|
 When Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish in Fairfield, California, completed its plans for a new worship space there just were not enough funds left for stained glass windows. When the building project was completed in 2003, impressive art glass was included in the backdrop of the altar with a modern swirling of frosted white, blue and yellow hues. The design was free-form, representing water as a blue swirl, white depicting the earth and sky and yellow expressing rays of sunshine. However, the huge banks of glass windows at either side of the altar remained clear glass.
Parishioner Anita Flueck had a dream of something magnificent for those clear glass window panes that would extend the art glass from behind the altar. Comments from parishioners that the early morning sunshine was almost blinding settled the issue for her and she sprang into action. After becoming a member of the Parish Pastoral Council she brought her idea to the advisory body. Our Pastor, Father Sebastian Meyer,
O.Carm., gave Flueck the go ahead to see what interest there really was among parishioners. “So I started some research, and interviewed three local artists who had shown interest in the project,” says Flueck. One artist was willing to develop a concept and put Flueck’s dream on paper and glass and develop a formal proposal for Father Sebastian, the Council and other interested parishioners. Artist Marcy Anholt came to that meeting well prepared and her artistic concept was well received. After some discussion, a plan for marketing the windows was developed along with a proposed schedule in which to sell the 56 windows that would be available.
 As it turned out the schedule was not necessary; the window proposal was so popular that all 56 windows were sold in just two Weeks! “I had people come to my house to sign up at my kitchen table, they came to my car in the parking lot; I spoke to them after Mass in the morning, and on Saturdays and Sundays. Even after all of the windows were sold some requested that their names be put on a waiting list.”
Six months into the project, they finished the right hand side completely and have started on the other side with the first two windows. After that every two months they will install another row of windows with a tentative completion date of June, 2009. Comments have been overwhelmingly positive with this new addition to the church environment. Many parishioners are pleased to be part of the beautification of the new worship space. After all of the windows are installed, memorial plaques will be placed in honor of the loved ones remembered as part of the project.
“Come visit this very special Carmelite parish,” says Anita, “and see for yourselves how dreams really do come true.”
|
