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Religious Order Saints
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Opposite the Life of Christ windows on both sides of the church are the windows dedicated to the founders of religious orders.
St. Francis of Assisi
In the corner on the right, there is a window dedicated to St. Francis of Assisi.
He was born at Assisi, Italy, in 1182. After a carefree youth, he renounced his paternal wealth and committed himself to God. He led a life of evangelical poverty and preached the love of God to all. He established a rule, which his companions followed and which eventually gained papal approval.
Subsequently he founded an order of nuns and a society of laypersons who practice penance while living in the world. Later he received in his body the stigmata, i.e., the wounds of Jesus.
Surrounded by his friars, he died in 1226.
St. Francis is remembered for his love of nature. One of the legends about him is that he tamed a ferocious wolf in the village of Gubbio, Italy. The window shows St. Francis petting the wolf.
His feast is celebrated on October 4th. Sometimes pets and animals are blessed on his feastday.
St. Vincent de Paul
Beside the St. Francis window, there is a window dedicated to St. Vincent de Paul.
He was born in Gascony in 1581. After completiing his studies, he was ordained a priest and went to Paris where he served in a parish. He founded the Congregation of the Mission to supervise the formation of priests and to give support to the poor.
This order, often called the Vincentians, staffed St. Mary's Diocesan Seminary in Houston for many years.
With the help of St. Louie de Marillac, he also founded the Congregation of the Daughters of Charity.
He died at Paris in 1660.
St. Benedict
On the left side of the church in the corner facing the Life of Christ windows there is a window dedicated to St. Benedict.
He was born in Nursia, Unbria in Italy, about the year 480.
Educated in Rome, he began to live as a hermit at Subiaco where he eventually attracted disciples. He then departed for Monte Cassino. There he established the famous monastery and composed the Benedictine Rule.
Because this rule was subsequently adopted throughout Europe, he received the title of patriarch of Western monasticism.
He died on March 21, 547, but since the end of the eighth century, his feast has been observed on July 11th.
The window shows St. Benedict plowing, exemplifying the Benedictine motto, "Ora et labora--Pray and work".
St. Dominic
Next to St. Benedict, there is a window dedicated to St. Dominic.
He was born in Calaruega in Spain around the year 1170. He studied theology at Palencia and was made a canon of the church of Osma. He worked effectively against the Albigensian heresy through preaching and the rosary and good example.
To perpetuate this work, he gathered companions and founded the Order of Preachers (sometimes called the Dominicans).
He died at Bologna on August 6, 1221. His feast is celebrated on August 8th.