The second window on the right is the window of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque. It is the "short" window over the side door entrance to the church and it is the only large window that does not reference a scripture passage. It can be called the titular window of our parish because the subject - Sr. Margaret Mary Alacoque - was an Apostle of the Devotion to The Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Because this window is shorter that the other large windows it contains only two (instead of four) smaller images of persons that also tie in to the central theme of the window. The large center medallion shows a vision that St. Margaret Mary had of Christ.
Daughter of Claude Alacoque and Philiberte Lamyn, Margaret was born on July 22, 1647 at L'Hautecour, Burgundy, France. She was sent to the Poor Clares school at Charolles on the death of her father, a notary, when she was eight years old. She was bedridden for five years with rheumatic fever until she was fifteen during which time she developed a devotion to the Blessed Sacrament. She refused marriage, and in 1671 she entered the Visitation convent at Paray-le-Monial and was professed the next year, adding the name Mary at that time. When she was twenty, she experienced visions of Christ, and on December 27, 1673, she began a series of revelations that were to continue over the next year and a half. In them Christ informed her that she was His chosen instrument to spread devotion to His Sacred Heart, instructed her in a devotion that was to become known as the Nine Fridays and the Holy Hour, and asked that the feast of the Sacred Heart be established on the Friday following the Feast of Corpus Christi. The first to believe in the authenticity of her mystical revelations was a young Jesuit priest, Father Claude de la Colombiere, who was her confessor at the convent. Margaret Mary died on October 17th at the age of 43 at the convent at Paray-le-Monial. She was canonized in 1920. When her tomb was canonically opened in July1830, two instantaneous cures were recorded to have taken place. Her body was incorrupt and rests under the altar in the chapel at Paray. Many striking blessings have been claimed by pilgrims from all parts of the world who have visited there. She, St. John Eudes, and Blessed Claude La Colombiere are called the "Saints of the Sacred Heart". The devotion was officially recognized and approved by Pope Clement XIII in 1765, seventy-five years after her death. Her feast day is observed on October 17. The month of June is appointed for this devotion, and since 1929 the feast has been one of the highest rank. Margaret Mary is the patron of all devotees of the Most Sacred Heart.
In one of her visions Margaret Mary received the twelve promises of Christ for those devoted to His Sacred Heart whose crown of thorns represent His sacrifices:
On the lower right we find St. Gertrude the Great.
Gertrude was born on Epiphany, January 6, 1256 at Eisleben, Germany. It is not known who her parents were or what became of them. She was raised in the Cistercian abbey of Helfta, Eisleben, Saxony from age five. An extremely bright student, and gentle person, Gertrude had a vision of Christ at age 26. From that point on she studied the Bible and the works of the Church Fathers. Gertrude received many visions and mystical instruction, which formed the basis of her writings. She was instrumental in spreading devotion to the Sacred Heart. Her writings have been greatly praised by Saint Teresa and Saint Francis de Sales, and continue in print today.
On the lower left is St. Frances Xavier Cabrini
St. Frances Xavier Cabrini was born in 1850 in Sant'Angelo Lodigiano, Lombardy, Italy. She was one of thirteen children raised on a farm. She was educated in a convent and received training as a teacher. At the age of 18 she wished to join the order of the convent she was educated at, but poor health prevented her from taking the veil at that time. A priest requested her to teach at a girl's school - the House of Providence Orphanage - in Cadagono, Italy. She remained there for 6 years until she finally took her religious vows in 1877. Her work at the orphanage was noted by her bishop and with his blessing she founded the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart to care for poor children in schools and hospitals. It was Pope Leo XIII (pictured in the St. Peter window!) who sent her to the United States to carry on the Mission of the Sisters of the Sacred Heart. She and 6 sisters arrived in New York in 1889. They worked among immigrants and the poor. Mother Cabrini founded 67 institutions, including schools, hospitals and orphanages. Like many people of the time, Mother Cabrini became a United States citizen, and was the first US citizen to be canonized. She died on December 22, 1917 in Chigaco, IL, and is interred at 701 Fort Washington Avenue, New York, NY in the chapel at the Mother Cabrini High School and Shrine. She was canonized by Pius XII on July 7, 1946 and is the patron of immigrants and orphans.
Note that St. Gertrude and St. Frances Xavier Cabrini both hold lilies. The lily is a symbol of chastity because of its spotless whiteness, and is found in representations of the Annunciation, to indicate the purity of Mary. It is also an emblem of Gabriel the Archangel due to his connection to Mary. Lilies are also an emblem of Saint Joseph, whose staff (according to an ancient legend) bloomed into lilies.
All three of these holy women whose images grace this window had strong devotion to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.
The St. Margaret Mary Alacoque window has a white background with gold crosses. This is the second of two alternating backgrounds in all the large windows. This window was a gift of Mr. and Mrs. John Piechota.
