Serendipity in stained glass
A charitable endeavor got a heavenly helping of serendipity when the renovation of a historic home on King Street led a beautiful work of art back into the hands of its creator.
Walter and Sally Suslak first purchased their current home in 2005. Built in 1927, the house was once a convent for sisters within the Ascension St. Vincent’s system in Jacksonville. It was originally located on King Street, where Ascension St. Vincent’s River House is located today, but was at risk for demolition. So, to preserve its architectural history, the Suslaks had it moved by barge to its permanent spot at 1888 Powell Place.
During renovations, the Sulsaks wondered what to do with the handmade stained-glass windows that once separated the convent chapel and enclosed river room. They replaced the windows with French doors, but Walter Suslak placed the panels in cardboard boxes and held onto them. After some time, he decided to reach out to Ascension St. Vincent’s Foundation about the panels.
“I asked if they might have any use for some stained glass, since it was once in this historic building where Sisters had once lived,” said Walter Suslak. He offered to pay for repairs to the glass if the Foundation could find it a new home.
The Foundation decided the panels would add some history to the newest hospital in St. Johns County and accepted Suslak’s offer. A staff member, unsuccessful in her attempts to find someone to repair the stained glass, called Sister Diane Couture of the Sisters of St. Joseph and St. Joseph Ministries Architectural Stained Glass, who asked to see photos in order to assess the broken pieces.
“I’m looking at these photos to evaluate the damage, and I’m thinking, ‘Wait a minute, that’s my window!’” said Sister Couture.
“I sent the Foundation a note,” she continued. “I told them I was sure that I could repair the piece, but that they needed to ask the window’s owners if the pane came from the King Street convent house.”
Surprised and intrigued, the staff member let Sister Couture know that the piece did indeed come from that building.
“I told her, I can absolutely fix it, because I’m the one who made it!” said Sister Couture.
Sister Couture repaired the piece, which is now displayed in the St. Johns County hospital. The Suslaks recently invited Sister Couture to their home to reminisce about the building’s history and the serendipity that brought them all together.
As they overlooked the beautiful shore of the St. Johns River, they shared the same sentiment: that the timing and manner of their connection was no accident.
“This was God’s work,” Sister Couture said with a smile.
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