FROM THE RECTOR: INVITATION TO A TOWN HALL MEETING THIS SUNDAY

“The parish is not principally a structure, a territory, or a building, but rather,
‘the family of God, a fellowship afire with a unity of spirit.’”
~ St. John Paul II, Christifideles Laici, 26

My friend Fr. Andrew Rumsey (now Bishop of Saint Alban’s in England) wrote a lovely book called Parish: An Anglican Theology of Place. In the introduction, he explains what a parish actually is:

In Graeco-Roman society, paroikia (the Greek word from which we get “parish”) described the community of people either living physically beyond the city boundaries (literally “those beside the house”) or as non-citizens within the walls. They were those who lived nearby, but didn’t belong. That the early Church . . . adopted this civil term for their organization abounds with contemporary significance. The Church was the fellowship of strangers, the community of non-belongers, who had found their place in Christ.

And in The New Parish: How Neighborhood Churches Are Transforming Mission, Discipleship and Community, the authors say parish is “a unique word that recalls a geography large enough to live life together (live, work, play, etc.) and small enough to be known as a character within it.” My dream is that we inhabit both those descriptions as a parish—we’re a fellowship of strangers who’ve found our place at Saint Mary’s, united by belonging to Christ in this place, and each of us is deeply known by the others. 

To further that dream, I’m extending an invitation. At our Annual Meeting in May 2025, more than one of us said something like “You know, I wish we did this more often.” So we created Saint Mary’s Town Hall Meetings, informal gatherings every few months where we listen to each other and share our own thoughts about issues facing us as a parish. At past Town Halls, we’ve curated conversations about mission and our Year of Service, our liturgy, and “community” as seen through the eyes of Henri Nouwen. 

This Sunday, October 18, after the 11:00 AM Solemn Mass, you’re invited to our next Town Hall Meeting. This year, we are focusing on our roots at Saint Mary’s, and Sunday’s gathering is a panel discussion and conversation about who we really are as a parish. As a source document for our conversation, please take a few moments to read through the Parish Profile that the Rector Search Team created back in 2023. There are sections on our history, our neighborhood, our building, our liturgy and music, our volunteer opportunities, our finances, and our formation programs. Members of the team that assembled that amazing document will walk us through portions of it, and then we’ll have a conversation about our gifts, challenges, and opportunities. And it’s during Coffee Hour, so there’ll be food! 

To be a real fellowship where all members are united and each individual is known, we must spend time together. Every family needs time around the table. This Town Hall is ours. Hope to see you Sunday! — SW

PARISH PRAYERS

We pray for our sister parish, the Church of All Saints Margaret Street in 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 Zac, Paul, Jake, Christopher, Nancy, Connie, Nick, Tim, Sara, Mary, Diane, Daisy, Rob, Judy, Laura, Jay, Rita, Courtney, Dennis, Burks, Steven, Blaise, Jon, Jeff, Derick, Phil, Laura, Sue, Emilie, Sharon, Monique, Cassius, Lisa, Ruth Ann, Rosemary, Holly, Becky, Bill, Grady, Violet, Pat, Allen, Giovanna, Ronald, Jose, Ben, Russell, Robert, Sandy, Desarae, David, Tony, Jan, Carlos, Quincy, Leroy, and Margaret; James, Victoria, and Laura Katherine, religious; Lind, deacon; Tom, Jay, and Stephen, priests; and Leo, bishop.

We pray for the repose of the souls of those who have died and for those whose year’s mind is on October 18: Otto Sundermeyer (1879), Ann Wall (1899), Maurice Pilgrim (1903), and Bernard Flannery (2003).

GUILD OF THE WEEK: NEIGHBORS IN NEED

Each week we are featuring a different parish guild.
Maybe God is calling you to join one?

Neighbors in Need is Saint Mary’s principal outreach effort. Once a month, typically on the third Friday, volunteers distribute a wide array of toiletries, underwear, and gently used clothing. Each month, some 40 to 50 people visit Neighbors in Need. Some are regulars, some have come only once, some may be unhoused, many can simply use the extra support of our offerings. Neighbors in Need can use two groups of volunteers: (1) behind-the-scenes people who can help with processing of clothing donations: opening bags, sorting, sizing, folding, hanging, storing of items; and then with choosing, preparing and arranging items for the day of distribution and (2) volunteers on the distribution day from 1:30–3:00 PM, with a few people who can also help set up and clean up. We also value your clothing donations for men and women, but not children: coats and jackets, shoes, jeans and khakis, sweaters and shirts, hats and scarfs. For more information, send a note to neighbors@stmvny.org or speak to MaryJane Boland or Marie Rosseels.

AROUND THE PARISH

AIDS Walk Final Results: First Place! — The final results for AIDS Walk 2026 were released this week, and we are excited to share the news that we finished in first place among all teams, with a total of $62,870 raised. A big thank you to the team members and all who supported us! We are looking forward to 2027.

Guild of All Souls Lunch — The Guild of All Souls will go out to lunch for a guild meeting after the monthly Requiem Mass on Saturday, October 17. All are welcome at our monthly Requiem Masses, and those interested in learning more about the Guild of All Souls are also encouraged to join us for lunch afterwards on October 17!

Adult Formation on Sunday — Adult Formation continues this Sunday with our class on Anglo-Catholicism. Please visit the formation page on our website for more details. An audio recording of last week’s class has been posted as well. We meet in St. Joseph’s Hall at 9:45 AM. All are welcome.

Class for Newcomers and Confirmation Preparation — Fr. Sammy will be leading a Companions Class, where newcomers and those preparing for the Sacrament of Confirmation accompany each other in their formation. The class is designed to cover the basics of Christianity and our Anglican tradition. The class will meet on Wednesday evenings starting in November. Please contact Fr. Sammy with any questions and to register.

Newcomers Reception next Sunday — Fr. Sammy and Mrs. Renee Wood will be hosting a newcomers reception in the rectory next Sunday, October 25, after Solemn Mass. All newcomers to the parish are invited, including those who have been attending for a few years but have never attended one of these receptions. Please let Fr. Wood know by Wednesday, October 21, if you plan on attending.

Neighbors in Need: Winter is coming! — It may not feel as if winter is coming, but it is, and we hope to build up our supply of coats and jackets. If you plan to replace your coat this winter, please bring us your old coat now, still in good condition. Our other most needed items are casual clothes: pants and jeans, jackets, tops and shoes—we always need shoes. Men’s clothes are harder to come by than women’s clothes, especially in sizes 32–36. We don’t need professional clothing or children’s clothing. We would also be happy to talk to you about being a volunteer. Please speak to MaryJane Boland or Marie Rosseels for more information or email neighbors@stmvnyc.org. The next Drop-by day will be Friday, October 16.

THIS WEEK’S COMMEMORATIONS AT DAILY MASS

Monday, October 19 — Saint Luke the Evangelist (tr.)
Tuesday, October 20 — Feria
Wednesday, October 21 — Feria
Thursday, October 22 — Feria
Friday, October 23 — Saint James of Jerusalem
Saturday, October 24 — Of Our Lady

The 12:10 PM liturgy on Wednesday will be a Sung Mass.
Click here for detailed monthly calendars.

MONTHLY LITURGIES AND GATHERINGS

Parish Requiem — We offer a monthly Requiem Mass in the Mercy Chapel as part of our chapter of the Guild of All Souls. This Mass is typically celebrated on the third Saturday of the month unless a major feast falls on that day. All are welcome. Our next parish Requiem Mass will be this Saturday, October 17, at 12:10 PM. A guild lunch will follow.

Mass and Fellowship with Saint Stephen’s Young Adults — Mass is offered every Wednesday at 6:00 PM in the Lady Chapel. The Saint Stephen’s Guild of young adults attends on the third Wednesday of each month, followed by fellowship. Join them next on October 21.

Rosary Guild — Our Rosary Guild meets in the Lady Chapel after Solemn Mass (and a brief stop at Coffee Hour) on the fourth Sunday of the month to pray the rosary. All are welcome, including those who are curious, but have never prayed the rosary before! The Rosary Guild next meets on Sunday, October 25.

Evensong & Benediction — During the program year, we offer Evensong & Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament in lieu of Evening Prayer at 4:00 PM on the first Sunday of the month. E&B will next be offered on Sunday, November 1.

BECOME A FRIEND OF SAINT MARY’S

You already know you’re a friend of the Church of Saint Mary the Virgin, why not make it official? Now you can by joining our new program: Friends of Saint Mary’s. This is an opportunity for those who feel the connection to this extraordinary historic parish in the heart of New York City and want to participate even more in its vital work and witness. Click below to learn more about this program and to become a Friend of Saint Mary’s.

THE DIOCESE AND WIDER CHURCH

Halloween Crypt Crawls — Shake your spirits loose this Halloween season! Hear the stories of the entombed, learn the origins of Halloween as a Celtic New Year celebration and later transformation into All Hallows’ Eve, and creep into the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine’s crypt. Dates available: Saturday, October 24; Friday, October 30; Saturday, October 31. Click here for tickets.

Nightwatch at Saint John the Divine — Nightwatch is an evening spent in the world’s largest Gothic Cathedral immersed in a faith-based program to deepen your spiritual connection with God. This one-night pilgrimage is for students aged 12–18. Prices are $150 per person or $130 for groups of 15 or more. If cost is an issue, or if you’d like more information, please contact nightwatch@stjohndivine.org. Click here to learn more. 2026–2027 dates (all Fridays): October 30, February 5, and April 9.

Dean Varghese’s Book Launch — The Very Reverend Winnie Varghese’s newest book, One Single Act, will introduce readers to how daily acts of kindness, generosity and justice can spark personal transformation and renew our communities with hope. Dean Varghese, along with the Diocese of New York, originally launched a social media campaign, #OneSingleAct, in July 2025 to invite the community to perform one act of generosity, compassion, kindness or justice daily. The book expands on this idea and speaks to the fundamentals of Christian Spirituality. To celebrate its release, the Cathedral will host an event on November 9th at 6:30 PM. Attendance is free with RSVP. Click here to register.

CONCERTS AND EVENTS

2026–2027 Concerts and Performances — A schedule of the 2026–2027 concerts and performances at Saint Mary’s can be found on our website. This Saturday, October 17, the New York Repertory Orchestra will have a concert at 8:00 PM.

ABOUT THE MUSIC ON THE TWENTY-FIRST SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

The organ music before and after this Sunday’s Mass is by two composers closely associated with the English and French organ traditions. Percy Whitlock (1903–1946) was an English organist and composer whose music combines the influence of the English cathedral tradition with a distinctive warmth and lyricism. His Prelude on King’s Lynn is based on the English folk melody adapted by Ralph Vaughan Williams for the hymn O God of Earth and Altar, which we will sing at the Offertory. Charles-Marie Widor (1844–1937) served as organist of Saint-Sulpice in Paris for more than sixty years and was a central figure in the development of the French organ symphony. The Allegro from his Symphonie VI in G minor, Op. 42, No. 2 is vigorous and brilliant, combining dramatic energy with the full sonority of the organ.

The setting of the Mass is Canterbury Mass by Anthony Piccolo (b.1946). Piccolo’s note on the 1996 published edition reads: “Written in 1978 for Dr. Allan Wicks and the Choir of Canterbury Cathedral, these settings were intended for use in the Cathedral’s resonant Nave during the rebuilding of the organ. They are here presented somewhat revised and in accordance with current liturgical practice.” The Mass is scored for unaccompanied mixed choir, mostly in four parts but with occasional further division of voices. The text is disposed efficiently with occasional overlapping of text phrases. Piccolo grew up in New Jersey and completed a master’s degree at Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore, Maryland. During a subsequent nine-year residence in England, he sang with cathedral choirs of Litchfield, Canterbury and Saint Paul’s, London, and performed extensively as a pianist. Returning to the United States, he has remained very active as a composer, pianist, and conductor in a variety of venues.

The beloved English priest and poet George Herbert (1593–1633) offered his reflection and prayer to Jesus as the way, truth, and life in “The Call” (The Temple, 1633). Herbert’s prayer-poem has inspired many musical settings over the years. One of the most well-known is from Five Mystical Songs by Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872–1958), which has been distilled into many modern hymnals. (See 487 in The Hymnal 1982.) The setting of Herbert’s “The Call” sung as the Communion motet is by Richard DeLong (1951–1994), a prolific American composer whose life was unfortunately cut short. Born in Mansfield, Ohio, Delong flourished as an organist, harpsichordist, conductor and composer in the orbit of Dallas, Texas. He served the Roman Catholic parish of Saint Mark the Evangelist, Plano, for the last twelve years of his life. Many of his choral compositions were first given voice by the choir of that parish. Published in 1992, DeLong’s Come, my Way, my Truth, my Life for unaccompanied mixed voices was commissioned by Barbara Ilacqua in honor of her parents’ fortieth wedding anniversary. It is dated June 16, 1987.

The organist for the Mass this Sunday is our artist in residence, Alan Montgomery. Our guest choral director is Philip Reed. Mr. Reed is a D.M.A. candidate in choral conducting from Greenville, South Carolina, where he previously served as director of music at Prince of Peace Catholic Church, and where he continues to lead Chicora Voices, his professional choral ensemble. He holds degrees from Furman University (B.M., music composition and philosophy), the University of Georgia (M.M., choral conducting), and International Christian University in Tokyo, Japan (M.A., comparative culture). Philip was recently named a finalist for the American Prize’s 2026 Dale Warland Award in choral conducting for his work with Chicora Voices, who were likewise named finalists in the Choral Performance and American Music Performance categories. Philip’s academic interests include Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque sacred music, Japanese court and sacred music, and American music. In his free time, he enjoys contra dancing, hiking, and history podcasts.