandaba ashicilele izithombe zikaJoseph eguqe ngamadolo egqumeni. Izintatheli zamaphephandaba ase-Italy kanye nezinsizakalo zokuhanjiswa kwamanye amazwe kwavela, amakhulu ezincwadi asakazwa emhlabeni wonke futhi abantu abafisa izimangaliso bafika endlini yaseVitolo ngawo wonke amahora. “Angikwazanga ukulala ebusuku ngoba abantu babehlala behlala ekhaya,” kusho uVitolo. ULou Costello wase-Abbott noCostello bathumele isithombe esincane esifakwe engilazini. UFrank Sinatra waletha isithombe esikhulu sikaMariya osesegumbini lokuhlala likaVitolo. ("Ngisanda kumbona ngemuva," kusho uVitolo.) UKhadinali uFrancis Spellman, umbhishobhi omkhulu waseNew York, wangena endlini kaVitolo enenqwaba yabaphristi futhi wakhuluma kancanyana nomfana.

Ngisho nobaba kaJoseph owayedakiwe wayeyibheka ngenye indlela ingane yakhe. "Yathi kimi, 'Awungilaphi emhlane wami?' Wakhumbula uSignor Vitolo. "Futhi ngabeka isandla emhlane wakhe ngathi," Baba, ungcono. " Ngosuku olulandelayo wabuyela emsebenzini. "Kodwa umfana wakhungatheka konke ukunakwa." Bengingaqondi ukuthi kuyini, "kusho uVitolo." Abantu bangisola, bafuna usizo, bafuna ukwelashwa. Bengimncane futhi ngididekile. ”

Ngobusuku besikhombisa bemibono, abantu abangaphezu kuka-5.000 XNUMX babegcwalisa le ndawo. Isixuku sasihlanganisa nabesifazane ababhekene nosizi ezimjondolo ezithinta irosari; impikiswano yabaphristi kanye nezindelakazi ezinikezwe indawo ekhethekile yokuyothandaza; kanye nemibhangqwana egqoke kahle eyayivela eManhattan nge-limousine. UJoseph walethwa futhi evela egqumeni ngumakhelwane onomdlandla, owamvikela kubakhulekeli ababezimele, abanye babo ababekade beklebhula izinkinobho engutsheni yomfana.

Ngemuva kwezinkonzo, wabekwa etafuleni egumbini lakhe lokuphumula njengokudlalisa kancane kwamaphaseji aswele phambi kwakhe. Engazi ukuthi uzokwenzenjani, wabeka izandla ekhanda wathandaza. Wababona bonke: abahamba ngezinyawo balimala enkundleni yempi, abesifazane asebekhulile ababenobunzima bokuhamba, izingane ezinokulimala emagcekeni esikole. Kwakungathi kuqhamuke i-mini-Lourdes eBronx.

Akumangazi ukuthi izindaba zezimangaliso zavela ngokushesha. UMnu O'Brien ulandise indaba yengane esandla sayo sikhubazekile yalungiswa ngemuva kokuthinta isihlabathi kusuka endaweni. NgoNovemba 13, kusihlwa esikhulu sezinhlelo ezabikezelwa, kwavela abantu abangaphezu kuka-20.000, XNUMX, ngamabhasi amaningi aqashiwe evela ePhiladelphia nakwamanye amadolobha.

Ubusuku bokugcina buthembise ukuthi buzoba obukekayo kakhulu. Amaphephandaba abika ukuthi iNcasakazi uMariya itshele uJoseph ukuthi kuzovela umthombo ngokuyisimangaliso. Ukulindela kwakusekuphakameni komkhuhlane. Lapho imvula elincane lina, phakathi kuka-25.000 no-30.000 bazinza insizakalo. Amaphoyisa avale ingxenye yeGrand Concourse. Amarobhothi abekwe endleleni eholela egqumeni ukuvimba abahambeli bangaweli odakeni. UJoseph wabe eselethwa egqumeni wabekwa olwandle lwamakhandlela axegayo angama-200.

Egqoke ijezi eliluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka elingenazimo, waqala ukuthandaza. Kwabe sekumemeza othile esixukwini, "Umbono!" Igagasi lentokozo liginqika kule rally, kuze kwatholakala ukuthi le ndoda ikhanyise isibukeli esasigqoke okumhlophe. Kwakuyisikhathi esiphoqa kakhulu. Iseshini yokuthandaza yaqhubeka njengenjwayelo. Ngemuva kwekutsi kuqedwe, Josefa watsiwa ekhaya.

“Ngikhumbula ngizwa abantu bekhala njengoba bebengibuyisa,” kusho uVitolo. “Babememeza bethi: 'Bheka! Bheka! Bheka! ' Ngikhumbula ngibheka emuva futhi izulu lase livulekile. Abanye abantu bathi babona iMadonna emhlophe inyukela esibhakabhakeni. Kodwa ngabona kuphela izulu livulekile. "

Izenzakalo ezidakisayo zekwindla ngo-1945 zaphawula ukuphela kobuntwana bukaGiuseppe Vitolo. Wayengasengumntwana ojwayelekile, kwakumele aphilele isibopho somuntu owayehlonishwe umoya waphezulu. Kwakuthi njalo kusihlwa ngehora lesi-7, ahambele ngenhlonipho ekhuphukeni egqumeni eyokhumbula i-rosary yezixuku ezincane eziqhubekayo ezazivakashele indawo eyayiguqulwa ibe indawo engcwele. Ukukholwa kwakhe bekuqinile, kepha ukuzikhonza kwakhe njalo kwezenkolo kwamenza waphelelwa ngabangane futhi walimala esikoleni. Wakhulela kumfana odabukisayo futhi enesizungu.

Ngolunye usuku, uMnu. Vitolo wayehleli egumbini lakhe elikhulu lokuphumula, ekhumbula lokho okwedlule. Kwekhoneni elilodwa kunesithombe esilethwe nguSinatra, esinye sezandla zakhe sonakaliswa ucezu lwophahla olwele phansi. Esodongeni kukhona umdwebo wombala ogqamile kaMariya, owenziwe ngumdwebi ngokwemiyalo kaMnu Vitolo.

"Abantu bengihlekisa," kusho uVitolo wobusha bakhe. "Bengihamba emgwaqweni futhi amadoda amadala amemeza athi:" Nangu uSt. Joseph. "Ngayeka ukuhamba phansi kulowomgwaqo. Kwakungeyona isikhathi esilula. Ngahlupheka. "Lapho kushona umama wakhe amthandayo ngo-1951, wazama ukunikeza ukuqonda empilweni yakhe ngokufundela ukuba ngumpristi. Ushiye isikole sikaSamuel Gompers 'nezobuchwepheshe eSouth Bronx wabhalisa esikoleni saseBenedictine e-Illinois. Kepha kwaqina ngokushesha kwisipiliyoni. Abaphathi bakhe babelindele lukhulu kuye - wayengumboni ngemuva kwakho konke - futhi wayesekhathele amathemba abo aphezulu. "Bebengabantu abahle, kepha bangesabisa," kusho yena.

Ngaphandle kwenhloso, wabhalisela omunye umhlangano, kepha lelo hlelo nalo lahluleka. Wabe esethola umsebenzi eBronx njengomlobi wokuloba wabafundi futhi waphinda waqhubeka nokuzinikela kwakhe ebusuku endaweni engcwele. Kepha ngokuhamba kwesikhathi wacasulwa ngumthwalo wemfanelo, wanikwa imichilo futhi kwesinye isikhathi wacasuka. “Abantu bangicele ukuthi ngibathandazele futhi nami ngifuna usizo,” kusho uVitolo. "Abantu bangibuze ukuthi: 'Thandazela ukuthi indodana yami ingene emlilweni.' Ngicabanga ukuthi, kungani umuntu angangitholi umsebenzi emnyangweni wezomlilo? "

Izinto zaqala ukuthuthuka ekuqaleni kweminyaka yo-60. Iqembu elisha labakhulekeli libe nomdlandla emibonweni yakhe futhi, egqugquzelwe isihawu sabo, uSignor Vitolo waphinda futhi wazinikezela ekuhlanganeni kwakhe naphezulu. Ukhulele komunye wabahambi, uGrace Vacca waseBoston, futhi bashada ngo-1963. Omunye okhulekeli, uSalvatore Mazzela, osebenza ezimotweni, wathenga leyondlu eduze nendawo yokubhalela, eqinisekisa ukuphepha kwayo kubathuthukisi. USignor Mazzela waba ngumondli wethempeli, watshala izimbali, waqamba izinyawo futhi wafaka nezithombe ezibaziweyo. Yena uqobo wayevakashele indlu engcwele ngesikhathi semisebenzi yango-1945.

"Owesifazane esixukwini uthe kimi: 'Kungani uze lapha?" Kukhumbula uMnu Mazzela. “Bengingazi ukuthi ngiphendule ngithini. Uthe, 'Uza lapha ukuzosindisa umphefumulo wakho.' Bengingazi ukuthi ungubani, kodwa wangikhombisa. UNkulunkulu wangikhombisa. "

Ngisho nangawo-70 nawo-80s, njengoba iningi leBronx lahlulwa ukonakaliswa kwamadolobha nobugebengu bamabhaluni, le ndlu encane yahlala indawo yokuthula. Akukaze konakaliswe. Kule minyaka, iningi labantu base-Ireland kanye nabase-Italiya abebehambele lesi sakhiwo bathuthela ezindaweni ezingaphansi komhlaba futhi kwathathelwa indawo ngabakwaPuerto Ricans, abaseDominican kanye nabanye abasanda kufika bamaKatolika. Namuhla, iningi labadlulayo alazi lutho ngezinkulungwane zabantu abake bahlangana lapho.

"Bengihlala ngizibuza ukuthi kanti bekuyini," kusho uSheri Warren, isakhamuzi esingumakhelwane, esineminyaka eyisithupha, ebesibuya esitolo sezinto ezitolo ntambama. “Mhlawumbe kwenzeka kudala. Kuyimfihlakalo kimi. "

Namuhla, isithombe sikaMariya esinengilazi efakwe lapha siyisizinda sendawo yethempeli, siphakanyiswe endaweni yesikhulumi futhi sibekwe ngqo lapho uMnu Vitolo athe umbono uvele khona. Eduze kwakho kukhona amabhentshi enziwe ngokhuni abakhulekeli, izifanekiso ze-Archangel Michael ne-Infant of Prague nesibonakaliso esenziwe ngethebhulethi sinemiyalo Eyishumi.

Kepha uma indawo engcwele yaqhubeka ukusebenza kulezo amashumi eminyaka, uMnu Vitolo walwa. Ubehlala nonkosikazi wakhe namadodakazi akhe amabili ekhaya le-ramshackle laseVitolo, isakhiwo esinokhilimu esinezitezi ezintathu emabhulokini ambalwa esontweni laseSan Filippo Neri, lapho umndeni usuthandile kudala. Usebenze emisebenzini ehlukahlukene ethobekile ukuze umndeni ungaphumi ebuphofini. Maphakathi nawo-70s, wayeqashwe e-Aqueduct, Belmont nakwezinye izinkundla zomjaho wasendaweni, eqoqa amasampula omchamo namagazi emahhashini. Ngo-1985 wajoyina abasebenzi baseJacobi Medical Center enyakatho yeBronx, lapho asasebenza khona, ekhumula izingcingo futhi efaka phansi izisekelo futhi engakaze eveze isikhathi sakhe esidlule kubahlanganyeli. "Ngisewumfana benginhlekisa impela"

Unkosikazi wakhe ushone eminyakeni embalwa eyedlule kanti uMnu. Vitolo uchithe ishumi leminyaka edlule ekhathazeka kakhulu ngezindleko zokushisa indlu, manje ahlanganyela nendodakazi uMarie, kunokukhulisa ubukhona bendlu engcwele. Eduze kwendlu yakhe kunendawo yokudlala elahliwe futhi ehlakazekile; ngaphesheya komgwaqo kuneJerry's Steakhouse, eyenze ibhizinisi elimangazayo ekwindla ka-1945 kodwa manje ayinalutho, imakwe uphawu lwe-neon lokugqwala ngo-1940. Ukuzinikela kukaVitolo endaweni yakhe engcwele kusaqhubeka namanje. "Ngitshela uJoseph ukuthi ubuqiniso bendawo yonke ubuphofu bayo," kusho uGeraldine Piva, okholwayo ozinikele. "IS '

Ngokwakhe, uMnu Vitolo uthi ukuzibophezela njalo emibonweni kunika injongo empilweni yakhe futhi kumvikele esiphethweni sikayise, owashona ngawo-60s. Ujabule minyaka yonke, kusho yena, selokhu kukhunjulwa iminyaka engu-70 yobudala boMthinjana, obumelwa yisixuku nokugujwa. Abathempeli abangcwele, manje ababalelwa ku-XNUMX abantu, basuka ezifundazweni ezihlukene ukuzobamba iqhaza.

Umbono wokuguga uhlangane nombono wokufuduka - mhlawumbe uye eFlorida, lapho kuhlala khona indodakazi yakhe u-Ann kanye nabanye odadewabo ababili - kepha abakwazi ukuphuma endaweni yakhe engcwele. Amathambo akhe okuqamba enza kube nzima ukuhamba aye endaweni, kepha uhlela ukukhuphuka isikhathi eside ngangokunokwenzeka. Kumuntu osezabalaze isikhathi eside ukuthola umsebenzi, imibono yeminyaka engama-57 eyedlule ikhombisile ukuthi iyibizo.

"Mhlawumbe uma bengingathatha i-templeti nami, ngangiyohamba," kusho yena. “Kepha ngiyakhumbula, ngobusuku bokugcina bemibono yango-1945, iNcasakazi uMary ayizange ivume. Kusanda kuhamba. Ngakho-ke ngubani owaziyo, ngolunye usuku kungenzeka abuye. Uma wenza njalo, ngizobe ngilinde wena. "