Pictoral Glass, Transparent Stories:
a reflection on Holy Family Spirituality as seen in works of stained glass.
Motherhouse Windows, Fremont, CA
Carl Huneke*, Century Staind Glass Studio, San Francisco, California created the nineteen stained glass windows in the chapel in 1960-1961. The windows were donated by the family of Sister M. Casimer Donovan. The windows and their location follow:
*For information about the artist click here. See the artist's sketch of the Finding in the Temple.
Windows at 890 Hayes St., San Francisco, CA
Mother Dolores (Elizabeth Armer) and Father John J. Prendergast co-founded the Sisters of the Holy Family in San Francisco in 1892. By 1878 the Sisters of the Holy Family were officially recognized as a religious congregation. The Motherhouse at 890 Hayes St. in San Francisco was completed in 1893 and remained the center of activities for the Order until the new Motherhouse was built in Mission San Jose, California in 1958.
The stained glass windows were constructed by Meyer in Germany in 1893. Currently two are installed in the foyer of the Motherhouse in Fremont Califonia: St. Elizabeth and St. Teresa. They were the patron saints of the founders: Elizabeth Armer and Teresa O'Connor. The remaining eight windows and two transoms are in the possession of St. Joseph's Church in Fremont, California.
For more on the Mayer Windows see Franz Mayer and Company and Zettler Studios (By Gail Tiemey, Masters Candidate, Dominican College; September 10, 1999)
St. Elizabeth Convent Chapel Windows, San Jose, CA
Four of the windows were designed and manufactured by Carl Huneke* of Century Stained Class Studio in San Francisco. They were installed in the convent Chapel in 1965.
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The Good Shepherd: Gift of Holy Family Guild
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Guardian Angel Protecting Children: Gift of the Ladies of Charity
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St. Joseph the Worker: In Memoriam the Kiernan and Colombel Families
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The Agony in the Garden: Golden Jubilee Gift for Sr. Mary Calasanctius
Older windows, circa 1917 from the Vine Street Convent were installed at the St. Elizabeth Convent Chapel in 1965:
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The Annunciation: In Memoriam of Mary Anne Chambers
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Christ Blessing the Children: In Memoriam of Magdalena Maxgraff-May
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St. Elizabeth: Gift of Rose Donohoe
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The Holy Family: In Memoriam of Lois Keifer
All of these windows were donated to the Diocese of Fresno in 2003.
Los Angeles,CA
In about 1922 L.A. Art Glass constructed three stained glass windows for the convent on Beacon Ave in Los Angeles. They were moved from the Beacon Ave. convent to the garden at the Grattan St. convent. They were installed in the garden arcade at Mission San Jose in 1998. The three windows are: The Guardian Angel, Jesus Welcoming the Children, and The Holy Family
"I remember we spoke about it to Father, that we didn't have a great founder, and he replied gravely and quietly, 'You have the Holy Family, are they not the founders of all community life?' They were the beginners of foundations, the Holy Family, and it was Father that gave us that name."
~Taken from the Conferences of Teresa O'Connor
"Someone once said to me that there never could be a greater founder than St. Dominic, that we should have a great saint as our founder. We had Father Prendergast and dear Sister Dolores and I am sure dear Sister Dolores is before the great throne of God now...