Blessing appears in resident's tree

DEVOUT ICON- Irma Lopez of Moorpark shows off her tree that she claims has an image of Jesus Christ. The image is a good sign, she believes. Moorpark resident Irma Lopez has lived on Bard Street for 40 years, but she never noticed anything unusual about the orchid tree that adorns her front yard- not until last week, that is.

While washing the dust off the family wood truck, Lopez suddenly saw a familiar image appear on the tree.

"It's the face of Jesus," said Lopez, who at first felt scared but soon after came to believe that the reflection is a blessing for her home and her family.

"Maybe it's a sign from my mom reaching out to my daughter, who just had a baby," said Lopez, who became the proud grandmother of a baby boy on July 31. Her mother, who was a devout Catholic, died two years ago.

Since the news of the apparition spread, people have been flocking to the Bard Street property to view the image. The crowds can be overwhelming, said daughter Lisa Lopez, who noted that some spectators have been disrespectful and impatient.

To help limit such behavior, the family has set up viewing hours from 1 to 7 p.m. so they may have time to rest in the evening. The figure isn't visible at night, Lisa said.

With respect to the image, Monsignor Paul Albee, a pastor at Holy Cross Catholic Church in Moorpark, said he can't comment on the local apparition in an authoritative way because the church doesn't officially endorse things like these without proper identification. But people who believe in the Catholic faith have a history of seeing apparitions, he said.

"People see God in a lot of different ways and things, and God can choose to reveal himself in a lot of different ways," Albee said.