Former St. George's parishioners plead for help to bring 'Pathfinder' window home

Parishioners of the former St. George's Anglican Church in the west side of Saint John are pleading with the Anglican Diocese of Fredericton to help them buy back a prized stained glass window that was once a key historical feature of the building.

"We were a diocesan church and I feel like they should take some responsibility for what happened," said Arlene Trask, a former member of the dissolved parish.

"Protection should have been given to the meaningful things in the church."

The church's one-of-a-kind window, known as the "Pathfinder," depicted Jesus and a Boy Scout. It was copied widely across England and the world and was authenticated by the original British war painter Ernest Stafford Carlos's family.

Problems with heritage designation

Up for sale again

Now the window, which one former parishioner and amateur historian says could sell for as much as $50,000, has appeared on the website for D.C. Riggott, Inc., a Minnesota company specializing in antique traditional church artifacts.

"D.C. Riggott Inc., [our company] is the one that purchased and acquired 'The Pathfinder' stained glass window during our trip to (Saint John), New Brunswick this year, along with many other architectural and Ecclesiastical artifacts," Joshua Tollefson, sales manager for the company, said via email.

"Pathfinder Window is a mix between a historical collectors item as well as a church item, so we believe it belongs either in a church, museum, or a Boy Scout's building/headquarters."

He said 90 per cent of the items the company purchased during its time in New Brunswick have been sold already.

The website displays no price next to its photos of the window. The company has a price in mind, Tollefson said, but hasn't publicized that figure.

"We would entertain offers from particular groups or organizations [including the parishioners that you mentioned] but would possibly hold out on accepting an offers depending on whether or not the window were to be housed in a place we believe is acceptable for such an incredible, historical work of art."

Potential buyers say bids are unlikely

David Edwards, bishop of the Diocese of Fredericton, said in an emailed statement he didn't think it was the role of the Diocese to buy this artifact.

He said the organization is not in a financial position to make a bid.

"As far as we are aware, the perceived purchase price is too great for us to contemplate buying it," wrote the bishop.

The bishop's office also confirmed that, ultimately, it was the parish that made the decision to close and sell the building, a decision which the bishop approved.

"Given that, sadly, the Church of St. George had to close and the window was specific to that place, it may be more appropriate that Scouts Canada or the international Scouting movement itself would purchase the window as part of their history," wrote Edwards.

Likewise, Scouts Canada said it would not submit a bid as doing so would be inconsistent with the not-for-profit organization's mission of investing its funds into youth programs.

Prospects are bleak

With seemingly nowhere to turn, the former parishioners said they would consider fundraising to get their precious window back.

Trask suggested they could reach out to larger companies that might recognize the window's historical significance, while fellow parishioner Lynn Adams suggested a pledge drive.

But the prospect of bringing the Pathfinder back to New Brunswick looks bleak.

"I'm a widow, I'm alone and on fixed income," Trask said about trying to get the window back herself. "It would be quite a difficult thing for me to do."

"They could ask for $100,000 for it," she said. "That's just unreachable."