Charles Campbell

Charles David Campbell
November 14, 1937 - July 28, 2012

A long-time friend and a dedicated supporter of Glenmary Home Missioners passed away this weekend. Charley, as I always knew him was well known for his artwork which includes the stain glass windows which adorn the Our Lady of the Fields Chapel and symbolize the five areas of Glenmary's Mission Ministry. Charley's windows can also be found in many Glenmary missions and in churches around the United States. Charley also worked in other mediums including; watercolors, oil-paintings on wood, walking staffs and much, much more. In his art, Charley could resurrect the beauty in an object as can be seen in his works of old falling down barns and collapsing houses or by his reusing the discarded wood from barns, bringing them back to life with the colors from his paintbrushes. My personal favorite works of his art, are the Stations of the Cross which hang in Glenmary's Mission Parish in Vanceburg, KY. The Stations not only depict Christ's last hours on earth but do so by using scenes from around the town of Vanceburg. Particular poignant is the Eight Station of Jesus "meeting the women" outside of the local Laundromat. 

But Charley was much more than an artist, the first words that come to mind to describe him are mystic, peaceful and loving. Charley's faith led him to become a deeply spiritual man dedicated to prayer and his encounters with God. I imagine him walking into heaven already being familiar with the place as he had contemplated on it so much and had such a close relationship with our Lord. I have learned that Charley's prayer grew longer as he got older due to the fact that his prayer list never stopped growing. I know that in the last years of his life he would spend over two hours in the morning offering up prayers for all those on his list. And the one prayer that he always prayed, for as long as I knew him, was for more vocations! I believe that the Glenmary Home Missioners now have a new saint in heaven who is constantly praying for an increase of vocations and one who can always be called upon to request his intercession for wisdom and assistance during the discernment process.

Windows in Our Lady of the Fields chapel at Glenmary's Headquarters

Rejoice always. 
Pray without ceasing.
In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit.
Do not despise prophetic utterances. Test everything; retain what is good. Refrain from every kind of evil. 
1 Thessalonians 16-22