Cause for Applause
Finding a new house of worship for unwanted stained-glass windows was a labour of love, with a lovely ending
Two years ago, I came across an advertisement for the sale of three stained-glass windows from a church that closed down in Sarnia, Ont. The photo was blurry, but, as a Catholic, I figured they represented the Holy Family since one figure was in white-andblue garments and appeared to be a typical artistic image of Mother Mary. I live in a condominium and have no use for such windows, so I did not think about it too much. Six months went by and I saw the same advertise- ment again. This time, something came over me and I became concerned. I recalled stories about such windows being broken into small pieces for various other uses or sold off as decorative pieces in pubs. Suddenly, I felt that I must “save” the Holy Family! I immediately wrote a cheque to purchase the three windows, without actually seeing them or asking any questions. When I received the windows three months later, I realized they were from an Anglican Church. They measured 16.5 inches by 74 inches each and were made up of two panels. There were inscriptions commemorating a “Blake” family. Most members were noted as having passed away around 100 years ago.
I wondered if the descendants of this family realized these windows were being sold off, and whether they’d even care. I did some research on the Internet and checked census records and an online database of genealogical and historical records. I also read obituaries and drove from Toronto to Lakeview Cemetery in Sarnia, where several members of the Blake family were buried. I met with the funeral director at the funeral home where several Blakes had had their funeral services, and tried to collect information from people who were connected to the church where the windows were from. After extensive research and tracing the Blake family tree back three generations, I called the only Blake I could find long distance. Unfortunately, his 80-year-old wife told me that he had passed away and she has no contact with any other Blakes.
Being unable to locate a living Blake, I felt it was time to find a safe and holy resting place for the Holy Family.
My quest for a church
that would install the windows so natural light would shine through them once again, spanned Ontario and Quebec and crossed several religious denominations, from Anglican and United Presbyterian to Roman Catholic. Along the way, I encountered people from many walks of life—stainedglass windows artists, an historic architecture aficionado, an amateur photographer, educators, a church warden, secretaries, parishioners, priests and even His Eminence Thomas Cardinal Collins, the Archbishop of Toronto. I spoke with everyone I could connect with.
My quest continued for almost two years. One day, through causal conversation at a colleague’s house party, I learned that the parents-in-law of another colleague were
very involved with their church in Combermere, Ont., and could potentially be of help. Soon, details of the windows I sent them were distributed and eventually landed in the hands of Father Réal Ouellette of St. Peter’s Parish in Fort-coulonge, Que. Father Ouellette said that his church had only coloured glass, which was the most affordable option when the church was built, and would love to have real stained-glass windows installed.
Considering St. Peter’s Parish was built in 1923, around the time that the Blake family had been commemorated according to the inscriptions, I thought it must be divine providence that St. Peter’s Parish was to be the new home for the “Holy Family”— and would also hold a commemoration of the Blake family. While the Blake family remembrance would be held within a Roman Catholic church, and not one of the Anglican faith, the service would still be held within a holy place where the same God is worshipped.
Also, compared to Sarnia, Fort-coulonge is much closer to Montreal, where the Blake family first settled in Canada. Being an immigrant myself, I felt at peace to be able to help honour fellow immigrants this way.
Once Father Ouellette had transported the three stained-glass windows to Fort-coulonge, a Marist brother helped craft wooden frames for them. A deacon, who was assigned to serve at St. Peter’s Parish before returning to Toronto in September, helped clean the windows and painted the frames. When Father Ouellette realized the cost of changing the windows was going to be rather prohibitive, three summer students, coincidentally, were available to assist with the restoration project. Several parishioners also provided financial support, among other kinds of contributions, to make the project possible.
I believe that God has given each and every one of us unique gifts and talents, and must have seen fit to send many talented and caring individuals Father Ouellette’s way to bring this project to fruition.
September 4, 2016, was a special day, as Bishop Mulhall presided at a bilingual ceremony to dedicate and bless the stained-glass windows at St. Peter’s Parish. As Bishop Mulhall performed his blessing in the pres- ence of church parishioners and the friends I had invited from other Christian denominations, I felt grateful, joyful and hopeful.
This two-year journey inspired me profoundly. I had sought far and wide for a safe haven for the Holy Family windows, only to find a suitable new home for them through a colleague, someone with whom I work daily. How often do we try to find answers to our issues in far away places when the answer is actually close at hand? It reminds me of Matthew 7:7, which says: “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”
Of course, we need to hear and recognize when God is knocking at our door. As I see it, God called many people to contribute in different ways to the quest we shared, and everyone involved responded in a positive, uplifting manner. I believe God has a plan for each of us, and blessed are those who respond. n