Featured Window

Our Lady of Grace, Dearborn Heights, Michigan

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MSGC : Collections : Window

Window

Building Name: Madonna University Welcome Center

City: Livonia

Window Shape: 2 (rectangle)

Date of Window: 2020

Subject/Title of Window: Felician Sisters Emblem

Brief Description of Subject: In 2009 the Felician Sisters of North America united their eight provinces into one, and titled it "Our Lady of Hope Province." Those eight provinces are named along the edges of the octagon.
 
In the center of the window is the emblem for the Felician Sisters. The Felicians were founded by the Blessed Mary Angela Truszkowska as a Third Order Regular of St. Francis of Assisi. Their emblem combines symbols for St. Francis with symbols for devotions by the Felicians.
 
St. Francis: The crossing arms, with hands of stigmata, are those of Jesus and St. Francis (brown sleeve). The cross rising out of the crossed hands appeared very early as part of the emblem for the Franciscans. Most likely it refers to St. Francis' reception of the stigmata from the crucified Christ (in the form of a Seraph) on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.
 
Devotions by the Felicians: Words from John Paul II in an address to the Felicians about their founder, "As she journeyed more deeply into Calvary she became insistent that at the heart of the Congregation's life should be devotion above all else to the HOLY EUCHARIST and to the IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY. She bequeathed to her sisters the motto: 'All through the Heart of Mary in honor of the Most Blessed Sacrament.' "
 
The Immaculate Heart of Mary is at the very center of the emblem. The flames symbolize her burning love for her Son and us. The sword piercing the heart comes from Simeon's prediction that Mary would endure sorrows for her Son --- Luke 3:35, "And a sword will pierce your own soul too." The Holy Eucharist is seen on the cross rising from the crossed hands. The host is inscribed with the first three letters "IHS" of the Greek word for Jesus.
 
This window was donated by Our Lady of Hope Province.
 
The photo of the entire window necessitated the use of a wide angle lens. These lenses induce barrel distortions. This window is actually in the shape of a rectangle, not a barrel on its side.

Inscriptions: OUR LADY OF HOPE PROVINCE
PRESENTATION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY
IMMACULATE CONCEPTION
OUR LADY OF THE ANGELS
HOLY NAME OF MARY
ASSUMPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
OUR LADY OF THE SACRED HEART
MOTHER OF GOOD COUNSEL


Height: 8'

Width: 13'

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All images in the Index are either born-digital photographs of windows or buildings or are scans of slides, prints, or other published sources. These images have been provided by volunteers and the quality of the material varies widely.

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