Stained Glass Windows

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FACETED GLASS WINDOWS
here is a threefold division to the themes of the windows. The three large windows on the north wall of the church depict the outpouring of God's love for us in the scenes of the Incarnation, The Eucharist, and the commissioning of the apostles to preach this love to the whole world. On the south wall of the church are three scenes depicting response to that love through the various ministries of the church to humanity, the early missionary efforts on the American continents and finally the fruition of the church in the United States depicted by our own three saints. The window in the side vestibule contains Jesus' words of commissioning and represents the work of evangelization of the nations; its complimentary window over the west balcony represents the work of initiation in the life of Jesus through Christian education and the Sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation.

MINISTRY AND PRIESTHOOD WINDOW
ur response to salvation is seen in the three windows on the south side of the church. The Ministry and Priesthood window touches upon the duties of our Christian life (priesthood of the faithful) in addition to certain specific priestly responsibilities (ministerial priesthood). At the top of the window a shell sends forth the waters of Baptism, our first Christian response to Christ. We also see a hand touching upon the open bible to instruct and counsel our fellow men and women. The grace of Christ, symbolized by a descending ray, touches us at every moment of our life. We see the joining of men and women through marriage in the cross and interwoven rings and the sacrament of Holy Orders in the priestly stole. The works of mercy are represented in the action of a sister caring for a hospitalized person end bread being presented to the needy. St. Vincent de Paul is pictured caring for an orphaned child. Our life in Christ continues at the bottom of the window where the hand raised in absolution reminds us of the Sacrament of Reconciliation offered us by Christ through the ministry of the church.

GREAT COMMISSIONING WINDOW
o the right of the sanctuary and alter the window depicts the Great Commission of Christ as he instructs us to "Go forth and teach all nations." The main figure of Christ employs the color white symbolizing the Risen Christ before his Ascension. He is surrounded by the apostles with Peter and the crossed-keys of church authority in a prominent place. The triangle at the upper left is the Hebrew symbol for God, with rays of his love emitting from it. The downward flow touches upon the tablets of the law and carries forth the manna, the Old Testament prototype for the Eucharist. The rays culminate in the Host form representing Christ, the bread of life. At the upper right hand corner the Holy Spirit is pictured as a dove with the cockle shell used by John the Baptist beneath. Sanctification through baptism and the Spirit is pictured in droplets of water flowing forth in grace given to all nations. In the bottom panel are seen four interlocked arms which represent the races of humanity and the human family which now strives to follow the commission of Christ.

AMERICAN MISSIONARIES WINDOW
nother prominent feature of our response to redemption has been the missionary work of the church in the Americas. We see at the top a Navajo symbol of the sun, which reflects the message of Malachi 3:20: "the sun of justice with its heeling rays." The sun is surrounded by the form of an eagle which to the Plains Indians was the sacred form which carried the peoples' prayers to God. Eagle feathers are also depicted which symbolize the highest spiritual honor. Lineal motions carry downward rays of sunlight and water. The water first touches the figure of St. Isaac Joques, an early Jesuit missionary and martyr who preached to the Iroquis. At the left the sunlight touches upon the early mission church in California end Mexico. Father Junipero Serra is shown as he seeks out the followers of Christ. The water motion touches upon St. Kateri Tekawitha, the Lily of the Mohawks, early baptizer and teacher of Christ's love to her people. The sunlight falls upon St. Martin de Porres, a Dominican missionary, as he spreads God's scripture to the Inca nations of Peru and South America.

AMERICAN SAINTS-WINDOW
he response to our gift of salvation is further depicted in the lives of our three American saints; St. Elizabeth Anne Seton, St. John Neumann, and St Frances Cabrini. The artistic flow of this window begins at the bottom panel with the lily - a symbol for the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Mother in her title as patroness of the United States. Springing forth from this symbol is a band of red, white, and blue interspersed with stars representing the flag and national colors of our United States of America. The top panel of the window depicts St. Elizabeth Seton with a young girl. Mother Seton points to the lamp of knowledge and wisdom, which reflects her strong Catholic teachings and foundation of early Catholic Schools. St. John Neumann, our most recent saint, is shown at the center with a prominent symbol of the monstrance, which typifies his strong love of Christ in the Eucharist and introduction of Forty Hours Devotion here in the United States. The trolley car represents his urban ministry and care for the immigrants in our cities. A building exemplifies his commitment to the Catholic school system. St. Frances Cabrini is shown with a small child and the suggestion of an elevated train to show her work with children end immigrants in large cities.

THE EUCHARIST WINDOW
he window immediately to the left of the alter area depicts through symbol and figure the "Last Supper." The large figure of the Lord has his arms raised in a position of prayer. The triangle represents God, the Father; the fish and leaves reflects the miracle of the feeding of the multitude which is a prototype of both the Eucharist and the Mass. The Lord's prayer-like motion reminds us of his devotion and preparation for the divine sacrifice "Not my will, but thine be done." It also represents the fact that the prayer of the church, that is the Liturgy of the Eucharist, repeats the prayer of Jesus by which he becomes sacramentally present during the Mass. The chalice, wheat and grapes further symbolize the Last Supper as do the twelve crosses represent the apostles. The color and the lines of the depiction are also significant. Starting at the bottom of the window the upward action sees the symbols of the miracle of the multiplication [the bread and fish) reach their ultimate signification in our symbols of Eucharist (chalice, hosts, wheat, grapes) through the sacrificial death of Jesus (the blood-red robe of Christ).

THE MARIAN WINDOW
ere the Incarnation is described through figures and symbols. The Creator's star is seen in the upper left hand corner. A white line traversing the entire window depicts the star's light shining upon the earth as the illumination and guiding light to all humanity. The light touches upon the figure of the Archangel Gabriel as he announces to Mary the conception of Jesus. This emphasizes the role of Mary in God's plan for salvation as both the Mother of Jesus and the Mother of his church. That church, the community of believers, is symbolized by the shepherd and sheep who are approaching the Holy Family of Jesus, the central figures in the window Finally, we see the beginning of the church in the depiction of the Holy Spirit and the eleven tongues of fire symbolic of Pentecost. Amid the flames of fire is the Fleur-de-lis or lily symbolizing Mary in the midst of the primitive church as recorded by Luke in his Acts of the Apostles. The Holy Spirit becomes the underlying unifying principle as the cause of both the conception of Jesus and the conception of the church.

CHRISTIAN EDUCATION AND CHRISTIAN INVOLVEMENT WINDOWS
     
triking windows at the two outside doors of church offer a challenge to all of us as we leave. The window in the vestibule by the north driveway summarizes our Christian involvement in the world. We shall continue the mandate of Christ to his apostles found in the great commissioning. Pictured in glass are the words of Christ as recorded in Matthew 28:19- "Go forth and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit." The three lancet windows in the balcony center on the theme of Christian Education, following the idea of Matthew 19:13- "let the children come to me." The far left window shows the first means by which we bring children to Christ - the Sacrament of Baptism. Shown with the priest are a mother and father presenting their children for baptism. At the far right the Sacrament of Confirmation is shown - another movement in the life of Christian initiation. The bishop, clothed in the green color of hope, admits a young person to full Christian adulthood. The central window depicts the Lord holding a smell boy next to a young girl--his arm raised in blessing of all children coming to him. A woman standing behind the children symbolizes Mother Church as she leads us to Christ. We find children of all countries depicted here: a black boy, a Japanese girl, an American Indian, children from India and the Far East, and a child of South America. To the left of the Christ figure we see the lamb and the shepherd's staff which reflect the innocence of all children end Christ the Good Shepherd's greet love for them.
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