Windows of St. Ben's Dec. 2

Monday, December 2nd at 7pm our own Deacon Bill will give a one hour presentation on the windows of our beautiful church.

Everyone is welcome.  Please save the date and invite your family and friends.

This is a new presentation, so even those who have attended one in the past are encouraged to join us again for new details and new images from our church. 

It is a multi-media presentation.  No walking required this time.

Parish Drive 2011

Windows of St. Benedict's, Part III

St. Scholastica (sister of St. Benedict)

sacristy window, detail

St. Dominic (with Rosary) & St. Augustine (with book/crozier)

chancel window

St. Paul (with sword) & St. Peter (with keys)

chancel window

St. Vincent de Paul with child

transept window

St. Patrick

transept window

St. John the Baptist with Jesus

sacristy window

St. Francis Xavier, priest & missionary

transept window

St. Scholastica (sister of St. Benedict)

St. John Baptist de La Salle (patron of teachers)

St. Columban (missionary to Ireland)

sacristy window

St. Mark

choir window

St. John

choir window

St. Matthew

choir window

St. Luke

choir window

*****

Other window Blog posts:

http://bit.ly/cX3uqc

http://bit.ly/9Ejvva

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Windows of St. Benedict's, Part II

Windows of St. Benedict's, Part II

  

Vestibule Window. (detail) 

Side Exit Windows.

Harp (detail) from St. Patrick Window.

Vestibule Window (detail).

Vestibule Window.

Coat of Arms of Bishop Burke.

Fiat Voluntas Tua are words from the Lord's Prayer

Thy Will Be Done (Matthew 6:10).

Vestibule Window Coat of Arms of Pope Pius XII. (detail)

Vestibule Window (detail)

Vestibule Window. (detail)

Main Street breezeway to school. 

Fleur-de-lis symbolizes Mary's unique relationship to the Trinity.

Mary is Daughter of the Father;

Mother of the Son;

and Spouse of the Holy Spirit.

Rectory breezeway.

Hive symbolizes industriousness.

Rectory Breezeway.

Benedictines worked at copying books, especially Sacred Scripture.

Child (detail) from St. Vincent De Paul Window.

*****

other Blog posts about our windows:

http://bit.ly/cX3uqc

http://bit.ly/9ZHXB3

Windows of St. Benedict's, Part I

The John Terrence O'Duggan (Boston, MA) windows of our church are truly spectacular. I have been enlightened through them many times.  Here is a close up look at some of them.  I will focus on the smaller symbolic nave windows today.

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The flame and book (in this case the Hebrew Scriptures) symbolizes the wisdom of Jesus.  You will note that this window is found under Jesus teaching in the Temple. 

This is found under the window of Mary, Mother of Divine Grace. Mary's womb was the vessel that contained Jesus. The chalice bears the letters "M" for Mary and "R" for Regina, Latin for Queen. Jesus is shown by the Greek letters X (chi) and P (rho); these are the first two Greek letters in the word "Christ." Jesus is the beginning and the end; the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet - Alpha and Omega . Mary, the vessel, overflows with the grace of Jesus. She is the only person the Bible says is "full of grace."

 Elijah's fiery chariot is placed under the window of Jesus' Ascension.  The Jewish people believed that, because Elijah was taken up into heaven in a fiery chariot, he was going to come again. It is no accident that Elijah is mentioned at pivotal moments in Jesus' life.

Here is a presentation of the vesture of Jesus. Notice the three dice.  Recall that the Roman soldiers (symbolically represented by lances), did not want to tear it, so they cast dice for Jesus' tunic instead.

Jesus is buried, but rises to a more glorious life like the butterfly that emerges from a seemingly-dead cocoon.  While not on any of our windows, the Easter egg has a similar meaning.  Death only appears to be an end.

This image is well-known to those who make the stations of the cross.  It is the veil of Veronica.  In Latin, Veronica means "true image." We are reminded to be the true image of Jesus. It symbolizes not so much a historical event, as a practical lesson in standing firm in the Faith in spite of persecution along the Way.

The tortuous death of Jesus is clearly evident here. Jesus is nailed to the cross.  He is mockingly crowned with thorns but He is truly Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.

The pillar where Jesus was scourged is presented here.  Also present are the whip and the sponge soaked in common wine put to His lips. Note this is one of the signed windows - John Terrence O'Duggan.

Here the suffering of Jesus is symbolized by a cup.  Recall that Jesus prayed to the Father in the Garden of Gethsemene that this "cup" of suffering might pass, but "not My will, but Thine be done."  You will note that the larger window above this shows Jesus being comforted by an angel carrying a cross as He accomplishes the will of the Father..

It was prophesied that Mary's heart would be pierced by a sword.

Mary's humility is often symbolized by small flowers. Here the crown remind us that the lowly shall be exalted.

Here the lily of purity is covered with images from the Book of Revelation - the moon under her feet and on her head a crown of stars.

Mary's virginity is symbolized by a depiction from the Song of Songs.  She is a garden enclosed.  Note the palm trees.  These trees figure prominently in the Song of Songs.

Mary reigns as Queen of Heaven, symbolized here by the crown over MR - Maria Regina - Mary the Queen.

*****

Other window Blog posts:

http://bit.ly/9Ejvva
http://bit.ly/9ZHXB3

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Bees, Pollen & the Parish!

Catchy title, eh?
I've been thinking about bees a lot.  This may seem very odd, so let me explain a bit and then take the bee metaphor in a new direction.

Why bees?  First, we have a wonderful stained glass window of bees and their hive in our church breezeway between the sacristy and the rectory.  I look at it often. Many Benedictine monasteries raised bees for pollination and honey. In France some beekeepers even attach a medal of St. Benedict to their hives, although St. Ambrose is generally considered the patron saint of beekeepers in most places.