VERITATIS SPLENDOR

(SPLENDOR OF TRUTH)

This window is named after Pope John Paul II 1993 encyclical Veritatis Splendor in which he teaches us about the symbiotic relationship of reason and faith in respect to truth. This teaching was critical for our times of growing relativism and intellectual and moral dysfunction/dishonesty. He taught that reason can lead us to be open to faith and that Faith (revealed truth) can inform our reason about the fullness of truth about life - its meaning, purpose and ultimate destiny. In great detail he explained how reason does not contradict faith and how faith informs our reason of that (revealed truth) which it could not know on its own. You can go to www.daughtersofstpaul.com and purchase this encyclical.

The central image in this window id the Holy Spirit who is the Spirit of truth. He is depicted here as a fiery dove casting the light of truth enlightening our reason (dark blue) to the fullness of truth, which it seeks but is unable, to know on its own. The eight flames emanating from the Holy Spirit are symbols of Divine love which as The Pope reminds us is the ultimate truth of our life- to know, live and serve God on earth and to love Him for ever in eternity. On top of the central image is a circle (white center) in which is a triangle representing the pure simplicity and oneness of God as well as His Trinitarian nature. Surrounding the central image are twenty small blue circles representing the twenty mysteries of the rosary, which is a contemplative prayer on the life of Jesus and Mary while on earth and their glory now in Heaven. Throughout the window are multicolored (red, orange, yellow and blue) flame like shapes, which represent the fire of divine love that Jesus came to cast on the earth through the Holy Spirit. Below the central image are two large circles on containing the sacred heart of Jesus and the other containing the immaculate heart of Mary both of which burn with the love of God and man. The crown of thorns circling the sacred heart of Jesus and the sword piercing the immaculate heart of Mary represent the sacrificial aspect of their pure love. Below these hearts on the extreme left and right are two circles each containing the five pointed star of the old testament and the eight pointed star of the new testament which together form the sacred scripture and of which the Holy Spirit is the primary author. Between these circles are two circles with one containing the letter V and the other containing the letter S and the first letters of each word of Veritatis Splendor- the Splendor of Truth.