The Jesus Shepherd Tree

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Herald-Whig Staff Writer

A few hardy souls braved rain early Thursday morning in making a pilgrimage to what's fast becoming a phenomenon in Quincy: The Shepherd Tree.

A constant stream of people -- the curious and faithful alike -- have flowed in and out of quiet, little Calvary Cemetery on Quincy's north side. All of them are flocking to see what some are describing as a miracle: A tree whose trunk has formed into an image many think resembles a likeness of Jesus holding a lamb in his arms.

Renita Mohr brought her children Aaron, 11, and Andria, 6, to see the tree. She said she heard about it on the news. "It looks like the image of Jesus. He's got his arms crossed and he's holding a lamb," said Mohr, who appeared visibly shaken by the sight. "It is emotional," she said. "I think it's a gift from God ... something to remind us of him."

A pair of young men at the site Wednesday were trying to help their friends see the image. Standing next to the tree, they pointed out the figure's shoulders, head and facial features.  "I can see eyes and everything," said 19-year-old Zant Green.

"It's phenomenal," agreed his friend, Tyfus Bias, 21. "That's the eighth wonder of the world," enthused Green, pointing to the area where the image is on the tree. "Where Jesus is, the tree is gold. It's so natural. It's his creation." Others aren't quite so sure. Dawn O'Donnell said she can make out the image, but remains
skeptical. "Do people see what they want to see? Everybody's looking for a miracle aren't they though?" she said.

The Rev. John Beveridge said while he hasn't seen the site yet, he's heard reports from a number of people. "My impression is it seems like a natural occurrence in the tree. For people to be able to see in it the image of Jesus, that's wonderful," he said. "It's wonderful that people's hearts are moved by this natural occurrence, that
somehow people make that association" of seeing Jesus, the Shepherd. But is it the miracle many are claiming? "What constitutes a miracle is a little bit more than a tree that bears a similarity to Christ," he said, noting certain criteria must be met and documentation must be provided.  Beveridge cited Lourdes, France, where the Virgin Mary was said to have appeared. People have prayed at the shrine there and seen their prayers answered, including healing.  "That's a different story. Now you're talking about doctors examining people and diseases that disappeared," he said.

Nevertheless, the crowds continue to trail through Calvary Cemetery. Parents are bringing their children to see the tree, many taking pictures, posing near the image or using video recorders. Flowers adorn the base and someone has hung a rosary from the tree.

Robert Cookson, caretaker of the cemetery, said he has worked at the cemetery for 22 years. Estimating conservatively, he said about 2,000 people streamed through the cemetery Tuesday, and a similar number went through Wednesday. A few were out there at about 6:30 this morning.  "It's just started," he said, shaking
his head. "We found out about it seven or eight months ago, but we didn't spread the word around too much because we knew this was going to happen. I think it's going to create problems before it's over."

A fence has been placed around the tree to provide some protection. Ruby Cookson said some people already have taken bark from the tree, not to mention the grounds around the tree being trampled. And the traffic can make it tough for people visiting loved ones buried in the cemetery, her husband said. "It's hard for
us to get work done," he said. "We're lucky we haven't had a funeral."

Sister Elizabeth Mast was at the tree Wednesday handing out prayers from a group called Shepherds of Christ. Mast, who is a member of the Franciscan Sisters of the Poor, said she was first shown the image in April. "It took me a long time to see it. I was more skeptical," she said. Now she sees it and believes the
image of Christ is a message. "He wants us to come to him. (It shows) God's intense love for us. And with the lamb in his arms ... it's a symbol to me that that's where he wants us," she said.

Thursday, July 30, 1998
(c) By Ann Pierceall
Herald-Whig Staff Writer