Stained Glass Tour
  - Joseph the Patriarch
  - St. Therese of Liseux
  - St. Claire of Assisi
  - St. Francis of Assisi
  - St. Paul of Tarsus
  - Bl. Pedro Calungsod
  - St. Maria Goretti
  - Bl. Miguel Pro
  - St. Maximilian Kolbe
  - St. Gianna Molla
  - Bl. Teresa of Calcutta
  - Ven. John Paul II, Pope
  - St. John Vianney
  - Christ the King with St. Michael
the Archangel
 - Ven. Fr. Michael McGivney

The stained glass in the main section of St. Joseph's Church that is featured in this section was designed and created by parishioner Mary Mullins and all images are subject to copyright, 2007-2010, Valley Rose Designer Glass.  Descriptive text copyright Mary Mullins, 2007-2010.
You may contact them by calling (209) 238-3236.

The story of St. Joseph is told in Genesis Chapters 37-50.  Joseph was the youngest of his father’s sons and also his favorite. Israel, his father, made him a special long tunic. Joseph tended sheep and had the gift of interpreting dreams. When he was seventeen, he had a dream where he saw himself and his brothers as sheaves of ripe wheat. His sheaf was standing upright with his older brothers’ sheaves bowing down to him.  In their jealousy, his brothers sold him for twenty pieces of silver and reported back to their father that he had been killed by wild animals.
Joseph was taken to Egypt and sold as a slave. He was a good steward of his master’s resources. He is described as “strikingly handsome in countenance and body.” (Genesis 39: 6).  When he refused to yield to the desires of his master’s wife, she falsely accused him and he was thrown into prison.  His gift for interpreting dreams brought him to the attention of the Pharaoh.  He interpreted one of Pharaoh’s dreams predicting seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine. He advised Pharaoh to prepare for the famine during the time of plenty. Joseph’s honesty and gift for management impressed Pharaoh and in time, he appointed Joseph Grand Vizier over all of Egypt.

During the time of famine foretold by Joseph, his brothers came to Egypt seeking grain. Although they did not recognize Joseph, he recognized them.  He showed them mercy giving them what they needed. In time Joseph revealed his identity, forgave his brothers, and the family, along with their father, was reunited in Egypt.  
     
In this window...

Joseph wears an Egyptian robe, arm bracelet and headdress, symbols of his importance in the court of the Pharaoh.  His long tunic of many colors draped over his shoulder and his shepherd’s staff represent his youth in the land of Canaan. Together these images represent Joseph’s fidelity to God. The land of Egypt is represented by the pyramids.  The wheat sheaf on the tunic represents the dream he had of his wheat sheaf standing tall while his brothers bowed to him. The small money bag by his feet is symbolic of the money his brothers sold him for. The river in the foreground represents the Nile, the green and brown bands represent the years of plenty followed by years of famine that Joseph foretold when he interpreted Pharaoh’s dream.