A Lovely Gift

The Reverend Gene Paradise is a longtime friend of Saint Mary’s.  He is presently associate for senior pastoral care at Saint Luke’s Church, Atlanta, after having retired as rector of Saint Michael’s Church in Waynesboro, Georgia and after serving the Church in many positions since ordination in 1983.  Father was a member of Saint Mary’s from 1963 through 1967.  He’s been here several times since I’ve been rector.  He will be preacher at Evensong on Sunday, December 7.

Last week a large box arrived in the parish office.  It contained a number of wonderful vestments.  I think you will enjoy it.  I have arranged for our textile conservator to view these.  I plan for us to have a proper display of the vestments in one of the chapels on the Sunday Father is here to preach.  I think you will enjoy his letter.  I know you are as thankful as I am that Saint Mary’s has been entrusted with these vestments.  Stephen Gerth

Dear Father Gerth, The vestments belonged to Samuel Cardinal Stritch who grew up next door to my maternal grandmother in Nashville, Tennessee.  They were childhood friends, and that friendship continued until her death.  The photo, which was taken in my grandmother’s house during one of his Christmas visits, was used in the article from a booklet on the bishop of the (Prussian) community in Nashville.  My grandmother, Magdalena (Triching Von Schmidt), was a member of this community, having come from Prussia with her parents when she was 14 years old.  She died in 1955 at age 90.  These vestments were sent to me while I was in seminary.  They were sent to me by my mother’s first cousin, Elizabeth Von (Schmidt) who was a life long friend of Cardinal Stritch’s sister.  I believe they should be at Saint Mary’s.  The purple set needs little repair.  The white vestments need expert cleaning.  The white chasuble is missing as the Cardinal was buried in it.  Patrick Boylan was here with us last week, suggested the conservator known to you would know the best way to preserve them.  If they can be used that will be wonderful.  If not they will be in an appropriate home.  In Christ, Gene

P.S.  The Cardinal is standing in front of my grandmother’s 10’ Christmas tree, which was always a wonder to behold.  A kingdom all its own to a small child who was sure it reached to heave.  A proper Prussian Christmas indeed.

 

PRAYER LIST . . . Your prayers are asked for Francis and Hazard who are hospitalized, and for Bernard, Harold, Louise, Gates, Harold, Billie, Susan, Michael, Virginia, Bart, Brett, Nicole, Jack, Thomas, Annie, Patricia, Paul, Robert, Gloria, Jerri, Margaret, Marion, Rick, and Charles, priest, Gregory, priest; and for the members of our Armed Forces on active duty; especially Ned, Timothy, Patrick, Kevin, Christopher, Andrew, Joseph, Marc, Timothy, David, John and Colin.

 

GRANT THEM PEACE . . . September 27: 1992 Howard R. Patch; October 01: 1996; William Wolf; October 02: 1961 Beatrice Irwin Packington.

 

FROM FATHER BEDDINGFIELD . . . A note in the parish newsletter can’t begin to express my gratitude to Father Gerth and Father Smith, the altar servers and musicians, the parishioners and the many friends of Saint Mary’s who helped to make last weekend such an extraordinary time.  On Sunday morning, nervousness and fear fell away as soon as I entered the sanctuary, looked out at the congregation and felt in a very deep way that I was home.  As I continue to grow as a celebrant and preacher, I ask for your patience and for your continued prayers.  Thank you for helping me to feel so deeply blessed.   John Beddingfield

 

LITURGICAL NOTES . . . The Sunday Proper: Numbers 11:4-6,10-16,24-29, Psalm 19:7-14, James: 4:7-5:6, Mark 9:38-43,45,47-48 . . . Confessions will be heard on Saturday, September 27, by Father Beddingfield.  Confessions will be heard on Saturday, October 4 by Father Gerth.

 

NOTES ON MUSIC . . . This week at the Solemn Mass, the prelude is Prelude on ‘Rhosymedre’ by Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958) and the postlude is Te splendor et virtus from Le Tombeau de Titelouze, Op. 38 by Marcel Dupré (1886-1971).  Our soloist is Mr. Craig Phillips, bass-baritone.  Mr. Phillips has been a member of our choir for the past two years and he is also regularly heard in productions at New York City Opera.  The solo at Communion is Quoniam tu solus sanctus from Messe in h-moll, BWV 232 by J. S. Bach (1685-1750) . . . This Sunday is the final Sunday of our summer music, and we thank all the wonderful soloists.  The full choir returns on the Feast of the Dedication, and will sing both at the Solemn Mass and Solemn Evensong & Benediction that day.  

 

ALTAR LINENS NEEDED . . . Saint Mary’s now only has two altar cloths for the high altar and two cloths for the high altar credence table that are in good shape.  Both of these were given recently.  You would be embarrassed to see the condition of our spare linens for the high altar and the credence.  It’s time to have one more of each.  The linens we use are made by hand in Madera, Portugal.  It is entirely appropriate for these to be given as memorials (and the name of the person in whose memory a memorial is given can be embroidered by hand on the cloths).  The cost of the fair linen for the high altar will be $750.00.  The cost for the credence table cloth will be $300.00.  Linen cloths do last for years.  At present they are laundered carefully and lovingly by Eileen Whittle.  If you are interested in giving one or both linens, please speak to the Rector.

 

AROUND THE PARISH . . . Bishop Richard F. Grein’s class, “The Gospel According to Mark,” continues this Wednesday evening, October 8, at 7:00 PM.  The class meets in Saint Benedict’s Study . . . Many thanks to George Handy, Dennis Smith and Eileen Whittle for helping the parish office prepare the Dedication mailing . . . The fall parish retreat will be held at Mount Saviour Monastery, near Elmira, New York (www.msaviour.org) on Saturday, November 8, through Tuesday, November 11, Veteran's Day.  E-mail reservations or questions to penelopebyham@hotmail.com . . . Altar flowers are needed for October 12, 19 and 26 . . . Attendance last Sunday 262.

 

The Calendar of the Week

Sunday                   The Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Monday                     Saint Michael and All Angels

                                    Sung Mass 6:00 pm

Tuesday                    Jerome, priest and monk

Wednesday              Remigus, bishop

Thursday                  Guardian Angels

Friday                      Weekday                                                          Abstinence

Saturday                  Francis, friar

 

 

The Parish Clergy

 

The Reverend Stephen Gerth, rector,

The Reverend John Beddingfield, curate,

The Reverend Rosemari Sullivan, assisting priest, The Reverend John Kilgore, assisting deacon,

The Reverend Canon Edgar F. Wells, rector emeritus.