“From the Archives” — Saint Mary’s Stained-Glass Windows, Part 9

Saint Louis and Saint Edward. This pair of windows is located in the south transept of the Basilica of Saint Mary, to the right of the sanctuary and the statue of the Sacred Heart.

The windows date to the 1950s and were originally installed at the IHM Convent Chapel on South Royal Street, adjacent to Saint Mary School. Father Stanley Krempa, Saint Mary’s pastor from 1991 to 1999, had the windows relocated from the convent chapel when the building was converted to a junior high school and renamed “Stephens Hall” in honor of Monsignor Edward L. Stephens, pastor from 1943 to 1959.  When installing the windows in the church, they were dedicated in honor two former Saint Mary pastors: the window of Saint Louis, King of France, for Father Louis Smet (pastor, 1915-1927); and the window of Saint Edward the Confessor, King of England, for Monsignor Stephens. The upper portion of these windows consists of a Gothic arch, dedicated “In Memory of All Mothers.”

 

– Kitty Guy, Parish Historian

 

In 2020, to commemorate the 225th anniversary of our parish, we started “From the Archives” as a weekly feature online and in our bulletin to spotlight the history of Saint Mary’s. Due to its popularity, we are continuing the series in 2022. An archive of the features is located here.