Lumen Summer 2023

Sacred Art

The Stained-glass Windows of the Albertus Magnus Chapel

By KATHRYN WEHR

T he Albertus Magnus Chapel in Sitzmann Hall has four tryptic stained-glass windows that were originally from Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Lawrence, Massachusetts. The Gothic revival-style church building was completed in 1935-36 as a final

 ST. AUGUSTINE WINDOW

step in a parish building project that also included a rectory, convent, grotto and two schools. The parish and schools were served for many years by the Marist Fathers and Holy Union Sisters. The French provenance of these two orders may be a clue to the reason that two of our windows feature French saints (St. Louis and St. Joan of Arc) and another features John the Baptist, the patron saint of French-speaking Canada. In 2004, the Archdiocese of Boston consolidated seven neighboring parishes into three and sold the Sacred Heart property to a developer. Thanks to a group of generous supporters of Catholic Studies, four sets of the windows were acquired and restored for our chapel in Sitzmann Hall. 

THE ST. AUGUSTINE WINDOW

LEFT WINDOW: St. Augustine (354-430) is pictured with his mother, St. Monica. Gift from the Koch Family.

CENTER WINDOW: St. Augustine of Hippo with the symbols of his office and legacy. Gift from the Koch Family.

RIGHT WINDOW: St. Augustine and a boy carrying a seashell, a symbol of the study of theology. Gift from Nicole Bernardi.

Stained-glass window of St. Joan of Arc as a young shepherdess.

 The Center for Catholic Studies two-year Mission and Culture Apprenticeship Program begins. Juniors and seniors gain real-world experience in Catholic schools. 2019

2022

 Catholic Studies develops the Mission, Culture and Emerging Questions course for Catholic school educators. The online course offers educators a

 Catholic Studies adds a second study abroad experience: Church and Culture in Mexico City, a four-credit J-Term course.

 Verso L’Alto, a college-immersion pathways program for Latino high school students, begins. The program prepares students for university studies and beyond.

shared vision and language for understanding their vocation in the context of the Church’s mission for Catholic schools.

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St. Thomas Lumen Summer 2023 Page 23