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Stained-glass past: Mother, daughter document church's decorative history
Photo courtesy of Suzanne Broussard - St. Patrick Catholic Church in Denison has changed some between 1872, when it was built, to today (pictured), but its more than 100 stained-glass windows remain. And they'll forever be documented in "Reflections of Faith: The Windows at St. Patrick Catholic Church," a book produced by a St. Patrick parishioner and her daughter.
By Chris Beattie, cbeattie@starlocalnews.com
When Suzanne Broussard first graced the sanctuary at St. Patrick Catholic Church, the sermon was distant from her mind. Stained-glass stories surrounded her and sparked an insatiable admiration.
This church was unlike any others.
"It's a truly Gothic, beautiful building," Broussard said of the century-old Denison church. "The windows just put you at ease. They give you this feeling that it's home."
The mother-daughter duo will officially release their work Saturday at an Irish Hooley celebration at The Palazzo in Denison. The second annual "Pot of Gold" party will be an evening of traditional Irish food and fun, and ticket sales will go toward costs of restoring the church's stonework, mortar and interior.
As will the proceeds from every sold copy of "Reflections of Faith," a picturesque memoir created by a church parishioner and her daughter, both aware of the building's grandeur.
"One-hundred percent of our time and resources have been donated to this church and its restoration - every dollar that's made," Broussard said. "Anyone who sees the church would understand; it's that amazing."
The church cornerstone reads 1897, but a fire destroyed the initial building about 15 years later. Parishioners rebuilt the church, now registered as a Texas Historic Landmark, with the same floor plans and foundation. The rebuilt structure will celebrate 100 years in February 2014.
Broussard and her husband joined the church in 2004 soon after moving to a ranch in Grayson County. They and Anderson had previously lived in McKinney since 1992.
During the same service in which 100-plus stained-glass windows enamored them with artful awe, the Broussards realized they'd found Anderson's future wedding venue. Anderson, who graduated with art history and business degrees from University of Texas at Austin, wed there in 2010.
"I loved the church when I went there in college when I visited my parents," Anderson said. "I was always drawn to it, really from an art history perspective because the images depicted in the windows had the same kind of themes I was studying. And the church is beautiful."
Shortly thereafter, mother and daughter embarked on a shared mission. Father Mocio announced the future centennial celebration, speaking briefly on the church's past. Broussard yearned for more.
"I started asking people about the church, and nobody really knew much about the history," she said. "I just got the sense that if we didn't do something, the history could be lost."
Fairly unversed in research and penmanship, Broussard invoked help from Anderson, a seasoned photographer and art history buff. Their object of focus: the church's stained-glass décor.
"They looked different every time we went to the church for a photo session, depending on the time of day and season," Anderson said. "I like to think about the people who sat in the church a hundred years ago and enjoyed their beauty and vibrancy all year long, much the same as we do today."
For the past year, Anderson met Broussard in McKinney for photo trips and editing. Broussard found out about the Irish railroad workers and their families who started the St. Patrick Catholic Church in 1872. Through archive searches and cemetery visits, she pieced together the family and donor history behind the colorful windows, each with a dedication long linked to the church.
"I dug into the families, what was going on 120 years ago when they first built the church, because a lot of these windows were in the first church," Broussard said. "They tell a lot about when they came to the area and what happened in their lives to lead to a memorial window."
Some are medallion windows with less to tell, others an elaborate, artistic depiction of the Bible's and Catholic church's most relished narratives - all wound together in the book, accentuated with photos from different angles, hours and seasons.
"I jumped at the chance to be able to do the photography, to learn a little bit more and hone in on some of those skills," Anderson said, "but also to put those windows in print and be able to share them with a wider audience."
They began selling copies March 1 at the church and via its website, thus some parishioners already own an illustrative tale of their place of worship. They hope that through book sales, the Hooley and other fundraising efforts, restoration will be complete by February.
Stained glass is ever fragile while a book is permanent. But words and pictures may be hardly enough.
"The windows are truly stunning," Anderson said. "We hope to have captured some of the magic of seeing them in person in our book."
To purchase a copy of "Reflections of Faith: The Windows at St. Patrick Catholic Church," visit saintpats.net.
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