THE INTERIOR of ST. MARY CHURCH
Stained Glass Window at St. Mary's Church of the Annunciation
WINDOWS and OTHER GIFTS
The windows in the present St. Mary's Church were given by
some of the "early family" names...yet most of the donor families are still
here: Sarah and Albert Carney; J. W. and J. E. Maloney; George and Ed
Volz; M. E. Gannon; M. Nash; Patrick and Ann Kelly; Mary and Dennis O'Meara,
spelled O'Mara by some of the descendants; A. P. and L. Besser.
The Infant of Prague, a rare and unusual statue, was given to the Parish by
Judge Tom Guthrie, in honor of his father and mother.
Steve and Elizabeth Seuferer gave the Parish the gold
tabernacle, located on the side altar and long used to house the consecrated
hosts.
Anna Volz gave St. Mary's a Wurlitzer organ in memory of her
husband Ed, who died in June 1954.
More recently, the "Flannery girls" (Kay Ross,
Mary Newell and Rita Smith) donated the current piano in memory of their mother, Bertha
Flannery.
Cabinet (Ambry) for the Sacred Oils
St. Mary’s Church was given an Ambry to hold
the sacred oils in June 2005. The ambry has been placed near the baptismal
font. The word ambry is derived from the Latin
armarium
(cupboard or chest) and signifies the place where the vessels of oil used in
celebrating sacraments are kept. These oils are blessed by the bishop at the
Mass of Chrism celebrated prior to Holy Week and are brought to each parish
church for the various rites of anointing. The three oils signify the universal
charismas of the church for initiating (oil of catechumens), healing (oil of the
sick) and consecrating (chrism). The display of beautiful vessels reminds
the community of the reverence it gives to its members as they are welcomed in
baptism, confirmed in the spirit and anointed in their illness. To be anointed
is to participate in an ancient biblical and ecclesial rite of blessing, and to
enter into the mission of Jesus Christ, the anointed one of God. We are
grateful to the Burright family from Ankeny, Iowa that donated this ambry in
honor of Patti Ann, Mike, J.O. and Theresa Burright.
