The sixth stained glass window was installed on August 10, 2009 and depicts the sacrament of Holy Orders. “Holy Orders is the sacrament by which one is received into the ministry of the deaconate, priesthood, or episcopacy in the Church. According to Catholic teaching, the sacrament of Holy Orders is a divinely instituted structure of the Church of Christ.  Reception of the sacrament signals the Church’s belief that the candidate is united with the ministry of Jesus and the apostolic Church and empowered to minister in the name and power of Christ in the Church and in the world. The ordained is also commissioned to represent the Church to itself and to the world. In practice and in understanding, Holy Orders has undergone profound changes from its origins in the New Testament period to the developments of the Second Vatican Council (1962-65).

“Priest and deacon share in the one sacrament of Holy Orders, though each in its own way.  The priest, by virtue of sacramental ordination, shares in the threefold ministry of Christ as minister of God’s word, as minister of sacraments, and as pastoral guide of the community.”

“The deacon receives the sacrament of Holy Orders as one who ministers in conjunction with the bishop and the body of priests. The areas of the deacon’s ministry are three: ministry of liturgy, ministry of the word, and ministry of charity.  Vatican II provided for the restoration of the diaconate as a permanent order in the ministry of the Church.”  

The three ranks of Holy Orders are represented in this window – bishop, priest, deacon.  The bishop is represented by the mitre and crosier. These signify his office of goverance of the Diocese.  The priest is represented by the chalice and the stole of his office.  The office of deacon is represented by the Word of God which he proclaims. The bishop and priest also proclaim the Word of God. The red cincture, which now is normally white, is a part of the vestments worn by bishop, priest and deacon. Through the ministry of the clergy the people of God are sanctified. This is represented by the thurible with the prayers of the people rising up to God in the smoke. Since Bishop Donovan established St. Jude as a parish in 1985, we have his episcopal motto in this window. The inscription in the Word, “The Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve”, was the verse that Bishop Paul V. Donovan’s motto came from. The Cross of Christ is in this window because without the cross and Christ’s resurrection, we would not have the possibility of eternal life.  Also notice the muffle glass window behind the table. Note the broken window – it was intentional.

The window was designed and built by Susan Alexander, who is a local artist here in Gobles.

The window was started on May 15, 2009 and completed on July 20, 2009.  It was installed at St. Jude’s on August 5, 2009. The total time to build this window was 171 hours and it contains 252 pieces the smallest pieces being the individual chain pieces of the thurible in the lower right hand corner of the window.  The inscription pages on the open Bible are sandblasted by Peeper’s Stained Glass in Kalamazoo.  To create the look of an old hand copied manuscript of the Scriptures a new technique to the artist was used. A second layer of blue glass was used here to begin the text with the letter ‘T’ The blessing of the Holy Order window was done by Fr. Robert F. Creagan on August 16, 2009 during the 9:30am Mass.  The window was donated by the people of St. Jude Parish.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“Encyclopedia of Catholicism,” Richard P. McBrien, General Editor ©1995 Harper Collins Publisher Page 620

Ibid. p624

Ibid. page 624

Everything in life is not perfect which is symbolized by this broken window.  We are all a work in progress.