The fifth stained glass window was installed on May 22, 2009 and depicts the sacrament of The Anointing of the Sick. “Illness is a part of the human condition. Christians are called to the faith-filled acceptance of suffering as a sign of their incorporation into Christ, who took upon himself our human pain (Col 1:22-29). This is no passive act of helpless surrender. Christ’s concern for the bodily and spiritual welfare of the sick was a declaration that in his ministry the reign of God was breaking through in a new and definitive manner (Mark 2:1-12).  

In inviting all seriously ill Christians to the Sacrament of Anointing the Church proclaims its belief in Christ’s power over the pain and isolation of grave illness and dying.  A holistic vision of the human person, however, calls for medical personnel and Church ministers who look to the comforting of the Spirit as well as to the healing of the body.  Authentic pastoral care of the sick necessarily comprises both.

Pope Paul VI’s apostolic constitution promulgating the reformed rite (1972) stresses a theological dimension of the sacrament far too often neglected, namely, that this holy anointing is not only a ministry to the sick and dying but also an act of setting those anointed in special state of ministry to the rest of the Church. Like all other sacraments and blessings of persons, Anointing of the sick institutes the baptized into an ordo (Lat.), or college of ministry. In this instance, those anointed are raised up as particular models of faithful and hope-filled association with Christ in his Passion and death.”

The Scripture speaks on the anointing of the sick in (James 5:13-15) “Is anyone among you sick? He should summon the presbyters of the church, and they should pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord, and the prayer of faith will save the sick person, and the Lord will raise him up.

In this window the priest holds the oil that the Bishop blesses during Holy Week at Chrism Mass in the Cathedral on Holy Thursday. The oil of the infirm (OI) on the bottle in the window is used on the sick person to”signify healing, strengthening, and the presence of the Spirit.” The stole in the window is the sign of the priest who comes to anoint the sick person. The spring flowers in the vase represent new life and the Easter lilies represent eternal life.  A sick person is either healed physically and restored to life here in the world, or is healed by being called into eternal life with Christ through death. 

The window was designed and built by Susan Alexander, who is a local artist here in Gobles.  Susan Alexander stated that she “tried not to use figures in illustrating the seven sacraments in these windows but with this window and the sacrament of Reconciliation she found it much easier to depict the sacrament by using figures. The elderly woman is sitting in the chair hands outstretched to receive the anointing from the priest. If you look at the woman’s hand you will notice a wedding ring.  If you look closely you will notice two layers of glass being used in the same place.  This is a technique sometimes used to show depth.  In one case here you can see through the clear textured vase to see the stems of the flowers and leaves.  Also in the second spot the anointing oil can be seen through the bottle with the OI etched on the side”.

Design for the window was started on January 5, 2009 and finished on May 17th, of the same year. The window was installed on May 22, 2009. The total time to build this window was 195 hours, which includes the cutting of glass, copper foiling each piece and soldering.  The Anointing of the Sick window has 382 pieces of glass. The smallest pieces of glass in the window are the pistils in the lilies. The blessing of the Anointing of the Sick  window was done by Fr. Robert F. Creagan on August 16, 2009 during the 9:30am Mass.  The window was donated by Richard and Rose Neumann.
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“Encyclopedia of Catholicism,” Richard P. McBrien, General Editor © 1995 Harper Collins Publisher page 57-58

“Pastoral Care of the Sick: Rites of anointing and viaticum, © 1983 by Catholic publishing, page 84

The quote is taken from notes about the window that Susan Alexander prepared.