FROM FATHER WOOD: SAINT MARY’S LEGACY SOCIETY

A favorite poem of mine is Wendell Berry’s “Manifesto: The Mad Farmer Liberation Front.” I love the absurdly counterintuitive recommendations Berry makes for how we ought to live.

Every day do something that won’t compute.

Not your average advice overheard from New York career consultants and financial planners.

Love someone who does not deserve it.

But my favorite line is:

Plant sequoias.

In 1892, Miss Sara L. Cooke, a dedicated member of this parish and friend of our founding Rector, Father Thomas McKee Brown, decided to do just that. She planted a sequoia. Cooke made a legacy gift to Saint Mary’s, and in large part, we now have her to thank for our beloved church building—she would give more than $700,000, far surpassing the building’s construction cost.

While Saint Mary’s did not have a Legacy Society in 1892, it has had one for many years now. Through the Legacy Society, we celebrate and give thanks for those people who have included Saint Mary’s in their estate plans. The Planned Giving & Legacy Society page on our website displays a growing list of those people who have told us they have named Saint Mary’s in their wills and have allowed us to publish their names. A second part lists givers who died in the recent past. Some of the names will be familiar to you; some will be of people you’ve never met. If we listed back to 1892, Miss Cooke’s name would certainly be there.

I’d like to ask you to consider adding your own name to that list, as well. In fact, one specific rubric in the Prayer Book directs the Minister of any Congregation to

instruct the people, from time to time, about the duty of Christian parents to make prudent provision for the well-being of their families, and of all persons to make wills, while they are in good health . . . not neglecting, if they are able, to leave bequests for religious and charitable uses (emphasis added). 

August was “Make a Will Month,” and I typically mention that rubric every year in my All Souls’ Day letter to the parish. But any month is a good one to take steps to make a gift that at your death will provide for the people and groups close to your heart in life.

And it’s such an easy process. We have revamped the Ways to Give page on our website, and tabs now lists four ways to support Saint Mary's. A link from that page takes you to the 2024 pledge card (it will link to the 2025 card when Stewardship Season begins in November), and a tab called Saint Mary’s Ministries offers the opportunity to support ministries like Neighbors in Need, the music program, and flowers for the church.

One other tab is for Planned Giving & Legacy Society. “Planned giving” includes qualified charitable donations during our lifetimes, and bequests through wills and other financial instruments after we are gone. These legacy gifts have been the lifeblood of Saint Mary’s for decades—quite simply, we would not be here without the people who have made them.

You don’t have to be John Jacob Astor or Sarah Cooke to impact the future of this parish we love. However much you are able to give, your legacy matters. Please pray about becoming part of our Legacy Society this year, and if you are already a member or think you may be soon, be sure to save the date and watch your mailbox for information about a special Legacy Society reception in the Rectory on Sunday evening, November 3, after Evensong & Benediction. — SW

FROM FATHER PETER ANTHONY, VICAR, ALL SAINTS’, MARGARET STREET:

My Dear Friends in New York,

I am pleased to report that in a couple of weeks’ time a small group of eight parishioners from All Saints’, Margaret Street, London, will be in New York over the weekend of 20th-22nd September. We are looking forward to being with you all at Saint Mary’s, to fostering friendship between our two parishes, to deepening our partnership in mission, and to sharing in worship with you.

One of the reasons for this visit is the launch on Friday 20th September of the American Friends of All Saints’, Margaret Street. This will take the form of a reception in Saint Joseph’s Hall from 6.00 PM onwards. All parishioners of Saint Mary’s are warmly invited to the event—it should be a fun evening, and we would love to see you! If you would like to attend, it would be helpful if you could sign up (tickets are completely free!) via the Eventbrite link, so we have an accurate idea of how many people to expect.

All Saints’ has recently launched a means whereby American taxpayers can give to All Saints’ in dollars in such a way that the donation counts as a charitable tax deduction in the US. We hope this will make it easier and more advantageous for American friends of All Saints’ to support our parish. I am very grateful indeed to Father Sammy for allowing us to use Saint Joseph’s Hall for this launch. You can find out more about the American Friends of All Saints’ Margaret Street here.

In addition to the Friday night, our group of parishioners from London looks forward to being with you all on Sunday morning. It will be a wonderful opportunity for us to share in the worship of your parish and for parishioners from both churches to meet each other and get to know each other better. I will be preaching at the Solemn Mass and am very grateful indeed for the invitation to do so offered by Father Sammy.

I pray that our two parishes will grow in love, support and fellowship with each other as we both seek to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ in our respective contexts. Do know that you are very much in our prayers in London. I hope this visit by a group from All Saints’ will create friendships, foster mutual support, and create a spirit of shared vocation and calling as we deepen the partnership between our two churches. Although our parishes may be an ocean apart, I know that in prayer we can feel close to each other in the Lord, and united by our common call to serve him through the tradition of Anglo-Catholic worship and mission that our two parishes share.

I look forward to seeing you all soon. — PA

Father Peter Anthony was appointed Vicar of All Saints’, Margaret Street, London, UK, in December 2020. Before that he served as the parish priest of Saint Benet’s, Kentish Town, for seven years, and before that he ministered in Oxford as Junior Dean of Saint Stephen’s House and Junior Chaplain of Merton College. He served his curacy at Saint Mary and Christ Church, Hendon. Father Peter is originally from Lancashire and first came to the Diocese of London to work as a pastoral assistant at Saint Paul’s, Tottenham. He studied Modern languages (French and German) as an undergraduate at Magdalen College, Oxford, and was formed for ordination at Saint Stephen’s House, Oxford. It was during that time that Father spent part of a summer here at Saint Mary’s as a seminarian intern. It is a pleasure to be able to welcome him back to the parish once again.

PRAYING FOR THE CHURCH & FOR THE WORLD

We pray for an end to war, division, violence, and injustice, especially in the Middle East, Venezuela, Ukraine, Russia, Myanmar, Sudan, and Darfur. We pray for justice and for an end to violence, hatred, discord, and division in our neighborhood, city, and nation.

We pray for those who have asked us for our prayers, especially Suzanne, Abe, Dorian, Margaret, Patrick, Frank, Clark, Connie, Carmen, Luis, Marie, Julie, Mario, Vincenzo, Cedric, Elena, Otis, David, Joseph, Sheila, Steve, Leroy, Lynn, Dennis, Susan, Dorothy, Justin, Mary, Sheila, Charles, Lynn, Dennis, Susanna, Rolf, Joyce, Christine, Donald, Richard, Josh, Rick, Thomas, Robert, Duncan, Maddie, Tony, Hattie, Nettie, Chrissy, Jan, Pat, Marjorie, Carole, Sharon, Quincy, June, José, Brian, Manuel, Carlos, Hardy, Giovanna, Gypsy, Bob, and Liduvina; Keith, James, Curtis, Monica Clare, Barbara-Jean and Eleanor-Francis, religious; Lind, deacon; and Julie, Robby, and Stephen, priests.

We also pray for the repose of the souls of Shannon Tompkins, Kenneth Thomas, priest, and those whose year’s mind falls on September 8: Susan Amelia Barras (1872); Theresa Edna Laverty (1914); Lillian Carolyn Lowell (1935); and Ruth M. Hinckley (1989).

IN THIS TRANSITORY LIFE

Father Kenneth Dana Thomas died Tuesday evening, September 3, at Whispering Pines rehabilitation center in East Haven, Connecticut, after a brief hospital stay. He was 97 years old. Ordained in 1956 and affiliated with Christ Church, New Haven, beginning in 1991, Father Thomas had a long and fruitful ministry in the Episcopal Church in Connecticut. He served as a choirboy in Bridgeport; curate at Trinity Church, Hartford; and rector in Essex. Father Thompson was a clergy colleague of Father Jay Smith’s at Christ Church, New Haven. Father Smith remembers Father Thompson with fondness and the greatest respect. Father retired from fulltime parish ministry in his sixties, moved to the New Haven area and built a new life, exploring new ministries and making new friends and colleagues. He was an excellent preacher, a kind, wise, and attentive pastor, and a great storyteller. He was much loved by the parishioners at Christ Church and at other churches where he served and worshipped. Following a private burial in Litchfield, Connecticut, a Solemn Requiem Mass will be sung in Christ Church on Thursday, September 26, at 2:00 PM. Please keep Kenneth, priest, his parishioners and friends, and all who mourn in your prayers.

COMING UP

Sunday, September 8, 15, and 22 at 9:45 AM
Bible Study in Saint Benedict’s Study
Talking about Jesus: Who He Is and Why it Matters

The Monthly Requiem Mass in September
Because of a couple of quirks in the liturgical calendar, the September parish requiem will be celebrated on
Saturday, September 7, at 12:10 PM in the Mercy Chapel.
Click to learn more about the Guild of All Souls at Saint Mary’s or speak with Father Sammy. All are welcome!

Sunday, September 22
Said Mass 9:00 AM & Solemn Mass 11:00 AM
Guest Preacher: Father Peter Anthony,
Vicar of All Saints, Margaret Street, London, UK

Sunday, October 6, Blessing of the Animals
Sunday afternoon. Forty-sixth Street, in front of the church. Time to be announced.

Sunday, October 6, Evensong & Benediction, 4:00 PM
Note the new time!

WE ARE GRATEFUL

We are grateful to Renee Wood and Father Sammy who worked hard on their Labor Day holiday to make some significant improvements to Saint Benedict’s Study. The space looks really lovely. Thank you.

We are grateful to Marianna Klaiman, textile expert and vestment historian, for consulting with us once again on our vestment collection. Marianna spent an afternoon with Altar Guild member, Marie Rosseels, this week, and we are grateful to her for her counsel and advice.

Thank you, Grace Mudd, for purchasing and delivering the many bags of charcoal that will be used in our thuribles throughout the coming year for the burning of incense.

NEWS & NOTICES

From Father Sammy: Nine Days of Prayer for Guidance before Holy Cross Day (September 14) . . . In the Western Church, a novena (from the Latin novem, “nine”) is a period of nine days’ private or public devotion, by which it is hoped to obtain some special grace. The general observance of novenas is actually quite modern, dating only from the seventeenth century, but it is modeled on the nine days’ preparation of the Apostles and the Blessed Virgin Mary for the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (Acts 1.13ff). Some sources cite the Church Fathers for assigning special meaning to the number nine, seeing it as symbolic of imperfect man turning to God in prayer (due to its proximity with the number ten, symbolic of God’s perfection). Novenas may be performed in church, at home, or anywhere solemn prayers are appropriate. This year, Saint Mary’s is using the days before Holy Cross Day as an occasion to pray together as a community for God’s vision for our parish.

Beginning September 6, and culminating on September 14, Holy Cross Day, I am asking our whole parish family to join me in adding to your daily devotions a particular prayer for Saint Mary’s.

A Novena for Saint Mary’s

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Jesus, who because of your burning love for us willed to be crucified and to shed your most precious blood for the redemption and salvation of our souls, look down upon us and grant our petition:

Pour out your Spirit upon our parish family.

Give us your vision for our common life and bless the work we do in New York City in your name and for your glory.

We trust completely in your mercy. Cleanse us from sin by your grace, sanctify our work, give us and all those who are dear to us our daily bread, lighten the burden of our sufferings, bless our parish, and grant to the nations your peace, which is the only true peace, so that by obeying your commandments we may come at last to the glory of heaven. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Our Father . . .

Glory to the Father . . .

A relic of the True Cross will be available for veneration at Saint Mary's in the Mercy Chapel all day on Holy Cross Day, Saturday, September 14, as well as the following morning through Sunday's Solemn Mass.

Bible Study on Sundays in September: “Who is Jesus and Why Does It Matter?” . . . 9:45 AM in Saint Benedict’s Study, led by Father Jay Smith. Refreshments provided. Please join us as we look at Gospel passages that show us who Jesus is and invite us to consider how that experience might change our lives. We’ll use works of imagination—art and poetry—to help us interpret the Gospel text. All are welcome.

This coming Sunday, September 8, we’ll be studying the story of The Temptation of Jesus in the Wilderness. If you have a few minutes before Sunday, you might take a look at Matthew 4:1-11, Mark 1:12-13, and Luke 4:1-13.

The Fourteen Stations of the Cross in the nave of the church were recently lit. The difference has been dramatic. These beautiful and colorful images have emerged from the shadows of the side aisles and are now available in a new way for prayer and meditation. The stations have long been part of the life of the parish. Nicholas Krasno tells us, in his Guide to Saint Mary’s (1999), “On the walls of the side aisles of the church are the fourteen Stations of the Cross. The panels, modeled in plaster in full relief and polychromed, were given to the first St. Mary’s church in 1893 by George W. Sutton as a memorial to his wife. They were removed to the new [and present] church and large stone and plaster gothic frames [were] designed [and executed for them] by [Saint Mary’s architect, Napoleon] LeBrun. They were recolored in 1929, and further restored (with gilding and marbled colonnettes) in 1997.”

The Station pictured here is the First Station: Jesus is Condemned to Death. Looking at the image we might recall Jesus’ language about “the world” and the place of the disciples “in the world” (John 17:13-18). Jesus says that his friends are not “of the world,” but he does not ask the Father to take them out of the world. Rather, he asks the Father to protect his friends from the evil one. Having prayed this prayer, he then says that he “has sent [his friends] into the world.” This is true of Jesus, the Incarnate One, as well. At the beginning of his ministry, during his temptation in the wilderness, he is confronted with the enticing allure of worldly power and turns away. At the trials before the political and religious leaders of the nation and its colonial overlords, he confronts the stark realities of political power and the machinations of the powerful. In this scene, at the First Station, astoundingly, he is in the world, but not of it—and it is here, into this flawed and imperfect world, that Jesus—“YHWH saves”—has been sent.

You are invited to read Matthew 27:24-26, Mark 15:15, Luke 23:24-25, and John 19:16, where Jesus is condemned to death. (You are also invited to read the Passion Narratives in their entirety, and then to attend Father Peter Powell’s classes on the Passion and Resurrection Narratives, which will take place on Sundays in November and early December and then on the Sundays in Lent.)

God did not spare his own Son:
But delivered him up for us all.

Let us pray.

Almighty God, whose most dear Son went not up to joy but first he suffered pain and entered not into glory before he was crucified: Mercifully grant that we, walking in the way of the cross, may find it none other than the way of life and peace; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord. Amen.

Evening Prayer on Saturdays and Sundays: A Time Change . . . Beginning on Saturday, October 5, Evening Prayer will be said in the church at 4:00 PM, instead of 5:00 PM, on both Saturday and Sunday. This will include monthly Evensong and Benediction, which normally takes place on the first Sunday of every month. We hope that this will allow more of our members and friends to attend this beautiful form of prayer and worship.

The Tuesday Night Anti-Racism Group meets weekly via Zoom. For more information, please speak to Charles Morgan or Charles Carson.

We continue to collect nonperishable food items for distribution to those in the neighborhood seeking food assistance. They may be placed in the basket near the ushers’ table at the Forty-Sixth Street entrance on Sunday mornings. We are also happy to receive cash donations that allow us to purchase food vouchers at a local bodega.

Just in Time for Saint Francis Day: Some Canine News . . . We are very happy to be able to announce that after an intense and rigorous interview process by the rescue organization, Father Matthew Jacobson and Dr. Meredith Linn adopted a dog this week. The lucky puppy’s name has not yet been announced to the parish community. Though Matt and Meredith continue to mourn their beloved Charlotte, they rejoice to be able to welcome this puppy into their home and lives. We look forward to meeting him soon—perhaps at the Blessing of Animals on October 6.

At Coffee Hour this Week . . . Things for Sale, Things Given Away—After Mass on Sunday, look for tables in Saint Joseph’s Hall where:

• there will be a give-away table with a wide variety of books on it, free for the taking. Please take one! Take more than one! Otherwise, we will need to recycle them. Give these books a home!

• there will also be a table where we’ll be selling religious and devotional objects that were donated to the parish by our departed brother and friend, Emil Bretzger. It was Emil’s hope that his collection—there are many angels!—would edify his fellow parishioners and help support the parish he loved so much.

CPR Training . . . We are planning a CPR training session for this fall, which is required for the recertification of our AED (automated external defibrillator). If you are interested, please send Father Matt an email at mjacobson@stmvnyc.org. Depending on the size of our group, we may be able to have our training session onsite at the parish. All are welcome. Ushers are particularly encouraged to learn (or refresh) these important skills.

Neighbors in Need . . . If you would like to volunteer or make a cash donation, please speak to MaryJane Boland. We are also eager to receive donations of new or lightly used sneakers and shoes, in all sizes, for both men and women. A Drop-by was held on August 16, and the next one will take place on Friday, September 20, 1:00–3:00 PM. We are looking for a few more good volunteers. Please speak to MaryJane Boland or Father Jay about our work and how you might help.

Would you like to donate the altar flowers? . . . The following Sundays are available: September 22, and October 13, 20, and 27. The customary donation requested is $250. Please call the Parish Office for more information (212-869-5830).

SEMINARIANS ARRIVING THIS FALL

We are excited to announce that we will have two seminarian interns joining us this fall. Here’s a little bit about Chris and Alden:

Chris Edling is a first-year student at General Theological Seminary and a parishioner of Holy Trinity Inwood in uptown Manhattan. He’s a former Peace Corps Volunteer, WWOOFer (World Wide Organization of Organic Farms), UN consultant, and two-time Fulbrighter (Armenia, Kyrgyzstan). Chris moved to New York in 2012 to attend Columbia University and currently teaches at NYU.

Alden Fossett is a seminarian at Yale Divinity School/Berkeley Divinity School, where he is preparing for ordination to the priesthood. In his sending diocese of Massachusetts, he is focused on the work of racial justice, reconciliation, and reparations. Alden grew up in Los Angeles, California.

ABOUT THE MUSIC AT THE SOLEMN MASS ON SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2024, THE SIXTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

The musical setting of the Mass on Sunday is New Plainsong, by David Hurd. This setting was composed in 1978 at the request of the Standing Commission on Church Music of the Episcopal Church as the revision of The Hymnal 1940 was gaining momentum. The Commission desired a setting which would be for the “Contemporary” Eucharistic texts what John Merbecke’s 1550 setting had been for the “Traditional” English words, that is, it would express the liturgical texts with simplicity and naturalness. As such, New Plainsong, like Merbecke’s setting, is chant-like and almost entirely syllabic, that is, only one pitch is sung per syllable. Although modest keyboard accompaniments are provided, New Plainsong’s movements may be sung unaccompanied when desired. Since its first publication in Congregational Music for Eucharist—Church Hymnal Series V in 1980, New Plainsong has been published in The Hymnal 1982 and in the worship resources of several other denominations. A revised edition of New Plainsong issued in 2018 also accommodates more recently revised Roman Catholic liturgical texts.

Exsultate jubilate, K. 165 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791), from which Sunday’s Communion solo is taken, is categorized as a three-movement religious solo motet and sometime considered a sacred solo cantata. It was composed in Milan by the teenaged Mozart for the operatic castrato Venanzio Rauzzini (1746–1810) and premiered by him on January 17, 1773, at the Theatine Church of Saint Cajetan in Munich. Not surprisingly, the music bears an unmistakable resemblance to Mozart’s operatic concert arias and has become standard repertoire for female sopranos in our time. Tu Virginum is the elegantly lyric section which precedes the well-known and buoyant final Alleluia.

Soprano Charlotte Mundy specializes in music that is new, daring, and sublime. She has been called a “daredevil with an unbreakable spine” (SF Classical Voice). Recent performances include George Benjamin’s one-act opera Into the Little Hill at the 92nd Street Y and a set of music for voice and electronics presented by New York Festival of Song, described as “an oasis of radiant beauty” by the New York Times. She acted and sang in A Star Has Burnt My Eye at the BAM Next Wave Festival and The Apartment at Abrons Arts Center. In fall 2020, Mundy developed her surround sound/light/wind/smell installation, Light as a Feather, as a resident artist at the Harvestworks house on Governor’s Island. The multi-sensory ritual of Mass at “Smoky Mary’s” is a constant inspiration to her. Learn more at charlottemundy.com.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO VOLUNTEER?

Have you been coming to Saint Mary’s for a while, but have been unsure about how to get more involved? We’d love to talk to you about that. During 2024–2025 we hope to recruit more volunteers for the following ministries: Neighbors in Need, Acolytes, Readers, Ushers, Hospitality Teams, and Livestream Broadcasters. In order to do what we do for this congregation and for our neighborhood, we need your help. We urge you to pray about this, asking God to help you discern how you are being called to serve here at the parish. We promise you that greater commitment produces great rewards. For more information, speak to Father Sammy or Father Matt.

AWAY FROM SAINT MARY’S

Siena: The Rise of Painting
October 13, 2024–January 26, 2025
Upcoming at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 999
Fifth Avenue and 82nd Street

Siena: The Rise of Painting, 1300–1350 examines an exceptional moment at the dawn of the Italian Renaissance and the pivotal role of Sienese artists—including Duccio, Pietro and Ambrogio Lorenzetti, and Simone Martini—in defining Western painting. In the decades leading up to the catastrophic onset of the plague around 1350, Siena was the site of phenomenal artistic innovation and activity. While Florence is often positioned as the center of the Renaissance, this presentation offers a fresh perspective on the importance of Siena, from Duccio’s profound influence on a new generation of painters to the development of narrative altarpieces and the dissemination of artistic styles beyond Italy.

Drawing on the outstanding collections of The Met and the National Gallery, London, as well as rare loans from dozens of other major lenders, the exhibition will include more than 100 works by a remarkable group of Sienese artists. It will feature paintings alongside sculptures, metalwork, and textiles, ranging from large works made for public display to intimate objects created for private devotion. Although none of these artists survived the plague of circa 1350, their achievements had an immeasurable impact on painters and theorists in the centuries that followed. The exhibition is organized by The Metropolitan Museum of Art and The National Gallery, London.

On October 6, The Rubin Museum of Art will close its galleries on Seventeenth Street in Chelsea. From the museum website, “The Rubin is transitioning into a global museum model with the goal of bringing greater awareness and understanding of Himalayan art to more people around the world. As part of our evolution, we will close the physical galleries on 17th Street on October 6 and sell the building. We are proud of the groundbreaking exhibitions and events we have held in New York over the last twenty years and our building has been central to that success. While we are making major operational changes, our mission remains the same: to bring greater understanding and appreciation of Himalayan art to as large and diverse an audience as possible. The Rubin’s commitment to this overarching goal is unwavering and we look forward to continuing our work in this field well into the future.” The Rubin has played an important role in educating New Yorkers about the religious traditions of the Himalayas. Their galleries will be missed.

We need your help to keep holding our services. Click below, where you can make one-time or recurring donations to support Saint Mary’s. We are very grateful to all those who make such donations and continue to support Saint Mary’s so generously.

Saint Mary’s is a vibrant Anglo-Catholic witness in the heart of NYC. With our identity in Christ and a preference for the poor, we are an inclusive, diverse community called to love God and each other for the life of the world.

This edition of The Angelus was written and edited by Father Jay Smith, except as noted. Father Matt Jacobson also edits the newsletter 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.