FROM DR. CHARLES MORGAN: SAWUBONA. COMMUNITY HELPING COMMUNITY.

I grew up in a small village in Jamaica where the family ethos was to help those who were less fortunate. This was reinforced in my high school whose motto was Sic Luceat Lux (“Let your light so shine”). Each new term began with the reading from Matthew’s gospel (5:16) to remind us who was the source of our light.

In choosing to work in public sector psychiatry, I convinced myself that I was living out the promise and fulfilling that expectation. I later discovered that being on mission trips to South Africa and Jamaica, where the focus was on trauma-informed therapies, was closer to the mark. The work clearly benefited the communities we served, and I returned to my day job energized and more creative. There was more to come.

I had always been aware and troubled by the inequities I saw in mental-health care and education in Fairfield County where I have lived and worked for most of my life. It left me frustrated, cynical, and at the brink of burnout. Covid-19 and the murder of George Floyd were catalysts to help me focus on life after retirement. Two groups which I joined were instrumental in my formation: One was a group of psychiatric medical directors who helped guide and support each other as we fumbled with rapid changes in our institutions. The other was the anti-racism group at Saint Mary’s who prayerfully focused on the issues of marginalized groups through study and conversation.

In the former group, I threw out the idea of supporting youth and families in Bridgeport. Typically, these families had difficulty accessing care and presented late in their illness. The CEO of a private suburban hospital bought into the idea and after a few conversations a committee was formed and Sawubona was born.

“Sawubona” is a word Zulus use to greet each other. It means “we see you” and applies whether it is one person meeting another or a group. It acknowledges that we are part of a chain that includes our ancestors and invites our witness and presence in a given moment. We chose the tagline “We see you. We hear you. We believe in you.”

Our focus is to build resiliency and support mental health in minority youth. We quickly attracted a group of volunteers and in March began providing weekly trauma-focused therapies to middle schoolers at the Great Oaks Charter School. Students are engaged in art and music therapies as well as journaling, rap poetry, gardening, and drumming. The 15-20 students who attend each week are full of energy and challenge us in ways we could not have imagined.

We registered as a 501(c)(3) organization and are planning a gala in October to raise awareness and funds. Sawubona is fired up! Please check us out at sawubonacares.org.

Dr. Charles J. Morgan is a diplomat of the American Board of Psychiatry. He is a graduate of Cornell University Medical College and completed his Residency in Adult Psychiatry at Yale University School of Medicine. He is a member of the Church of Saint Mary the Virgin.

THE PARISH PRAYER LIST

Prayers are asked for the sick and for all those for whom prayers have been asked, especially Richard, Muir, Sharon, Ray, Jorge, John, Danny, Harka, Carmen, Brendon, Bradley, Louis, Emil, Pat, Shalim, Greta, Liduvina, Quincy, Florette, José, Jean, Brian, Abraham, Ethelyn, Gypsy, Margaret, Robert, and Suzanne Elizabeth, Lucas, and James, religious; for all who work for the common good; and for the repose of the souls of Melissa Rose DeCanio and John Conner. May they rest in peace and rise in glory.

AN INVITATION TO ALL NEWCOMERS AND NEW MEMBERS

Father Sammy Wood and Ms. Renee Wood would like to invite all those new to the parish—new members, those looking for a parish home, those who are curious about life at Saint Mary’s—to join them and a few others for dessert and coffee—and perhaps a mimosa—on Sunday, June 12, at 1:00 PM after the Mass. We will be welcoming all of our new members and newcomers at this event, which will take place at the Rectory, right next door to the church (the street entrance is 144 West 47th St.). Please RSVP by Thursday, June 9. You can send an e-mail to the parish office or to Father Sammy at swood@stmvnyc.org. Father Sammy writes, “We’re delighted you’ve been part of the Saint Mary’s family lately, and we want to honor you, get to know you better, and let you learn a little more about the parish. Hope you can join us!”

FROM THE TREASURER

Planned giving is a vital part of your support for Saint Mary’s. We know that we have many members of our Legacy Society – that is, parishioners and friends who have remembered Saint Mary’s in their wills – and that is a great way to leave a lasting impact. Another way to leave a legacy to the parish is to make Saint Mary’s a designated beneficiary of one or more of your retirement, investment, or bank accounts. The “designated beneficiary” route can have significant tax benefits for an estate, and the parish will receive the assets directly without the funds having to go through the probate process. Designated beneficiary forms are easy to fill out and available from either your employer (if you’re still contributing to your retirement account) or from the plan administrator. Designating Saint Mary’s as a beneficiary of an older roll-over IRA account from an old employer, say, is a great way to give even if you have other plans for the majority of your legacy. – Steven Heffner

AROUND THE PARISH

A Mass of the Resurrection will be celebrated in the church for John Conner on Monday, June 6, at 10:00 AM. Father Jay Smith will officiate. The Reverend Pamela Bakal, the rector of Christ Church, Nutley, New Jersey, will preach the sermon. Mr. Larry Long will play the service and conduct the Choir of Saint Mary’s.

On Sunday, June 19, The Body and Blood of Christ: Corpus Christi, there will be a procession in the church at the end of the Solemn Mass, which begins at 11:00 AM. The procession will end with Eucharistic Benediction. During 2022–2023, in some of our adult-education classes, we will explore the history and theology of the Eucharist. One of the things we will discuss is Corpus Christi—the origins of the feast and the custom of holding processions on that day, and we will discuss Saint Mary’s celebration of Corpus Christi, present, past, and future.

The parish’s AIDS Walk Team had a successful fundraising campaign. The Walk was on May 15, but the team can continue to raise money until June 10 (click here to donate). The current total is $55,235. Thanks to all who supported the team this year!

We hope to receive donations for flowers on Sunday, June 12, Trinity Sunday and on all the Sundays in July. Please contact the Parish Office if you have questions or if you would like to make a donation.

Father Matthew Jacobson will be away from the parish for several weeks, taking some well-deserved vacation time. He leaves on the evening of Sunday, June 19, and returns to the parish later in July. He has kindly agreed to continue as the parish webmaster during this time.

Father Jay Smith will be away from the parish June 14–16 for work. He will be back in church and will assist at the Solemn Mass on Sunday, June 19, Corpus Christi.

THIS WEEK AT SAINT MARY’S

Sunday, June 5, The Day of Pentecost, Procession & Solemn Mass 11:00 AM. Father Jay Smith is the celebrant. Father Sammy Wood will preach the sermon. The Mass setting at the Solemn Mass is Mass in the Phrygian Mode. The setting was composed by Rick Austill, a faithful member of Saint Mary’s, who died on Palm Sunday 2019. Evening Prayer will be said in the church on Sunday at 5:00 PM. The Sunday Morning Adult Education Class has begun the summer break. Classes will resume in the fall.

Sunday, June 12, Trinity Sunday, Solemn Mass & Te Deum 11:00 AM. Father Matthew Jacobson is the celebrant. Father Sammy Wood will preach the sermon.

The Holy Eucharist is celebrated at the High Altar Monday–Saturday at 12:10 PM. Members of the congregation are now invited to sit in the pews in choir.

Holy Hour. Wednesday mornings 11:00–11:50 AM, in the Lady Chapel. A time for silent prayer and contemplation before the Blessed Sacrament. The Holy Eucharist follows at 12:10 PM. We invite you to join us.

The Racism Discussion Group Meeting: The Group meets online on most Tuesday evenings from 7:00–8:00 PM. For more information about this ongoing weekly meeting, please call the parish office, or speak to one of the current members of the group, such as Charles Carson, Charles Morgan, Marie Rosseels, or Ingrid Sletten.

The Saint Mary’s Centering Prayer Group meets online on most Friday evenings at 6:30 PM. If you are interested in participating, please send an e-mail to this address or speak to Ingrid Sletten or Blair Burroughs.

A Time for Prayer and Preparation Before Mass on Sunday: The acolytes, readers, and members of the audiovisual team are invited to gather in in the Lady Chapel each Sunday between 10:00 and 10:20 AM for a time of silent prayer and preparation before Mass. All are invited to join them.

ABOUT THE MUSIC

Composers of organ music in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries produced a wealth of pieces based upon the melodies of the well-known hymns of their time. Some of these were plainsong or chorales based upon plainsong. Others were tunes of the time or adaptions of contemporary popular songs, but they all took on a life of their own when sung with sacred texts in worship. Even instrumental settings of these melodies conjured the devotional intent of these sacred songs, and such pieces were used as introductions to singing or as substitutions for sung stanzas. Today some of these chorale melodies are not recognized as widely as they were in times past, but many organ pieces based upon them still have great expressive power. Bach’s setting of the chorale Komm, Heiliger Geist, Herre Gott (“Come, Holy Ghost, Lord God”), Sunday’s prelude, is one of Bach’s Great Eighteen Leipzig settings. It delivers the rushing wind and burning flame of Pentecost in a brilliant and energetic torrent of counterpoint which dances and cavorts above the chorale melody stated on the pedals in long notes. Whether or not one recognizes the melody, the excitement of Pentecost can be felt in this music. The postlude at the end of the Solemn Mass on Sunday is Bach’s setting of Komm, Gott, Schöpfer, Heiliger Geist (“Come, God, Creator, Holy Ghost”), the German adaptation of Veni Creator Spiritus (“Come, Creator, Holy Spirit”). In his setting, which is also from the Great Eighteen Leipzig collection, Bach states the chorale melody twice. The first statement is in the uppermost voice, heard above an oddly off-beat accompaniment. The accompanying voices then break into flowing fantasia and the chorale melody re-appears for its second statement in long notes in the bass register.

The setting of the Mass on Sunday morning is the Mass in the Phrygian Mode by Rick Austill (1955–2019). Rick Austill was a faithful parishioner here at Saint Mary’s until his unexpected death on the evening of Palm Sunday 2019. He served with distinction as a member of the Flower Guild whose work praises God in visual beauty week after week at Saint Mary’s. Rick was a 1977 graduate of Carnegie Mellon University where he earned a Fine Arts degree in piano performance as a student of Nelson Whittaker, and in composition as a student of Roland Leich. Rick worked extensively as a dance accompanist and included positions at Carnegie Mellon, the Pittsburgh Ballet, the Washington Ballet and the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Rick composed his Mass in the Phrygian Mode for Saint Mary’s in 2012, and it was premiered here in November of that year. It is scored for unaccompanied mixed voices, including solos and some divisi, and it uses the Rite II Eucharistic texts. Each of the movements of Austill’s Mass contains a mixture of exactly noted music and aleatoric elements. In explanation, Austill wrote the following: “Aleatoric, in this setting, means individual voices enter at uneven times determined solely by the conductor. In the glorious acoustics of Saint Mary’s it creates a ‘cloud’ of sound hopefully like the clouds of angels praising God. It’s in the third church mode, which I feel has a particularly haunting quality.” Although this setting has been sung several times at Saint Mary’s since its 2012 premiere, its aleatoric sections make each performance a unique first. The second chapter of Acts describes the Apostles’ experience of the Day of Pentecost as a rushing wind and a surprisingly random, yet mysteriously intelligible, simultaneity of voices. As such, Rick Austill’s Mass in the Phrygian Mode may be particularly appropriate for the Day of Pentecost. 

The Communion motet on Sunday is by Tomás Luís de Victoria (1548–1611), widely considered the most important Spanish composer of Renaissance polyphony. Born in Avila, the seventh of eleven children, he began his musical education as a choirboy at Avila Cathedral and began his classical education at San Gil, a Jesuit school for boys founded in 1554. By 1565 Victoria had entered the Jesuit Collegio Germanico in Rome, where he was later engaged to teach music and was eventually named maestro di cappella. Victoria knew and may have been instructed by Palestrina (1525-1594) who was maestro di cappella of the nearby Seminario Romano at that time. During his years in Rome, Victoria held several positions as singer, organist, and choral master, and published many of his compositions. He was ordained priest in 1575 after a three-day diaconate. Victoria’s five-voice motet Dum complerentur was first published in his first book of motets in 1572. Its text derives from the Pentecost narrative in the second chapter of Acts, and occurs as an antiphon for Pentecost Vespers.

NEIGHBORS IN NEED

The Neighbors in Need program is Saint Mary’s principal outreach ministry. It was founded by members of the parish, along with resident sisters and friars and members of the parish’s clergy staff. We “own” it and run it. We provide clothing and basic, but essential, hygiene items to our neighbors in Times Square. Your cash donations and gifts of new and lightly used clothing make this ministry possible.

The June Drop-by will take place on Friday, June 17.

The July Drop-by will take place on Friday, July 15.

With the arrival of warmer weather, we are now eager to receive donations of lighter clothes such as shirts, blouses, T-shirts, slacks, shorts, jeans, socks and athletic shoes.

However, as you do your spring cleaning, please know that we would love to receive donations of coats, jackets, and sweatshirts. We did not receive many coats from our usual suppliers this past winter and we would like to prepare for Winter 2022–2023. We would be happy to receive donations of coats and other cold-weather clothing even during the summer months.

Our goal is to continue to distribute clothing and hygiene items to those in need in the Times Square neighborhood. We are grateful to all those who continue to support this ministry.

AT THE MET FIFTH AVENUE . . . Companions in Solitude: Reclusion and Communion in Chinese Art. Through August 14, 2022. Fifth Avenue and Eighty-second Street. From the museum website, “This exhibition will explore the twin themes of solitude and togetherness in Chinese art. For more than two thousand years, reclusion—removing oneself from society—has been presented as the ideal condition for mental cultivation and transcending worldly troubles. At the same time, . communion with like-minded people has been celebrated as essential to the human experience. This choice, to be alone or to be together, has been central to the lives of thinkers and artists, and Chinese art abounds with images of figures who pursued both paths—as well as those who wove them together in complex and surprising ways. Companions in Solitude, presented in two rotations, will bring together more than 120 works of painting, calligraphy, and decorative arts that illuminate this choice—depictions of why and how people have sought space from the world or attempted to bridge the divide between themselves and others. In the wake of 2020, a year that has isolated us physically but connected us virtually in unprecedented ways, this exploration of premodern Chinese reclusion and communion will invite meditation on the fracture and facture of human connection in our own time.”

FROM THE FINANCE OFFICE

Our parish accounts recently moved from HSBC Bank to Citizens Bank. As part of that move, our account numbers and bank transfer numbers changed. We have successfully migrated over sall the regular automatic payments and deposits (payroll, investment income, taxes, etc.). All credit card processing is already running on the new accounts as well. However, there might still be some donors out there using old legacy account numbers for transfers. If you are notified by your financial institution that a transaction with Saint Mary's was unsuccessful, rejected, or returned, please contact Chris Howatt  in the parish office (chowatt@stmcnyc.org; 212-869-5830, ext 10), so we can make sure you have the new account information. Thank you! 

This edition of the Angelus was written and edited by Father Jay Smith. Father Matt Jacobson also helps to edit and is responsible for formatting and posting it on the parish website and distributing it via mail and e-mail, with the assistance of Christopher Howatt, parish administrator, and parish volunteer, Clint Best.