FROM THE RECTOR: FUNERAL FOR EDGAR FISHER WELLS, JR., PRIEST

The Reverend Canon Edgar Wells served as rector of Saint Mary’s from January 1, 1979 through December 31, 1997. He died at home on Trinity Sunday, June 7, 2020. Because of the epidemic, his funeral has, unfortunately, been long delayed. On May 21, 2021, Father Edgar Wells’s cousin, Robin Clifford, and his companion, Evan Wong, wrote me to ask if Father Wells’s funeral could be scheduled for Saturday, August 21, 2021. Putting it on the parish schedule was no problem. It will take place at 10:00 AM that day here in the church. The service should be over by 11:00 AM. What I needed to find out was whether an interment of his ashes could take place on Saturday at 11:30 AM. It took me a while to get in touch with the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine—my delay, not theirs—but I’ve now been informed that that timing will not be a problem.

It was Father Wells who brought now-Bishop Allen Shin to Saint Mary’s after his graduation from seminary and ordination. He served here first as part-time assistant priest and then as curate. He and his wife Clara Mun remain much-loved members of our parish community. Bishop Shin has been a great help as I’ve begun to plan Father Wells’s funeral.

It is my assumption that the pandemic will continue to lessen its grip on public and private life during the summer months. By the end of the third week of August, I hope our capacity for worshippers in the church will be larger than it is today. I hope that more than a very few people will be able to be at the cathedral for the committal of Father Wells’s ashes with those of his parents and his friend, the Reverend Walter Edgar Hartlove, who died in 1996.

I know that Bishop Allen Shin will be with us on August 21, and that Father Jay Smith and I will be here. Dr. David Hurd will play the service and conduct a quartet—the maximum number of singers presently permitted by the relevant guidelines. As one of my friends says, “More will be revealed.”

Father Wells was beloved by so many in Saint Mary’s local, national, and international community. He served here from January 1, 1979, through December 31, 1997. I know we will need to manage attendance at the funeral in some way. Members of the clergy from the diocese often vest and process at the burial services of their brother and sister priests. That’s among the decisions we will need to make as August begins.

One of the great years of Father Wells’s tenure was 1997. That year the restoration and repainting of the church was completed. I will never forget the powerful impression Saint Mary’s made on me the first time I entered the church. I was in a place where people worshipped in the beauty of holiness, a place whose daily use for over a century spoke the word, “Welcome to all who enter.”

During the work, the scaffolding reached to the ceiling of the interior of the church. It was his (and my) former bishop, the late James Winchester Montgomery (1921–2019; Suffragan Bishop of Chicago 1962–1965), Coadjutor Bishop of Chicago (1965–1971), Bishop 1971–1987) who quipped that the parish was “celebrating Solemn Mass in the catacombs.” I trust Father Wells will forgive us if the scaffolding for the restoration of the façade is still up in August. —Stephen Gerth

YOUR PRAYERS ARE ASKED FOR Maria, Frank, Roman, Ronald, Michael, Don, Christopher, Liduvina, James, Jonathan, Emerson, Rita, Marilouise, Quincy, Florette, John, Shalim, Peter, George, Abraham, Burton, Dennis, Emil, Ethelyn, Gypsy, Hardy, Margaret, and Robert; for James, Randall, and Louis, priests; for all those who suffer from COVID-19; for all those who work for the common good, and for all the members and friends of this parish. Grant that we may serve Christ in them and love one another as he loves us . . . GRANT THEM PEACE . . . June 13: 1935 Peter William Weber; 2008 Brannon Hall Garcia.

WE NEED YOUR HELP . . . If you have made a pledge for 2021, please continue to make payments on your pledge, if possible. If you have not yet made a pledge for 2021, we urge you to do so. If you can make an additional donation to support the parish at this time, we would happily receive it. Donations may be made online via the Giving section of the parish website. You may also make arrangements for other forms of payment by contacting our parish administrator, Christopher Howatt, who would be happy to assist you. We are grateful to all those who continue to support Saint Mary’s so generously. —Stewardship Committee

AROUND THE PARISH . . . We learned this week that Gypsy da Silva, a great friend of Saint Mary’s, who has volunteered countless hours here at the parish, has moved from her home in Upper Montclair, New Jersey, to a nearby care facility. She welcomes mail sent via the United States Postal Service. Please call the parish office for her address . . . Our Buildings: A Progress Report . . . As many of you know, the doors at the entrance to the Parish House were removed for the purposes of repair and restoration some weeks ago. They are now back in place and are working smoothly. The number of our street address, 145, is more legible now than formerly. This will help with giving directions and for deliveries . . . The flowers on Sunday, the Third Sunday after Pentecost, are given by Dr. Charles Morgan in memory of his father, Samuel Mackay Morgan. They were designed by Marie Rosseels.

THIS WEEK AT SAINT MARY’S . . . Sunday, June 13, The Third Sunday after Pentecost. No adult-education class. Classes have ended for the summer and will resume in the autumn. Mass 11:00 AM, Father Stephen Gerth, celebrant and preacher; Evening Prayer 5:00 PM . . . Monday–Saturday, June 14–19, Mass 12:10 PM and Evening Prayer 5:00 PM. The church is open from 11:00 AM until 5:30 PM . . . Tuesday, June 15, Racism Discussion Group Meeting, 7:00 PM via Zoom. For more information about this ongoing weekly meeting, please call the parish office . . . Friday, June 18, 2:00–3:00 PM, Drop-by Day: Distribution of Clothing and Hygiene Items to Neighbors in Need . . . Saturday, June 19, Juneteenth, Celebration of the Emancipation of the Enslaved People of the United States . . . Next Sunday, June 20, The Fourth Sunday after Pentecost: Mass 11:00 AM, Father Jay Smith, celebrant and preacher; Evening Prayer 5:00 PM.

SAINT MARY’S ONLINE CENTERING PRAYER GROUP . . . The Saint Mary’s Centering Prayer Group continues to meet! The Group meets online, via Zoom, every Friday evening at 6:30 PM. If you are interested in participating, please send an e-mail to this address. The convenors of the group will then send the link to the Zoom meeting.

NEIGHBORS IN NEED . . . At our monthly Drop-by Days, we distribute clothing and toiletry and hygiene items to those in need in the Times Square neighborhood. Last Friday, May 21, we served 29 guests. Our next Drop-by Day is scheduled for Friday, June 18. (The next two Drop-by Days will take place on Friday, July 16, and Friday, August 20) Volunteers work from 1:30 PM until 3:30 PM. Our guests are invited into the church at 2:00 PM and we close our doors at 3:00 PM. We need six (6) volunteers for each Drop-by. If you would like to volunteer, please contact Marie Rosseels, MaryJane Boland, or Father Jay Smith. You may reach them by calling the Parish Office at 212-869-5830.

You may also support this ministry by making a cash donation (if using PayPal, please write “Neighbors in Need” in the memo line); or by making a donation of clothing or hygiene items. We welcome donations of gently used or new clothing and footwear; unopened toiletry items; backpacks, or small rolling suitcases. All these items should be clean and in good repair. Everyday wear is desirable, which is to say, no formal wear, party clothes or high-heeled shoes. We are not in need of men’s or women’s suits or evening wear at this time. Popular clothing items are: T-shirts, socks (e.g., white and black ankle socks), polo shirts, shirts, and blouses with collars; underwear for men and women in all sizes, including bras, slips, briefs; thermal underwear, sweaters, sweatshirts; slacks/blouses; caps, and scarves. Small blankets, towels and wash cloths, rain slickers, umbrellas, and zippered jackets are also desirable. Please speak to MaryJane Boland, Marie Rosseels, Sharon Stewart, or Father Jay Smith about scheduling a donation.

MUSIC AT SAINT MARY’S . . . The Concerto after Vivaldi in D minor is one of several compositions by other composers which Johann Sebastian Bach adapted for organ. This transcription by Bach takes the Concerto of Antonio Vivaldi (L’Estro Armonico, Opus 3/7), originally intended for two violins, cello, and string orchestra, and makes it available to the hands and feet of an organist. The musicologist, Olivier Alain, writes, “Here Bach adds his own final touches to this sublime music, but his arrangement is rather close to the original, thus making it difficult to play on the organ.” Most would agree, however, that the effort to play this piece on the organ is well spent, particularly since Vivaldi did not compose for solo organ. The concerto opens with a two-voice canonic duet played by the “violins” over repeated bass notes. A brief chordal transition is followed by an impressive fugue. The final movement of the concerto is played for the postlude. It features the interplay between concertino (chamber ensemble) and ripieno (full orchestra) which is typical of Italian Baroque string concerti. This interplay is replicated on the organ by using contrasting sounds on two keyboards.

The musical setting of the Mass on Sunday morning is Mass II as found in the Liber Usualis (“Usual Book”), a comprehensive anthology of medieval Roman plainsong compiled in the nineteenth century by the monks of Solesmes, France. Like the several other numbered Masses of the Gregorian Missal, Mass II is a collection of chants for the Ordinary of the Mass which likely were originally independent pieces that were brought together and associated with one another by later custom. This particular combination was traditionally sung on solemn feasts. The Gloria in excelsis is dated thirteenth century, the Sanctus may be slightly older, and the Agnus Dei is dated tenth century. These three chants, all of which are in Mode 1, will be sung by the cantor as the setting of the Mass today.

The cantor on Sunday is soprano, Charlotte Mundy, a long-time member of the Choir of Saint Mary’s. During the Communion she will sing Domine Deus from the Gloria, RV589, of Antonio Vivaldi (1678–1741). The Italian virtuoso violinist, teacher, empresario and Roman Catholic priest, Antonio Vivaldi was one of the most important and prolific composers of the Baroque era. His compositions include a wealth of music for strings, but also operas and significant sacred choral works. He is known to have set Gloria in excelsis at least three times, but only two of the settings are extant. That said, the singular piece universally known as “the Vivaldi Gloria” is his setting with the catalogue number 589. This is a large-scale work in twelve movements for chorus, soloists, and orchestra. The soprano aria Domine Deus is the sixth movement. It is a graceful siciliano in C Major featuring obbligato oboe in dialogue with the soprano voice. –David Hurd

AROUND THE PARISH . . . Would you like to donate altar flowers? We are looking those willing to donate altar flowers for all the Sundays in July and August, except for August 15. The suggested donation is $250. Donors often give flowers in memory, thanksgiving, or celebration of people or life events they would like to pay tribute to. Please contact Chris Howatt, if you would like to donate or speak to Brendon Hunter for more information . . . Please speak to the rector if you’d like to volunteer to take photographs on Sunday morning, during Mass or the adult-education classes. The photographs are used to illustrate the weekly newsletter.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR . . . Thursday, June 24, The Nativity of Saint John the Baptist . . . Friday, August 6, The Transfiguration of Our Lord Jesus Christ . . . Sunday, August 15, The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary . . . Tuesday, August 24, Saint Bartholomew the Apostle . . . Monday, September 6, Labor Day . . . Wednesday, September 8, The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary . . . Saturday, September 11, Requiem Mass for Victims of Attacks on 9/11/2001 . . . Tuesday, September 14, Holy Cross Day . . . Tuesday, September 21, Saint Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist . . . Wednesday, September 29, Saint Michael and All Angels.

This edition of the Angelus was written and edited by Father Stephen Gerth and Father Jay Smith. Father Gerth is responsible for posting the newsletter on the parish website and for distributing it via mail and e-mail, with the assistance of Christopher Howatt and parish volunteer, Clint Best.