FROM THE RECTOR: HOLY WEEK 2020

As I write on Friday afternoon, Father Jay Smith and I have talked through the services for Holy Week and Easter Day in some detail. The resident priests and friars are still healthy. Saint Thomas Church Fifth Avenue has given us a box of quick-light charcoal—Br. Damien Joseph will be thurifer when needed. All of us can sing. We will do everything that is essential and try to include what is traditional without overwhelming our congregation of five. The daily worship at Saint Mary’s continues.

Before going any further, let me quote the Prayer Book. Many may be unfamiliar with the Church’s teaching on what it means genuinely to desire Communion when one is unable to receive Communion. The language has been brought forward for our present Prayer Book, but the teaching is found in the medieval office book of the diocese of Salisbury, England, and every Prayer Book since 1549 (M. Shepherd, The Oxford American Prayer Book Commentary [1950], 323):

“If a person desires to receive the Sacrament, but, by reason of extreme sickness or physical disability, is unable to eat and drink the Bread and Wine, the Celebrant is to assure that person that all the benefits of Communion are received, even though the Sacrament is not received with the mouth” (The Book of Common Prayer, 457).

Jay and I have talked through Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday and Good Friday with service bulletin drafts in our hands. We plan to have service bulletins available for all of the major services that you will be able read online and/or download as you worship with us by live-stream. In our bulletins we are only going to include music which is not copyrighted. Then, there are hymns where no music is needed, for example, Were you there when they crucified my Lord?

On Palm Sunday and on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday in Holy Week the Daily Eucharist will be at 10:00 AM. If all is well, all of our services will be live-streamed and available for later viewing on Facebook—and you don’t have to be on Facebook to see our videos on Facebook.

On Palm Sunday, as we begin, we will chant, Hosanna to the Son of David, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest and The children of the Hebrews, carrying branches of olive, when out to meet the Lord, crying out and saying, Hosanna in the highest. It is not safe to distribute anything without precautions. Palms are only mentioned in John, whose very brief account of Jesus’ entrance is never appointed for the Liturgy of the Palms. Mark, Matthew, and Luke, mention only branches and garments. What we have will depend on what Br. Thomas has available to him (thank you, Thomas!). I will miss very much the Procession through Times Square—I think that in the 21 previous years, we’ve only been rained out once. So I will not have to work to hold back my emotions as the servers and clergy follow the congregation into the church while Ride on! ride on in majesty! is sung to the magnificent tune The King’s Majesty by Graham George (1912–1993).

For the 6:00 PM liturgy on Maundy Thursday, the Right Reverend Michael B. Curry, our presiding bishop, on his own initiative, has recorded a sermon for us since he will not be able to be with us to be celebrant and preacher. I’ve listened to it already—to make sure the video downloaded correctly. I think you will agree that it is just right for Holy Week this year. The canon that describes his ministry begins with these words, “The Presiding Bishop shall be the Chief Pastor and Primate of the Church” (Canon I.2.4.a). It’s very much a pastoral homily. I will be celebrant for the service. We are not washing feet this year, but you will see a bowl, water poured, a chair, and a towel, as our congregation sings the appointed anthems (Prayer Book, pages 274–75). The Sacrament will be reserved on the credence table from the first church, placed before the Vault in the Lady Chapel.

I will be missing the parish choir all through these special days, but especially on Good Friday. The setting of The Reproaches by John Sanders (1933–2003), as sung our choir, carries the surrender and the agony of Jesus’ death into one’s soul. Father Jim Pace will be celebrant and preacher for the liturgy on Good Friday at 12:30 PM.

We are going to celebrate the Easter Vigil. I think there will be a very small new fire. I’m sure the Paschal Candle will be very prominent in the Lady Chapel. We’re going to have a Sung Mass on Easter Day at 10:00 AM. Dr. Hurd’s New Plainsong will be the setting of the Mass ordinary whenever needed. On Easter Day, Evening Prayer & Benediction will be at 5:00 PM. During Evening Prayer, John’s account of Jesus’ appearance to his disciples on the evening of the day of resurrection is read. Then, during Benediction we hear Luke’s account of Jesus meeting two of his disciples on the road to Emmaus.

I conclude with great words of thanks to all of the church staff and to our board of trustees. It has been a very busy time for all of us. Our hearts are heavy for the suffering and deaths of so many. We’re holding weekly staff meetings via Zoom. The board of trustees is meeting weekly by Zoom. We are in touch by telephone as needed. May we be blessed by the challenges that are before us this year and may we remember that our Shepherd still supplies our needs. —Stephen Gerth

YOUR PRAYERS ARE ASKED FOR Luis, Gladys, Kristin, Shalim, Diana, Daniel, Nam, Maria, Maritza, John, Jennifer, Marilouise, Peter, MaryHope, Ken, May, Willard, Alexandra, Karen, Takeem, Michael, Emil, Barbara, Ethelyn, Dennis, Margaret, Burton, and Abraham; for Nicholas, Jude, and David, religious; Ryan, Don, Gene, Gaylord, Louis, priests; for Charles, bishop; for the members of the Twelve-Step Groups that meet at Saint Mary’s; for the members of our Armed Forces on active duty; for all the members, benefactors and friends of this parish; and for the repose of the soul of Vernon and for the soul of William Samuel Poston.

GRANT THEM PEACE: April 5: 1886 Rachel McLellan; 1888 Evelyn Tower; 1891 Anna Holbrook Ely, Daniel Cottier; 1901 Henrietta Olive Favor; 1906 Howard Lewsen Rescousie; 1919 Henry Wiedner; 1925 Irene McFall Meyers; 1964 Harold Bosworth Libbey.

IN THIS TRANSITORY LIFE . . . We received word on Friday morning that parishioner William Samuel Poston died at 1:00 AM on Thursday morning, April 2, at Mount Sinai Beth Israel Hospital. Bill was eighty-eight years old and had been formally a member of the parish since April 2, 1983. He will be cremated and his ashes will be buried in Florida. If memory serves, he arranged for the rector of the local Episcopal parish to officiate at the interment of his ashes by the graves of his parents. He was very ill in 1999, my first summer as rector, and survived a series of life threatening illnesses. He was hospitalized at Beth Israel for over a month. He rests in the peace of Jesus. —S.G.

THE WEEKDAYS OF LENT AND OF HOLY WEEK, except for the feast of the Annunciation, are observed by special acts of discipline and self-denial. Good Friday and all other Fridays of the year, except for Fridays in the Christmas and Easter seasons, and any Feasts of our Lord which occur on a Friday, are also observed as days of special devotion in commemoration of the Lord’s crucifixion.

PREPARING FOR WORSHIP ON PALM SUNDAY . . . The Mass readings for Palm Sunday, April 5, 2020, are Matthew 21:1–11 (At the Blessing of Branches); Philippians 2:5–11; Psalm 22:1–11; The Passion according to Matthew 26:36–27:66. Father Stephen Gerth will be celebrant and preacher.

THE EASTER APPEAL . . . The collection taken up at the Maundy Thursday liturgy is normally directed to those who are in need. Since the members of the parish community will not be able to gather physically in the church this year, the members of the board of trustees have decided to divide the Easter Appeal donations that we hope will be coming to us by mail in the following way: half of the donations will be used to assist with the parish’s budget shortfall, the other half will be donated to Breaking Ground, one of our outreach partners, that works to find housing for those without shelter. The Appeal packets were mailed on Friday, April 3. We ask you to be as generous as you are able in these hard times.

FROM THE FINANCE COMMITTEE . . . Though the church is closed, certain fixed costs continue. We are grateful to all those who have always supported Saint Mary’s and continue to do so. We urge all those who are able to continue to make their pledge payments during this time. Our parish administrator is working from home, but is connected to the parish office remotely. He may be reached either by e-mail or by phone. He would be happy to discuss payment arrangements with you.

THIS WEEK AT SAINT MARY’S . . . The resident clergy and the friars continue to gather for Mass every day of the week at 10:00 AM. On Saturdays and Sundays, we gather for Evening Prayer at 5:00 PM, and on weekdays at 6:00 PM. The 10:00 AM Mass is live-streamed on the parish’s Facebook page . . . We are closely following Governor Cuomo and Mayor De Blasio’s directives about closures and workers who will be allowed to come to work. We will keep the Saint Mary’s community posted on all developments as soon as we are able.

AROUND THE PARISH . . . The Board of Trustees of the parish met via Zoom on Thursday, April 2 . . . Parish administrator, Chris Howatt, is now working from home and is able to check messages on extension 10 at 212-869-5830 on a regular basis . . . The resident clergy and friars continue trying to care for everyday matters while the complex is closed: trash and recycling are taken out three days per week; the sidewalk on Forty-sixth Street is washed; donations and packages are received; the Easter Appeal mailing is processed; homilies are written; technology—phones, computers, Wi-Fi, microphones, Zoom links, etc.—are dealt with; social media posts continue; the shrine on Forty-seventh Street is maintained; prayer and worship continue; checks are written, and so are applications, and forms; donations by mail are processed. We miss all of you terribly, but we want to assure the parish community that we are doing our best to keep the home fires burning, though our doors are closed . . . The Reverend Dr. Peter Powell has very graciously agreed to continue his Bible Study Class on the twelve so-called “minor prophets” in a digital form. We are circulating his class notes, outline, and study questions to the Saint Mary’s community via e-mail. If you are receiving this newsletter by e-mail, you will receive Father Powell’s notes. If you would like to subscribe to our e-mails, please go to the Saint Mary’s website and, on the front page, follow the prompts in order to subscribe to the Angelus.

A NEW FORM OF ASSISTANCE . . . A new volunteer organization called Invisible Hands was recently established here in New York to assist those at high risk of infection with COVID-19. Volunteers, who are at lower risk of infection, shop or run certain errands for those who are sequestered. We are told that 8,000 volunteers have recently signed up to assist in this effort. However, the need is great, and it is sometimes necessary to wait a few days before one can be assigned a volunteer. For more information, please visit Invisible Hands’ website.

LIFE IN TIMES SQUARE . . . Though the performing-arts community is reeling from the closure of theaters here in Midtown and throughout the city, the community is finding new ways to perform for and reach out to their sequestered fellow New Yorkers. The website of the Times Square Alliance has links to a variety of resources: online performances, classes, interviews and panel discussions.

SOME RESOURCES IF YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO COME TO CHURCH . . .

•           Mass is celebrated Monday through Saturday at 10:00 AM, and at 9:00 AM on Sunday, in the Lady Chapel here at Saint Mary’s and is being live-streamed. The video can be accessed on Facebook. 

•           Trinity Wall Street always live streams their Sunday services on their website at the following link: https://www.trinitywallstreet.org/webcasts (as of Friday, March 13, it appears that Trinity will not be holding public worship for some days, but will continue to live-stream its 11:15 AM Eucharist on Sundays.

•           If you do not have access to a Book of Common Prayer, the Prayer Book is available online at the following link: https://episcopalchurch.org/files/book_of_common_prayer.pdf.

•           You can also find the readings for all Daily Offices and Masses on Saint Mary's website: https://www.stmvirgin.org/bible-lessons-for-all-services.

•           The Society of Saint John the Evangelist’s (SSJE) online Lenten program, Signs of Life, may be accessed at https://www.signsoflife.org/

•           SSJE has also recorded a service of Compline that can be accessed on their homepage: https://www.ssje.org/

•           The Center for Action and Contemplation (CAC) offers a daily online meditation. One can sign up to receive the meditation at https://cac.org/richard-rohr/daily-meditations/daily-meditations-archive/. Father Richard Rohr is a Roman Catholic Franciscan. CAC is a decidedly ecumenical program.

•           Father Andrew Mead, former rector of Saint Thomas Fifth Avenue, is currently priest-in-charge at the Church of Saint Stephen in Providence, Rhode Island. He recently posted some thoughts about making a spiritual communion, if one is unable to receive the sacrament in person. His blogpost is available at http://sstephensprovidence.blogspot.com/.

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