Saint Luke ... St. Mary Magdalene
... St. John the Evangelist

Left window: St. Luke the Evangelist

Left window: St. Luke the Evangelist

Left window: St. Luke the Evangelist

Windows illustrated on this page designed by Ferdinand Frohe of the Frohe Art Glass. Evidence: signature on the Bishop William Turner window.

Left window: St. Luke

Center window: St. Mary Magdalene

Center window: St. Mary Magdalene

Right window: St. John the Evangelist

Right window: St. John the Evangelist

Right window: St. John the Evangelist

Right window: St. John the Evangelist

Without backlighting,
the lead cames become the dominant feature

Title:

Studio:

Year:

Material:

Heights:

Provenance:

Year donated:

 The Synoradzki Family Story of a Sponsorship

The following is a story that I would like to share:

I was only 8 years old when my father took me and my brother to 7 churches on Good Friday.   As we entered Queen of Peace church on Genesee Street my father looked down at me and pointed to a stained glass window and said, "That is my window." Jan  Marion Synoradzki Jr. was inscribed at the bottom. It must have been a significant moment because at 60 years of age, I have not forgotten it.

Decades later, for my father's birthday, my husband and I went to Queen of Peace and took a picture of the window, had it framed and sent it off to Florida where my Dad was living. He was very grateful and surprised and enjoyed the photo for many years. After he passed at 78 years of age, I inherited the framed picture of the stained glass window and kept it visible, never forgetting that day my dad took me to Queen of Peace, the parish of his heritage.
 
By the 1990's, Buffalo's Catholic community had diminished and many churches were closing. I was getting concerned that Queen of Peace might close.  I contacted the parish secretary in 2008 to purchase the name plate of the window to keep the memory of my dad alive. I was told that the church was in the process of being sold and to contact Father David Bialkowski, who is now pastor St. John Gualbert. I wrote him a letter seeking the whereabouts of the window and asked if I could purchase the nameplate of the window. He said the window had already been sold. My heart fell. I couldn't help but wonder who had the memory of my father's family.

You see, the window had been purchased by my grandfather in thanksgiving for the recovery of my father, who had been involved in an automobile accident while riding his bicycle as a youngster. A truck had turned over and fell on my father. His head landed next to a rock in the street and the rock and God's grace saved my father's life. My grandfather was forever grateful.

Father David referred me to the Buffalo Religious Arts Center in November 2008. The Arts Center is committed to saving and displaying the religious artifacts from the closing places of worship in Western New York.  I asked if I could purchase the window but was informed that the window was now owned by the Art Center and could not be sold but could be sponsored by the family. 
 
I am now a sponsor for the window. It has been secured in a frame and illuminated from behind so everyone can appreciate the craftsmanship of the time. The window was created by the Frohe Art Glass Company and installed at Queen of Peace Church between 1929 and 1930. 
   
We had a family reunion over Labor Day weekend 2009 and we visited the Buffalo Religious Arts Center.  A tour given by Mary Holland to view the lost and found Jan Marion Synoradzki Jr. window with at least a dozen of my family members. I was overcome with joy to see so many family members enjoy and appreciate my father's window. I am very pleased to say that the window brought a family together who never met before.  Along with myself, there were many other family members that have contributed to the family name window: John Paul Synor, Jeffrey C. Synor,  Lisa Synoradzk; Christian Olsen Synoradzki; Brendan Jerome Flynn, M.D.;  Howard Synrod Schaefer; and Patricia and Richard Synoradzki.

My father's memory is back in the place where he grew up in Buffalo, New York, and and the family name will never be forgotten.
 
Regards,
Rosemarie Synor
2009