A BENE award for Rob Macdonnell's five
"Lent" windows!

Designed by our liturgical artist, Rob Macdonnell, these stained-glass windows have won the BENE award in Ministry & Liturgy's 2004-2005 Visual Arts Awards, Art Glass category.

Entitled "Lent Journey", the 5-window series of etched antique glass is adjacent to the baptistry in Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, Riverview, NB.

To emphasize the importance of its RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) program, the parish requested designs which illustrate the Year "A" Gospels of the 5 Sundays of Lent. The windows are linked by the symbol of the labyrinth, metaphor for a pilgrimage into our deepest center, a spiritual journey from death/darkness to life/light.

Established in window 1, this pictoral image reappears in various forms in the other 4 windows. The five windows present the following:

1. The temptation in the desert: The labyrinth is presented as a metaphor for Lent's journey.
2. The transfiguration: A portion of the labyrinth symbolizes partial enlightenment.
3. The woman at the well: Water cascades from the center of the labyrinth.
4. The man born blind: Brilliant labyrinth fragments signify the beginning of sight.
5. The raising of Lazarus: From the labyrinth's center we look out of the tomb's darkness into the light.

 
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