WGEM.com: Quincy News, Weather, Sports, and RadioHistoric local church raising thousands for new windows

Historic local church raising thousands for new windows

QUINCY, Ill. (WGEM) --One of Quincy's most historic churches will soon be getting some much needed repair work. The St. Rose of Lima Church is a Quincy landmark and has one of the largest collections of stained glass windows in the Springfield dioceses.

And church leaders say the windows are starting to show their age.

"When you come into this spot at St. Rose's, it has a holy effect that's not just coming to a regular church," said President of the Latin Mass society, Paul Geers.

For Paul Geers and other parishioners of the St. Rose of Lima Church, each stained glass window speaks volumes about their faith.

"It tells the story of Christianity. When you talk about the nativity window and the ascension window, each window tells a story about faith," said Geers.

The church was built in 1912 and now displays 60 different stained glass windows, but after nearly a century in place, church leaders say the collection now needs some repair work.

"Some of the polly is going down, falling apart, some of the metal frames as well and it needs some work to be back to it's pristine quality and condition," said friar Arnaud Devillers of the St. Rose of Lima Church.

The project is expected to cost at least $150,000 thousand. So far the church has received about $10,000 and plans to raise the rest of the money through donations and fundraisers.

Parishioners say the project is well worth the price.

 "I think to lose something, if this building was taken down or windows taken out, we would lose so much, historical even. Besides our own faith, this builds people's faith coming to the church," said Geers.

In 2007, the St. Rose of Lima Church became the only church in the Springfield dioceses that offers a traditional Latin Mass. Officials hope to have the project completed in time for the church's 100 year anniversary.