The Story
Since late medieval times, the Catholic Church has employed artists to design stained glass windows depicting prophets, saints, the Holy Family, and special events from the Old and New Testaments, to enhance the beauty of the sacred place, and to remind the faithful of their Judaic Christian tradition. These stained glass windows have served many purposes, including replacing plain glass with diffused coloured light in the church, encouraging parishioners (the Church Militant) to meditate on the saints (the Church Triumphant) and to pray for our loved ones (the Church Suffering) in whose memory many of the windows have been dedicated. It seems that some of our windows were installed early in the last century and the rest in the mid century. Likely Robert McCausland Limited of Toronto did the older ones, including the Nativity. The John Harman Company of England, commissioned by Monsignor O'Donnell around 1950, designed 15 of the windows. |
 |
The iconography features Mary, The Angel Gabriel and The Holy Spirit in the form of a Dove. Mary, a young woman of 14 or 15 years is approached by the Angel Gabriel and invited to become the Mother of the Messiah. Angels are prominent figures in both the Old and New Testaments, sent to announce good news or to be present as God's representative at important events. The Holy Spirit is pictured in the form of a Dove. AVE MARIA, the Latin for "Hail Mary." the greeting given by the Angel Gabriel, is depicted in the medallion above the biblical scene. Colours used in stained glass windows also have meaning. The gold of the Angel's halo and lining of his robe is the colour of the sun and symbolizes the radiance of God's Presence and the celestial world. The white of the dove and of Mary's halo represent divine light. The 12 stars ,urrounding her halo symbolize Mary's Judaic heritage and the 12 tribes of Israel and the 12 apostles of the Christian faith. Mary's red tunic signifies that she is carrying the Christ Child. Since the twelfth century, Mary is usually pictured with a blue mantle, the colour of the sea and sky. The window frames also include Christian symbolism. The white lilies in scrolls signify the purity of Mary. and the series of marginal squares with crosses and circles contain a quantity of symbolism, including that of the earth and the Christian cross. The window titled "The Annunciation" was given in memory of Mr & Mrs James F Comiskey. Back to the Church Windows |
 |
The Visitation represents the encounter of the two women at the centre of the turning point from the Judaic time to the Christian era. The Visitation depicts the visit of Mary to her cousin Elizabeth after the Annunciation, when the Angel Gabriel told Mary that Elizabeth too was to bear a son - John the Baptist. In their tender embrace, Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, recognizes the significance of their meeting: "Of all women you are the most blessed, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. Why should I be honoured with a visit from the Mother of my Lord?" Lk 1:43
And Mary in response, prays her Magnificat: In this depiction, the stained glass artist has included Zechariah, Elizabeth's husband and a priest of the Old Testament, in the background, and Joseph accompanying Mary in this biblical encounter. Like the other windows in the church, symbolic use of colour enriches the scene and foliate scrolls enframe the religious narrative, and the symbol for Mary, the stylized AM completes the decoration. The window titled "The Visitation" was given in memory of The Parents of Miss Gertrude Gerber. Back to the Church Windows |
 |
This is one of the older windows, the colours softer, and the upper and lower sections more ornate, with white pillars and supporting structures trimmed in gold, contrasting the wooden beams of the stable where the Holy Family resides. We see the Star of Bethlehem and some of the choir of angels present in the barn. Joseph carries a lantern to provide the physical light in contrast with the Light of the World in the crib. He also carries a blossoming staff, which tradition tells us distinguished him from the other candidates who hoped to marry Mary. The lamb laying at the foot of the crib signifies the victim used in Jewish and Islamic rituals. It was the sacrifice offered by Abel. The Hebrews ate a lamb for their Paschal meal when they escaped from Egypt. John the Baptist proclaimed Jesus to be the "Lamb of God." John 1:29-36. The ox in the crib scene represents the Jews who accepted Christ and the donkey, the pagans who recognized Him. The window titled "The Nativity" was given in memoriam. Back to the Church Windows |
 |
This window recalls how Joseph, having been warned in a dream, takes the Christ Child and his Mother out of Judaea to escape the vengeance of Herod. ...behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph, saying, "Arise, and take the child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and remain there until I tell thee. For Herod will seek the child to destroy him." Matt 2:13 In this depiction, Joseph leads the donkey with Mary tenderly caressing the Christ child. The background details include pyramids and sand dunes in the distance and the lush palm trees overhead. signifying the safe arrival of the Holy Family in Egypt. The enframing of this window contains a bountiful bouquet of lilies, symbolizing the purity of the figures. The medallion at the top of the window shows two pyramids, one behind the other, with a palm tree to the left, and an Egyptian woman across the pyramids. She is holding a bowl up with her left hand. The bowl symbolizes hospitality and the welcoming of the Holy Family into Egypt. The wreath of wheat surrounding the medallion also suggests plenty in this land. We see in each of the fifteen windows designed by the artist commissioned by Hardman, a medallion at the top of each window. Each of these windows affirm the event pictured in the window. The window titled The "Flight Into Egypt" was given as a gift of Mr & Mrs Ambrose Sharron. . Back to the Church Windows |
 |
This Hardman Window depicts Christ in all His glory - His Body completely restored from the bruising of the Cross. Rays of light seem to emanate from His Body and outshine the sunrise which has painted the sky in brilliant colour. The three fingers of His right hand are raised in blessing, In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, while His left hand holds a standard which symbolizes his triumph over His death on the Cross. The soldiers are all wearing armour and carry arms showing their power. The stunned appearance on the face of the only one awake and the position of his sword indicate the surprise and fear Christ’s appearance has produced in him while his companions have fallen asleep and are unaware of the quiet majesty of the Risen Christ. The city of Jerusalem appears in the background beyond the entrance of the cave. Above this scene is a medallion encircled by a wreath of wheat symbolizing the Body of Christ. In the medallion an eagle sits on a nest with young ones waiting to be fed. John the Baptist is often portrayed as an eagle in church art. He baptized Jesus and announced to his followers that this Man was the Messiah. Perhaps the young ones are to remind us of the crowds who were so eager to listen to the message of the prophet. Crowning the medallion is a fleur de lis appearing as a crown representing the Blessed Trinity. Below the crown are grapes partially wrapped in leaves signifying the Blood of Christ. The same symbol appears in a larger form at the base of the window in the scrolls at the centre of the window. The appearance of wheat and grapes reminds us that although He has risen, Christ is still with us daily in the Eucharist Back to the Church Windows |
 |
You will notice that this window's design is similar to the one of The Nativity - both probably designed by a Canadian craftsman as it is evident in many of the Catholic churches in Ontario. The posts and ornate curves and decoration are seen in such beautiful European buildings such as the Cathedral Notre-Dame in Amiens France. Centred at the top is a dove, the ever present symbol in Christian art of the Holy Spirit. Modified fleur de lis top the columns, indicating the Trinity. Christ is pictured enveloped in a cruciform nimbus amid darkening clouds with his face illuminated and his arms spread out like the crosspiece of the cross to embrace the universe. It appears that there are eleven apostles present if you count the halos. The one surrounding Christ is golden recognizing His Divinity. The white halos are designated to saints who form the Church Triumphant. The Ascension marks the conclusion of Christ's ministry on earth as He commissions his apostles to spread the Gospel to all nations as read in the last gospels of Matthew and Mark. The Ascension is recorded in Luke 24:50-51 Back to the Church Windows |
 |
This window is given prominence in the Sanctuary on the left side of the altar. It pictures the beginning of the mission of the apostles to spread the Christian faith to all nations. They had gathered in an Upper Room in Jerusalem with Mary to pray after witnessing the Ascension. The parted tongues of fire appearing over the apostles indicate the Holy Spirit's presence in the Upper Room, Acts 2: 1-4. Although only 11 appear here, Matthias had been chosen after the Ascension to replace Judas, as Peter proclaimed, to fulfill the prophesy in the Book of Psalms " ....... His ministry let another take " Acts 1, 20-26 The artist shows Christ present in red clothing, the colour of divinity, with His hand extended in blessing Mary. She was instrumental, through the Holy Spirit in the beginning of Christ's mission and she is present here witnessing the fulfillment of that mission. Red is also the dominant colour in this window, accenting the importance of this mystery. In the decorative background of the scroll work, it enhances the passion the and fire the apostles felt as the result of the gifts they received through the power of the Holy Spirit. The medallion at the top center circling the dove, symbol the Holy Spirit in Christian iconography, again affirms that the tongues of fire depict His presence.
|
Back to Tom's Nook