ST. JOHN BOSCO

This Catholic stained glass window is centered on St. John Bosco. Saint John Bosco was born on August 16,1815 and died on January 31 1888. He was an Italian Catholic priest and educator, who put into practice the charity and truth of Faith, employing teaching methods based on love rather than punishment. With a spirit of joy, he founded many vocational schools for poor street boys in Turin. He placed his works under the protection of Francis de Sales, thus his followers styled themselves the Salesian Society. Don Bosco succeeded in establishing a network of centers to carry on his work. In recognition of his work with disadvantaged youth, Pope Pius XI canonized him in 1934.

At the top of the window is a dove surrounded by tongues of fire. The dove represents the Holy Spirit who inspired St. John Bosco in his priestly ministry. Below the central image are three ovals. The one on the left contains a painting of one of his most famous visions/dreams. The one on the right contains the Holy Eucharist. The central oval contains the Sacred Heart of Jesus. On top of the outer frame are seven fire-like winged shapes that represent the seven spirits (angels) of God that surround his throne in the book of Revelation. The twenty light blue circles in the border around the window represent the twenty mysteries of the rosary, which is a contemplative prayer of the life of Jesus, Mary. The eighteen yellow, orange, red diamond like shapes in between the rosary beads represent the angels assigned to assist St John Bosco in joyful priestly ministry among his beloved poor street boys.