FROM FATHER STEPHEN MORRIS: ON VENERATING RELICS OF THE SAINTS

The Rev. Dr. Sarah Coakley, professor emeritus at Cambridge University, recently asked:

When we venerate the Cross or the relics of the saints—especially the martyrs, those killed for their public preaching or acts of faith—are we assenting to ongoing injustice, violence, or abuse? No—that would be negligence or cowardice. Are we passively accepting the misuse of power? No—that would be masochism. Are we saying that human agony is alright, that I should just grit my teeth and get through it? No—that would be stoicism. When we venerate the Cross or the relics of the saints, we are saying—not just with our words but with our whole bodies, our whole selves—that our hope resides in what the God-Man has already accomplished and the martyrs demonstrate what this accomplishment looks like in different times and places. [1]

Early Christians venerated the physical remains of the saints (Acts 5: St. Peter’s shadow healed the sick; Acts 7: the collection and veneration of St. Stephen’s bones; Acts 19: St. Paul’s handkerchiefs and aprons healed the sick) because the relics were saturated with the power, energy, and glory of God. Even the bones of Old Testament prophets could raise the dead and work miracles (2 Kings 13:20–21). The bodies of holy people are holy because they were washed with the water of Holy Baptism and ate/drank the Body and Blood of Christ. As they lifted their hands to pray and said the words with their mouths, their whole selves—not just their “souls”—were sanctified and saturated with the presence of God.

As Christians, we believe in the resurrection of the dead—we do NOT believe that we have “immortal souls.” We proclaim in the Nicene Creed and the Apostles’ Creed that our whole personhood—body, soul, spirit—will be reunited and raised together by Jesus. Our bodies are just as important as our spirits or souls; we work out our salvation with our bodies (Philippians 2) and partake in the physical sacraments of the Church with our bodies. God saves our WHOLE selves and continues to act through our whole selves, even after we are dead.

We venerate the relics—the physical remains—of the saints. But the Mother of God was taken into glory when she died. The life of the early Church is testimony to this because no one ever at any time anywhere ever claimed to have a relic of the Mother of God herself—unlike the relics of St. Stephen, St. Peter, St. Paul, and the other early martyrs. But we do have relics of her tomb—shards and chips of stone from her tomb, venerated by Christians since the early days of the Church just as Christ’s tomb in Gethsemane has been venerated. The stones of the tombs of the saints—especially the stones of the tombs of Christ and his Most Pure Mother—are saturated with the holiness and glory of those who were buried or entombed there. We will have the opportunity to venerate a relic of the Blessed Virgin’s tomb at the celebration of Solemn Mass for the Assumption on August 14. I was given a shard of stone from the Virgin’s tomb as an ordination gift in 1984 by my daughter’s godmother who had been on pilgrimage to Israel, and I am happy to share the privilege and opportunity to venerate this relic with the faithful of Saint Mary the Virgin. — SM

In giving birth, you preserved your virginity, and in falling asleep you did not forsake the world, O Mother of God. You passed into life as the Mother of Life, and by your prayers, you deliver our souls from death.

Neither the tomb, nor death had power over the Mother of God, who is unsleeping in her intercessions and an unchanging hope in her protection. For as the Mother of Life, she was translated into life by Him who dwelt in her ever-virginal womb.[2]

As noted above, our principal celebration of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary will be a Solemn Mass on the Eve of the Assumption, Friday, August 14, at 6:00 PM. Fr. Morris’ relic of the tomb of the Blessed Virgin Mary will be available for veneration in the church that evening.

PARISH PRAYERS

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

We pray for those who have asked us for our prayers, for Dennis, Shri, Donald, Rick, Burks, Steven, Heather, Theodore, Laura, Marat, Sveta, Kofi, Kay, Blaise, Jon, Riccardo, Jeff, Derick, Phil, Laura, Sue, Emilie, Sharon, Monique, Cassius, Lisa, Ruth Ann, Rosemary, Holly, Becky, Bill, Grady, Chris, 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; and John, 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 August 9: Catherine Louisa Van Cott (1883), Howard James (1887), Edward Farner (1896), and Arthur Clayton Searles (1923); and David Louis Taylor (1993) and Eurico Daudt (2021), priests.

IN THIS TRANSITORY LIFE

In the July 5 issue, we announced the death of parishioner Robert Picken, and Fr. Peter R. Powell offered some memories of Bob. The funeral plans are now available. There will be a Requiem Mass in the Lady Chapel at Saint Mary’s on Tuesday, August 25, at 10:30 AM. Fr. Powell will be the preacher. The Committal will follow immediately in the Mercy Chapel.

AROUND THE PARISH

The Assumption — August 15, the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, falls on a Saturday this year. Our principal celebration will be a Solemn Mass on the Eve of the Assumption, Friday, August 14, at 6:00 PM. Our guest preacher will be Fr. John Beddingfield, rector of the Church of the Holy Trinity on the Upper East Side and former curate at Saint Mary’s.

Assumption Appeal — Our annual Assumption appeal letter was recently mailed and a copy of the letter from Fr. Wood can also be read here. We are looking for donations to help fund the purchase of cushions for the pews. Thank you for your generosity!

Ice Cream Social — The Virgin Mary might be “clothed with the sun,” but we can beat the heat with an icy treat. Join us on August 16 at Coffee Hour after the 11:00 AM Solemn Mass for an ice cream social.

YSM & Cyclones Game — Grab your baseball caps and join The Young Saint Marians on Sunday, September 6, at 2:00 PM for a Brooklyn Cyclones game at Coney Island! Tickets are estimated to cost $22 or less. Please RSVP by Friday, August 21, to youngstmarians@gmail.com, and tickets will be purchased that same weekend. Feel free to reach out with any questions, and we’re looking forward to a fun afternoon!

Ordination of Mtr. Elis — Our new curate, Mtr. Elis Lui, was ordained to the diaconate in February and will be ordained to the priesthood on Saturday, September 12, at the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine. The liturgy begins at 10:30 AM. Fr. Sammy and Fr. Matt will be attending her ordination, and we warmly welcome all Saint Marians to join us!

Property Committee Forming — The Board of Trustees is actively working to assemble a Property Committee to advise them, manage projects, and interact with vendors. If you have experience in these areas, please contact Fr. Sammy.

Cookies are a Call to Community — During the summer months, we simplify Coffee Hour a bit to “Cookies and Lemonade,” though there is still coffee too! We are looking for volunteers to help support this ministry. Please let Fr. Wood know if you would like to bring the cookies and lemonade for a summer Sunday and check out this Substack post he’s shared entitled “Cookies are a call to community.”

Neighbors in Need: What do we need? — We always need practical shoes in all adult sizes. We need jeans, especially in men’s sizes 32-36—but also women’s sizes and pants other than jeans. And, as you may be thinking of a new winter coat, we would love to have your old coat! We accept all kinds of casual clothing: jackets, pants, tops and shoes, but we do not need professional clothing or children’s clothing. Thanks to many wonderful cash donations, we are able to purchase toiletries and underwear. Please speak to MaryJane Boland or Marie Rosseels for more information or send an email to neighbors@stmvnyc.org. The next Drop-by day will be Friday, August 21.

WEEKDAY MASS COMMEMORATIONS

Monday, August 10 — Laurence, Deacon, and Martyr at Rome, 258
Tuesday, August 11 — Clare, Abbess at Assisi, 1253
Wednesday, August 12 — Florence Nightingale, Nurse, Social Reformer, 1910
Thursday, August 13 — Jeremy Taylor, Bishop of Down, Connor and Dromore, 1667
Friday, August 14 — Jonathan M. Daniels, Seminarian & Witness for Civil Rights, 1965
and the Eve of the Assumption
Saturday, August 15 — The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary 

Click here for detailed monthly calendars.

MONTHLY LITURGIES

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, August 8, given that the Assumption falls on the third Saturday.

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 will next meet on Sunday, August 23.

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, October 4.

THE DIOCESE AND WIDER CHURCH

Diocesan Celtic Pilgrimage — Join Canon Lisa Ahuja and Canon Tanya Wallace on an Episcopal Diocese of New York pilgrimage to the holy island of Iona, Scotland, to experience the Celtic thin space where St. Columba founded his monastery. The pilgrimage will run Friday, June 11, 2027 (with departure from NYC the evening of June 10) through Saturday, June 19, 2027. While at the Abbey, we will take time to rest, reflect, and renew, in community with ecumenical Christians from around the world. The Iona Abbey retreat offers a gentle rhythm of worship, guided reflections, and shared community life, alongside space to rest and explore the island. The deadline to register with your deposit is August 23, 2026. Click here for more details about the pilgrimage and to register.

Deacon Formation Program: Inquirers Zoom — Are you interested in exploring ordination to the Diaconate? Are you already in discernment for the Diaconate? Register for this Inquirers Zoom on Monday, September 14, at 7:00 PM. Archdeacon Denise LaVetty will explain how the program works, what's required of you, and other important details to help you discern how this ministry might be where God is calling you. You must register to receive the Zoom link. Register by emailing archdeacon@dioceseny.org.

Vocations Day: Listening Hearts Retreat — On Saturday, September 26, from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM at Saint Mark’s Church-in-the-Bowery, the Diocese will offer an intentional gathering to help those who are beginning to discern a call to lay or ordained leadership in the life of the Church. Seekers will hear from the Canon for Lay & Clergy Formation, the Archdeacon for Diaconal Formation and members of the Commission on Ministry about the ministry of the Laity and Clergy, the expectations of the Commission on Ministry for those seeking ordination, and clear and practical next steps. There will be prayer, a plenary session, breakout groups, and lunch. Break out groups will include sessions exploring priesthood, the diaconate, and discerning lay leadership for your community’s needs. Seekers are encouraged to attend with their clergy person, and the expectation is that participants will be present the whole day. Lunch will be served. Registration is required (click here).

ABOUT THE MUSIC ON THE ELEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

Sunday’s organ voluntaries continue a series, begun last Sunday, of the eight “Little” Preludes and Fugues traditionally attributed to J. S. Bach (1685–1750). These pieces are now widely believed to have been composed by one of Bach’s pupils, very likely Johann Tobias Krebs (1690–1762), or his son Johann Ludwig Krebs (1713–1780). Of these eight relatively short preludes and fugues, four are in the major keys of C, F, G, and B-flat, and the remaining four are in their relative minors of A, D, E, and G. The standard ordering of these eight pieces begins with BWV 553 in C Major and progresses up the scale to BWV 560 in B-flat. This Sunday’s prelude is BWV 559 in A minor, and the postlude is BWV 553 in the relative major key of C. BWV 559, for the prelude, is probably the most dramatic of the eight preludes and fugues, displaying elements of the stylus fantasticus (“fantastic style”) of north-German Baroque keyboard music. BWV 553, numbered first in the collection and played for the postlude, is a bright and innocently straightforward piece. Both preludes and fugues have stylistic similarities to the larger works BWV 543 and BWV 545, which are in the same respective keys and are more certainly authentic works of J. S. Bach.

The setting of the Mass is Missa “Ich segge adieu” by Johannes de Fossa (c.1540–1603). The precise identity of this setting’s composer is difficult to verify, but this Johannes de Fossa is probably the Franco-Flemish composer, singer and kapellmeister whose family of origin came out of the village of Fosses in the province of Namur, a small town in the diocese of Liège. In 1559 he was appointed vice-conductor of the Munich Court Orchestra which was directed by Orlando di Lasso. Fossa’s surviving works include a number of various sacred works—mostly for four voices and some with instruments—and six Masses. Missa “Ich segge adieu” (I bid farewell) is a parody Mass based upon a secular farewell song from a 1544 Antwerp songbook. The first phrase of the source song’s melody is clearly recognizable in the top voice at the beginning of each movement of the Mass. A 1572 choral setting of the song by Ludovicus Episcopius (1520–1595) may have been Fossa’s model for his Mass movements in which the liturgical texts are dispatched clearly and efficiently.

The motet sung during the administration of Communion is a setting of a prayer for God’s guidance first noted in a Sarum primer published in London in 1514. This prayer has been reprinted in countless devotional collections. It was found in The Hymnal 1940 (466) and at 694 in The Hymnal 1982. Many choral settings of this prayer exist as well. The setting sung today was composed by John Rutter, perhaps the most prolific and well-published living British composer. Rutter’s appealing setting for four voices was published in 1970 and is one of his most often performed church anthems.

Click below, where you can make a one-time or recurring donation.
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 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 parish volunteer, Clint Best. Mother Elis Lui also assists with editing the newsletter. 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.

[1] Preached at Saint Thomas, Fifth Avenue, on Good Friday 2026
[2] Hymns for the Dormition (Falling Asleep) of the Mother of God