Our window

Stained glass window at Canadian Martyrs Church
Stained glass window at Canadian Martyrs Church

Our window was donated by the Doran family while Father Cornelius Herlihy O.M.I. was pastor in 1954. The window was designed by Theo Lubbers, a Dutch artist from Montreal.

Top Section

stained_glass2
Top section of window

This section contains the words and motto of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate who have been given charge of the Parish. The Oblate Motto is: “He has sent me to bring the Good News to the Poor; The Poor have the Gospel preached to them”

The Motto in Latin: Pauperes Evangelizantur 

Middle Section

Middle section of window
Middle section of window

This section is the main part of the window. The eight Martyrs are shown surrounding the Virgin Mary, who is holding the child Jesus in her arms. Jesus is shown wearing a crown, because he was King, and holds in his hand a palm Branch, the symbol of the martyr. Mary also has a crown because she is the queen of the world.

The martyrs have halos surrounding their heads. A halo is the ancient symbol for holiness or saintliness. Immediately on the left of the Virgin is St. John de Brebeuf. He was a member of the Society of Jesus whose motto was: “Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam (To the Greater Glory of God)”. He is shown holding a bible with the letters A M D G on the cover. Six of the martyrs are shown wearing priestly vestments showing that they were priests. Two were not priests and the are shown in lay clothes. All the Martyrs are shown looking toward the Mother and Child.

At Mary’s feet is a half circle. Within the circle is the Oblate Cross and the Motto of Canada: “A Mari Usque Ad Mare (From Sea to Sea)”. These words were taken from Psalm 72:8, “And he shall have dominion from sea to sea”.

Bottom Section

Bottom section of window
Bottom section of window

There are five panels in the lower section. The centre panel has a crown with the cross and a red maple leaf. The crossed palms symbolize martyrdom and the banner has the words “Fulgens Corona (Shining Crown)”. This was the title of the Encyclical Letter written by Pope Pius XII on September 8th, 1953, in which the Holy Father declared 1954 a Marian Year, devoted to the veneration of Mary, the Mother of God. 1954 was the 100th Anniversary of the declaration of the Dogma of the Immaculate Conception proclaimed by Pope Pius IX in 1854.

The fact that the centenary of the declaration of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception was in 1954 makes it very fitting for the Oblates of Mary Immaculate. The Oblates have been in Canada since 1841.

The other panels have tents and totem poles, symbols of the Indigenous Peoples of Canada, and various symbols of the instruments used in their martyrdom.

The new Church was opened and blessed by Archishop Lemieux of Ottawa in January 1954.