Sunday, July 29 — In this day of instant communication, we are certainly used to having information available to us at any time. The "Web," which I am certainly using for this communication, also provides us with immediate information about our Catholic Faith, from reliable sources such as the Holy See and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). Previous generations were used to Missalettes, Missals, and then books of all sorts. However, it wasn't always so. In an earlier time [far removed from us], stained glass was a primary medium in which the Scripture was learned, and the lives of the Saints made real and present to the faithful of an earlier time and place. In fact, stained glass was often called the "Poor Man's Scripture." Stained glass, I believe, still has a very important place for us in the prayer and devotional life of the Church. In times of distraction, for example, the Saints and the Lord in the windows call us to them, even during Mass. The use of stained glass contributed to an additional sense being used for our prayer and worship. In the Diocese of Fort Worth we have some wonderful example of classic stained glass in some of our Churches, some of which have recently been restored: St. Peter's in Lindsey, Texas; St. Mary of the Assumption in Fort Worth, and St. Patrick's Cathedral with all of the Saints!
There also have been some recent beautiful additions to stained glass art in our Diocese, which I would certainly recommend to anyone who is in the area to see: 1) The new Holy Redeemer Church in Aledo, Texas [I have already written about this, but want to site it here again]; 2) our most recent beautiful addition to this tradition at St. Joseph Church in Nocona, Texas. [If the name of Nocona is familiar, think of Nocona boots and gloves!] This Church had never had stained glass before, and thanks to leadership of Fr. Richard Collins, St. Joseph's pastor, and the generosity of many of the families, the church now has stunning stained glass windows of various scenes in the life of Christ. This is especially important in a community that is largely evangelical so that the centrality of Christ is not only communicated to the parishioners, but to the entire community as well. Msgr. Steve Berg, Vicar General, and I were present this past Sunday, July 30, for a blessing and dedication of these windows.
