Ascension Stained Glass Window Capitol Campaign

Our parish community owes a debt of gratitude to those who contributed to the building of our present church, completed in 1910. One of the first things visitors notice and comment on are our beautiful stained-glass windows.

You may have noticed that we have completed many building maintenance and renovation projects thanks to the generosity of our benefactors. We are nearing the completion of the stained-glass renovation project. The most recent project completed was restoration of the Nativity window. Our last window to renovate is the Ascension window.

This maintenance is necessary to preserve not only the structural integrity of the window, but to restore the clarity of the window as sunlight shines through. The next time you are in church, stand in the transept and compare the Nativity and Ascension windows. While beautiful, the Ascension window lacks the clarity and beauty of the Nativity window due to the needed renovation.

Renovating one large window currently costs approximately $125,000. This work is performed by the Emil Frei Company, who crafted and installed the windows when the church was built. When they restore a window, the craftsmen remove the discolored exterior covering, then examine and repair the wood frame and the glass itself as needed. The glass is cleaned, the wood is painted, and the exterior frame is reinforced with metal rods. Finally, tempered glass is installed over the exterior of the window.

Back in the Middle Ages, when literacy was not widespread, stained-glass windows served as a ‘visual Bible’ for those who could not read. While that might no longer be the case, our windows still serve as a tool for evangelization and a motivation to prayer. As St. Anthony’s moves forward to evangelize our neighborhood, please consider a financial gift to complete the Ascension window renovation so it continues to inspire our parishioners, visitors and neighbors.

If you are able to donate, whether large or small, please place your contribution in an envelope marked “Stained Glass Window Project” and drop it in the collection basket; mail your donation to the parish office; or click “Donate Now”, then “Stain Glass Window Fund” on our website. Your donation continues the tradition of contributions begun by parishioners in the early 1900’s, and guarantees that our church will be a beacon of light and hope to Dutchtown for the next 100 years.