Our Lady of Peace (OLP) recently uplifted the OLP logo onto the front of our hospice residence. The symbol within our logo is the sign of the Tau, marked to be the symbol of God, a cross placed on the foreheads of the poor of Israel, saving them from death.
The Tau became the seal of St. Francis of Assisi, the telltale sign of a deep spiritual conviction that the salvation of every person is only in the Cross of Christ. The Franciscan Sisters adopted the symbol of the Tau, expressing the beatitude of poverty, which is an essential element of the Franciscan way of life. OLP Chaplain Judith Oberhauser says the Tau is also reflected in the habits worn by Franciscan Sisters. “You can see it when the sleeves are outstretched,” she says.
When the Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne left our hospice residence and placed Our Lady of Good Counsel in our care, they gave us permission to use the name for two years, at which time we named the hospice Our Lady of Peace. With the rebrand came a new logo that honors the Franciscan Clarist Sisters who joined us and accepted the Dominican mission of caring for the dying at no cost in our hospice residence.
Matthew Stafford is the director of nursing for the hospice residence and was involved in the rebrand shortly after the departure of the Dominican Sisters “Working together with staff and others connected to the hospice, we chose the name Our Lady of Peace and placed the Tau cross within our new logo. Those who knew the Franciscan Tau cross would see it with
St. Francis in the angel position, but we altered it enough so others could have their own interpretation in a less identifiable image.”
Judith points out that because the Tau is also the 19th letter of the Greek alphabet and the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet and it’s used symbolically in the Old Testament, it is inclusive of all faiths. “We welcome people of all faiths, or no faith into Our Lady of Peace.”
What do you see when you look at our logo? We would love to know.
Judith sees an angel within, believing that angels are present with the dying and at the time of death, and lead us to heaven. “Angels guided Moses, and they are to protect us from darkness,” she says. “The psalms of the angels fill the heavens, and they are neutral throughout different faiths. Angels are accessible to everyone.”
Matthew says the image has meaning for our Franciscan based hospice but doesn’t want it to end there. “I hope people will interpret the image in a way brings meaning to the personal journey they’re on.”
We invite you to watch this short video clip of our logo installation.