STA Stained Glass Project

Stained Glass STA

Dear brothers and sisters,

The Catholic Church has many sacred treasures, art being one of them. Our churches and homes are filled with images of Christ, the Blessed Mother, and our favorite saints. We have wood carved crucifixes, icons, and statues just to name a few.

Perhaps one of the beautiful forms of art is stained glass. Stained glass windows adorn our churches throughout the world, telling a story and reminding us of the covenants made between God and man. They are large and call out to those who pass by, hoping to draw them into a deeper relationship with God or to place the seed of desire for our Lord in their hearts after a long or complete absence.

Here at St. Thomas, we’ve experienced a bit of an absence. As you know, the stained glass window of Our Lady of Guadalupe located at the front south side of the church was damaged last year after two severe rain storms with high winds made their way through the city. For safety purposes, our insurance agent instructed us to board the window up.

Many of you have prayed and patiently waited for an image to gaze upon once again. After much research and discussion, Fr. Steve decided it would be in the best interest of the parish to replace the window with one that will not only enhance the church but will last for many years to come. This new window too will tell a story.

While we considered who we should commission to carry out this special project, it became clear that it would only be appropriate to commission long-time parishioner and artist Steve Voita, to take on this task. Mr. Voita has a history with St. Thomas the Apostle Parish that extends beyond his years as a parishioner. He is responsible for the mural behind the altar crucifix as well as our beautiful ceiling. He is also responsible for the backdrops behind the Blessed Mother and St. Joseph statues.

The stained glass window will depict the image of Thomas the Apostle touching the wounds of the Risen Christ. Our Lord shows Thomas his wounds and invites him to feel the physical evidence of His Resurrection. This is the quintessential image of Thomas referred to as Doubting Thomas who no longer doubts because he has seen and put his fingers into Christ’s wounds. During this intimate moment he gives us that beautiful expression of faith “My Lord and My God.”

The north facing window of Juan Diego is not damaged; however, the new art will not match; therefore, it too will be replaced and the original donor will be honored and the designation retained.

In order to complete these projects, we are hoping to raise $25,000.00 in donations. We ask you to prayerfully consider making a financial contribution and thank you in advance for your consideration.