SAINT LEO THE GREAT: ON THE FEAST OF THE NATIVITY

On all days and at all times, dearly beloved, does the birth of our Lord and Saviour from the Virgin-mother occur to the thoughts of the faithful, who meditate on divine things, that the mind may be aroused to the acknowledgment of its Maker, and whether it be occupied in the groans of supplication, or in the shouting of praise, or in the offering of sacrifice, may employ its spiritual insight on nothing more frequently and more trustingly than on the fact that God the Son of God, begotten of the co-eternal Father, was also born by a human birth. But this Nativity which is to be adored in heaven and on earth is suggested to us by no day more than this when, with the early light still shedding its rays on nature, there is borne in upon our senses the brightness of this wondrous mystery. For the angel Gabriel’s converse with the astonished Mary and her conception by the Holy Ghost as wondrously promised as believed, seem to recur not only to the memory but to the very eyes. For today the Maker of the world was born of a Virgin’s womb, and He, who made all natures, became Son of her, whom He created. Today the Word of God appeared clothed in flesh, and That which had never been visible to human eyes began to be tangible to our hands as well. Today the shepherds learned from angels’ voices that the Saviour was born in the substance of our flesh and soul; and today the form of the Gospel message was pre-arranged by the leaders of the Lord’s flocks , so that we too may say with the army of the heavenly host: Glory in the highest to God, and on earth peace to men of good will.”

Click here to read the entire sermon, On the Feast of the Nativity, VI (Sermon 26).

Translated by Charles Lett Feltoe. From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Vol. 12. Edited by Philip Schaff and Henry Wace. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1895.) Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight.

PARISH PRAYERS

We pray for the people and clergy of our sister parish, the Church of All Saints, Margaret Street, London, and for the Anglican Church of Canada, in the Anglican cycle of prayer.

We pray for those who have asked us for our prayers, for Alice, Loredana, Joshua, Irma, Ruth Ann, Rosemary, Holy, Becky, Bill, Elliot, Grady, Chris, Violet, Tod, Pat, Allen, Melvin, Vicki, Brendon, Nadia, Carol, Giovanna, Priya, Kavi, Ronald, Jose, Ben, Russell, Robert, Sandy, Lexi, Georgia, Desarae, David, Tony, Jan, Carlos, Liduvina, Quincy, Leroy, Margaret, and Robert; Victoria, Suzanne Elizabeth, and Laura Katherine, religious; Lind, deacon; and, Jay and Stephen, priests.

We pray for the repose of the souls of those who have died, and for those whose year’s mind is on December 28: Mary Sturgenegger (1904), Ethel Forline Lascelle (1923), Anita Boos (1940), Martha May Lewis (1953), and Julia Early (1956).

AROUND THE PARISH

Thank you Flower Guild and all Volunteers — The clergy and staff would like to thank the members of the flower guild and all the volunteers who worked so hard over the last few weeks to prepare the church for Christmas so that we were able to “worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.” (Psalm 29:2, 96:9) Thank you!

Rosary Guild — The Rosary Guild meets this Sunday, December 28, after the 11:00 AM Mass, to pray the rosary. All are welcome.

Evensong & Benediction — Evensong & Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament will next be offered on Sunday, January 4, at 4:00 PM in lieu of Evening Prayer.

The Epiphany — The Epiphany of Our Lord Jesus Christ is on Tuesday, January 6. Morning Prayer is at 8:00 AM. There will be a Sung Mass at 12:10 PM in the Lady Chapel. In the evening, Buck McDaniel & Derrick Meador will offer an Organ Recital at 5:30 PM. Solemn Mass follows at 6:00 PM.

Board Transitions — Dr. Charles Morgan and Ms. Mary Robison recently finished their terms and have rotated off the Board of Trustees. Thank you for your service and leadership! Dr. Mark Risinger, Dr. Carl Grindley, and Mr. Steven Heffner have joined the board. The current officers of the board are Fr. Sammy Wood, president, Mr. Clark Mitchell, vice president, Mrs. Grace Mudd, treasurer, and Ms. Katherine Hoyt, secretary. The other members of the board whose terms continue in 2026 are Ms. Patricia Ahearn, Mr. Steven Eldredge, Ms. Renee Pecquex-Burroughs, and Ms. Reha Sterbin. Please pray for the members of our Board of Trustees who faithfully serve this parish.

2026 Saint Mary's Calendars are now available! — The suggested donation for each calendar is $20 in-person and $25 online (which includes shipping) and $40 for international shipping. Click here to order your calendar online and here for a sample of the 2026 calendar. Calendars are available in-person after Solemn Masses and Evensong & Benediction in Saint Joseph’s Hall during the month of December 2025 and beginning of January 2026. Saint Mary’s Flower and Altar Guilds have produced the calendar and all proceeds will help fund critical guild restoration needs. Please contact Brendon Hunter with any questions about the 2026 Saint Mary’s calendar.

Adult Formation — Adult Formation is on Christmas break until January 18. In January, we will resume with a Foundations Course on the spiritual life taught by Fr. Sammy Wood. Click here to see what we have planned for next semester.

Interested in being Confirmed? — Please speak with Fr. Sammy Wood if you are interested in receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation or being received into the Episcopal Church (for those already confirmed in another Christian denomination). Confirmation class begins in early 2026 and will prepare candidates to be confirmed at Bp. Allen Shin’s visit on Pentecost.

Hosts Needed for Coffee Hours — Community is a vital part of life in our parish, and every Sunday we host a Coffee Hour after the 11:00 AM Mass to welcome newcomers, foster fellowship, and build relationships among Saint Marians. Next year marks the 75th anniversary of Coffee Hour at Saint Mary’s, and we are building teams of at least two people to host once a month or so. That's why we need you! If you’d like to be on a team, contact Fr. Sammy or give your name to Renee Wood on Sunday in the Parish Hall.

Thursday Bible Study — Thursday evening Bible study in 2025-2026 is based on the Sunday lectionary for the upcoming Sunday and generally will be led by the preacher for that day. We meet over Zoom at 6:00 PM. If interested, please email Fr. Wood for the link.

Neighbors in Need — As it grows colder, the needs of our visitors change. Our first priority now is warm jackets and coats. We are also in serious need of men’s large winter tops and sweaters. Our additional priority needs are practical shoes (no dress shoes or high heels), jeans and cords, and sweaters and tops. Thanks to a generous gift at our October drop-by, we were able to provide new jeans for every visitor. Thanks to your donations we are also able to purchase toiletries and underwear, especially thermals. Please speak to MaryJane Boland or Marie Rosseels for more information or send an email to neighbors@stmvnyc.org.

Grant Writer Needed — From time to time, Saint Mary’s becomes aware of grant opportunities, and we are seeking a volunteer to research these opportunities and write persuasive proposals. Key skills include strong research, writing, organizational, communication, and project management abilities, as well as a deep understanding of our parish mission. If you are able to help, please contact Chris Howatt in the parish office.

THE DIOCESE AND WIDER CHURCH

Christmas message from the Presiding Bishop — “If you imagine yourself as a character in the Gospel Nativity readings, you’ll soon realize that the first Christmas was not about staying home by a warm hearth with chestnuts roasting and stockings hanging. Everyone in these passages is on the move, mostly without warning and against their will. Joseph and Mary are summoned from Nazareth to Bethlehem for a census. Shepherds, at the behest of an angel, leave their sheep in the fields to see what all the fuss is about. And the three Magi, my favorites, are just sitting there minding their own kingdoms when a star intrudes on their lives and leads them on an unplanned and uncomfortable trip far away from home. . .” Click here for the Bishop Rowe’s full message. He asks us to join him at Christmas in supporting one of the following ministries of the Episcopal Church:

• Episcopal Migration Ministries, which works with dioceses and ministry networks to serve migrants and protect their rights.

• Good Friday Offering for the Episcopal Church of Jerusalem and the Middle East, which supports lifesaving ministry in Gaza and across the Holy Land.

• Episcopal Relief & Development, which works for lasting change in communities affected by injustice, poverty, disaster, and climate change.

Immigration Legal Support Fund — Recently, the Diocese of New York announced a new Immigration Legal Support Fund to support immigrant families in our congregations and neighborhoods throughout the Diocese of New York. The Legal Fund will help those navigating immigration under urgent and vulnerable circumstances to access legal resources. We’re starting with a $50,000 contribution from the Bishop’s discretionary funds.  Help us to match this amount to keep families together. With your support, we can do more so that no one faces the system alone. Your contribution makes possible same-day response, family preparedness, limited-scope appearances, and urgent filings. You can click below to contribute. Learn more about the Immigration Legal Support Fund here.

Reparations Hearings — Dr. John Derek Norvell shares that a series of hearings concerning reparations and New York slavery are being held by Gov. Hochul. He has formed a committee which will schedule a meeting with one of the state senators, Cordell Cleare, after Christmas. Dr. Norvell, along with scholars and others who are involved, want hearings be held in NYC as well as upstate and also to have some dates in the initial documents corrected. He notes that these events have an important impact on the 400th anniversary of the African American community of New York and the celebration of the Pinkster year from May 2026 through May 2027. For additional information, or to get involved, please contact John Derek at jnorvell759@gmail.com.

Saint John the Divine’s New Year’s Eve Concert for Peace — Ring in the new year with the Cathedral’s New Year’s Eve Concert for Peace, a beloved tradition now in its 41st year. The program features a performance of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, performed by a stellar cast of soloists and the Cathedral Choir and Orchestra. Poignant commentary by the renowned journalist Harry Smith also promises to move and inspire. Click here for tickets and more details.

ABOUT THE MUSIC AT SOLEMN MASS ON THE FIRST SUNDAY AFTER CHRISTMAS DAY

The setting of the Mass on Sunday is the four-voice Missa secunda of Hans Leo Hassler. Born in Nuremberg and baptized on 26 October 1564, Hassler’s musical career bridged the late Renaissance to the early Baroque periods. His initial musical instruction was from his father, Isaak Hassler (c.1530–1591). Hans Leo left home in 1584 to study in Venice with Andrea Gabrieli (c.1532–1585) and become a friend and fellow pupil with Gabrieli’s nephew Giovanni (c.1554–1612). Thus, Hassler was one of the first of a succession of German composers to experience in Italy the musical innovations that were shaping what would later be identified as baroque style. Hassler was recognized in his day not only as a composer, but also as an organist and a consultant on organ design. Although he was a Protestant, Hassler’s early compositions were for the Roman church. His Missa secunda, first published in Nuremberg in 1599, is a model of efficient and concise text setting. The text is mostly set syllabically, and much of the musical texture is homophonic and rhythmically energetic. Hassler often has the higher two voices and lower two voices singing phrases in playful alternation. These aspects all help to set forth the text with particular clarity.

The communion motet is a setting of a carol by William Chatterton Dix (1837–1898) which was inspired by the Epiphany Gospel, Matthew 2:1-12. Dix’s text was first published in 1871 with the well-known English folk song melody, Greensleeves, in Bramley and Stainer’s Christmas Carols New and Old, which helped to assure its immediate popularity. The Dix carol, with text slightly altered, appeared in The Hymnal 1940 (36) and was retained in The Hymnal 1982 (115). Benedict Tanner has supplied new music for Dix’s words. His well-crafted setting, published in 2020, like Greensleeves, is in the minor mode, but unlike the folksong Greensleeves, is stylistically reminiscent of a Bach chorale, giving a distinctively different feel to the familiar carol text. Benedict Tanner, currently organ scholar at Chichester Cathedral, is a former chorister at Saint Paul’s Cathedral, London. He is the son of soprano, Philippa Hyde, and Richard Tanner, the recently appointed Organist and Director of Music at Saint Thomas’ Church, Fifth Avenue.

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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 Matt Jacobson, except as noted. Father Matt is also responsible for formatting 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. If you have an idea for an article that you would like to publish in an upcoming issue of The Angelus, Father Matt would be happy to discuss it with you.