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- Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est.
- Congregavit nos in unum Christi amor.
- Exultemus, et in ipso iucundemur.
- Timeamus, et amemus Deum vivum.
- Et ex corde diligamus nos sincero.
- Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est.
- Where good and love are, God is there.
- Christ’s love has gathered us into one.
- Let us rejoice and be pleased in Him.
- Let us fear, and let us love the living God.
- And may we love each other with a sincere heart.
- Where charity and love are, God is there.
Some altar guilds in the state have ordered small linens from the Sisters of St. Margaret in Haiti. The convent motherhouse is in Massachusetts with a special mission in Haiti which has helped the local neighborhood by teaching sewing skills. Sister Adele was usually the contact for ordering the small linens, all beautifully hemmed and embroidered. The letter below from our bishop gives an update on their situation there.
Dear Friends,
We have all heard the devastating news from Haiti, and I’m sure that you prayed for the people of the country and the Diocese of Haiti. I have just (11AM) received news that St. Margaret’s convent, school, and orphanage have been destroyed, along with the Cathedral and Bishop’s residence. There is no word about the three sisters stationed there, the children at the orphanage, or the bishop and his family. If any of you receive word, please contact me as soon as possible.
Some of you have asked about donations. I have just received an SOS from Episcopal Relief and Development, and from the Society of St. Margaret. In the name of the diocese I will forward immediately, $3,000 to ERD and $2,000 to the sisters. Further contributions can be made to these entities, earmarked for Haiti. Funds sent to the Diocese, earmarked for Haiti or ERD, will be sent to ERD, as soon as possible. Please see below for information on how to make a donation.
Please keep me in your prayers as well, for one of the sisters in Haiti is a very close friend of mine.
In Christ,
+Gerry Wolf
Society of St. Margaret
17 Highland Park Street
Boston, MA 02119-7120
http://www.ssmbos.com/Pages/Haiti.html
Episcopal Relief and Development
P.O. Box 7058
Merrifield,VA 22116-7058
The prie-dieu (singular) or prayer desk once seen in most Episcopal churches is becoming a rarer article these days. Literally meaning “pray (to) God”, these items of convenience for prayers and devotions have been around for centuries-both as home furnishings for private prayers and also in chapels, in front of votive stands, at marriage ceremonies for the bride and groom to kneel upon, in front of shrines to saints, and in priests’ sacristies for prayer preparation before Mass. Often today a long kneeler has taken the places of the wedding prie-dieux and real candle votive stands are on 
the wane. Those electrified candles alas, aren’t quite the same thing! Still a staple in most Episcopal churches are kneelers in a hassock style, or pull-down hard kneelers on a wooden frame.
The prie-dieu to the left is from 1830. Some prie-dieux look very like a chair with an elongated back with a padded top for missals, breviaries and prayer books to perch while kneeling. Monastic prie-dieux have shelves for storage of materials needed during the many offices around the clock. The Episcopal church, especially after WWII adopted the needlepoint kneeler in pews, and on prie-dieux kneelers and padded tops. Trinity Church in Newport has an extraordinary collection of needlepoint kneelers and prie-dieux. That of the rector’s wife, situated in front of the pulpit, is of needlepoint in a pale shade and features violets, the state 
flower of Rhode Island.
Royalty, saints and even the Virgin Mary are often portrayed in art kneeling in pious attitudes on a prie-dieu. Prie-dieux have been made of every possible material, in every style according to the current taste, elaborate, simple, decorated and plain. with all manner of upholstery and padding. The prie-dieu of important persons have often survived to be preserved in museums. Simple, sturdy, and well-constructed ones have survived in humble convents and monasteries and are still in use. 
The amazing gilded prie-dieu to the right is from 1706 Italy and not surprisingly belonged to a lady of great rank and privilege.
A simple prie-dieu offered in a style still very affordable and obtainable through most church furnishing catalogues. The kneeler would look well in needlepoint.
The famous architect, and decorative arts designer and artisan, Augustus Welby Pugin, (1812-1852) who created masterpieces of Gothic Revival style from jewelry to the Parliament buildings in London designed a prie-dieu which had everything included in one impressive design.
I recently picked up this useful little booklet of 51 pages, printed by the Diocesan Altar Guild of Massachusetts in the 1920′s and costing 25 cents. These were available at 1 Joy Street, Boston and are full of helpful information. I will be scanning some of the pages to post here every week. The booklet is now out of print.
There are many topics covered from setting up a guild, sacristy care, care of the altar and font, vestment care, linens, choir vestments, candles and flowers, prayers for altar guilds, and even an official Altar Guild Hymn.
There’s a good deal of sensible advice in this little volume- more to come.
Magnificat
English (Book of Common Prayer):
My soul doth magnify the Lord :
and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
- For he hath regarded : the lowliness of his handmaiden.
- For behold, from henceforth : all generations shall call me blessed.
- For he that is mighty hath magnified me : and holy is his Name.
- And his mercy is on them that fear him : throughout all generations.
- He hath shewed strength with his arm : he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
- He hath put down the mighty from their seat : and hath exalted the humble and meek.
- He hath filled the hungry with good things : and the rich he hath sent empty away.
- He remembering his mercy hath holpen his servant Israel : as he promised to our forefathers, Abraham and his seed for ever.
In the Christian calendar, Lady Day is the traditional name of the Feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin.The Church’s celebration of the Annunciation is believed to date to the early 5th century, possibly originating at about the time of the Council of Ephesus (c 431). Earlier names for the Feast were Festum Incarnationis, and Conceptio Christi, and in the Eastern Churches, the Annunciation is a feast of Christ, but in the Latin Church it is a feast of Mary. The Annunciation has always been celebrated on March 25, exactly nine months before Christmas Day.
Libera Ave Maria
Give Us This Day:
Lenten Reflections On Baking Bread and Discipleship
List Price: $12.00
PAPERBACK , 5 x 7
- Seabury Books
- Jan/2007
- ISBN-13: 978-1-59627-046-6
Here is a title which you may have missed from Morehouse Publishing. There will be copies at the March 28th Cathedral gathering for your inspection. Here is what the book description has to say:
- Easy-to-make recipes are ideal for families with younger children,church school classes, and pot lucks
- Connecting of baking, food, and social justice make it good Lenten reading for middle and high school youth groups.
- Substantial reflections for prayer groups and Lenten study groups.
- Ecumenical in focus
Ideal for altar guilds and women who bake communion bread who want to make prayer and reflection part of their ministry. Bread speaks to us of our daily reliance upon a Maker, writes Christopher Levan. Perhaps more than any other food it brings us close to our roots as fellow creatures of God’s creation. Bread is an apt metaphor for the spiritual journey.
Give Us This Day offers meditations for every day in Lent, inviting us to connect faith “our daily bread” and the world in which we live, along with recipes that range from Shrove Tuesday “No-Fret Pancakes” to Easter Challah bread. Each of the 40 meditations begins with a scripture verse and a prayer.
Christ be with me, Christ within me,
Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort and restore me.
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ in quiet, and in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.
The following parishes will be attending on March 28th. About 70 altar guild members and their priests are expected as of this date but it is not too late to email me at Revdma@aol.com if you plan to attend. The Eucharist for Altar Guilds begins at 9 followed by a social hour and silver tea and presentations by our provincial directress and Mr. Robert Egan. Surplus vestments will be on hand to “adopt” for your parish, and a Morehouse Publishing table of titles of interest to altar guilds. Hope to see you there!
St. Barnabas
St. Mary’s Warwick Neck
St. John’s Newport
Epiphany East Providence
All Saints Pontiac
St. Augustine’s
Emmanuel, Cumberland
St. David’s-on-the-Hill
St. Paul’s Pawtucket, Grace Church, Providence
St. Elizabeth’s Canochet
Cathedral of St. John, Providence
The prayers and hymn below come from St. Augustine’s Prayerbook. I have had these laminated for use near the Christmas Crib during Christmastide and Epiphany. They may be left on a prayer desk in front of the Nativity scene . This is an especially good time to also leave an inexpensive notepad, or little binder notebook with pen so visitors to the Christmas Crib may write down prayer petitions when they come to kneel before the manger.
Saint Augustine’s Prayer Book is an Anglo-Catholic devotional book published for members of the Episcopal Church by the Anglican monastic community the Order of the Holy Cross.
The first edition of this little book of devotions was edited by Fr. Loren Gavitt and published in 1947. Now in its seventeenth printing of the revised edition from 1967 it remains a popular-selling book among members of the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church of Canada. It is considered a companion to the prayers and devotions of the Book of Common Prayer (American editions of 1928 and 1979). In addition to various prayers and devotions, it includes the order of Mass according to the Anglican Missal, with the Prayer Book Canon of the Mass. (Wikipedia).
Before the popularity of the cassock alb, the amice and flowing white alb tied with a rope cincture were seen in every sacristy. All altar guild members and sacristans had to know how to lay out the vestments on the counter or the top of the vestment press in a particular order going from the first thing to go on over the black cassock to the donning of the last vestment, the chasuble. The vestments were laid out in reverse order with the chasuble on the bottom (front down), the stole laid out in an “H” shape, followed by the maniple centered, the rope cincture coiled in an “S” to form the sacred IHS monogram The snowy alb was arranged on top of this and the amice laid on top with the strings crossed, thus the first piece needed would be the last thing placed on top. Prayers would be said on each vestment, with the card of prayers usually framed and placed in behind the layout of vestments. Today the maniple is rarely seen and the cassock alb has, in many sacristies, replaced the amice, alb and rope cincture-and so these prayers have now all but disappeared. Still, some parishes continue this tradition and the cards may be found plain or laminated at many online sources. Pax House offers this attractive set already framed at
http://www.paxhouse.com/altarcards.html
At Washing the Hands
CLEANSE my hands, O Lord, from all stain, that, pure in mind and body, I may be worthy to serve Thee.
While putting on the Amice
PLACE, O Lord, the helmet of Salvation upon my head to repel the assaults of the Devil.
While putting on the Alb
CLEANSE me, O Lord, and purify my heart, that, being made white in the Blood of the Lamb, I may attain everlasting joy.
While putting on the Girdle or Cincture
GIRD me, O Lord, with the girdle of purity and quench in me the fire of concupiscence, that the grace of temperance and chastity may abide in me.
While putting on the Maniple
GRANT me, O Lord, to bear the light burden of grief and sorrow, that I may with gladness take the reward of my labor.
While putting on the Stole
GIVE me again, O Lord, the stole of immortality, which I lost by the transgression of my first parents, and although I am unworthy to come unto Thy Holy Sacrament, grant that I may attain everlasting felicity.
While putting on the Chasuble
LORD, who hast said, My yoke is easy, and My burden is light, grant that I may so bear it, as to attain Thy grace. Amen.
GOD’S HOUSEKEEPERS
There are a faithful few who work unseen
and unobtrusively give of their best;
Who spend their lives perfecting little things
which often pass unnoticed by the rest.
Theirs are the hands that dust the altar rails
and change the flowers and keep the linen fair.
They sweep the aisle with cheerful reverence
and polish silver with a murmured prayer.
They are the quiet ones who freely give their time
and thought and love with glad accord;
Who softly tread the byways of resolve,
and share the peace of God for their reward.
Author Unknown.
Bishop James DeWolf Perry, Bishop of Rhode Island 1930-37 (Courtesy of the Diocese of R.I.)
At present, the old familiar guild manual by Edith Weir Perry is out of print but a new edition is in the works at Morehouse Publishing. No date has been announced when this will again be available. Mrs. Perry was the wife of former Bishop of Rhode Island, James DeWolf Perry. Mrs. Perry died in 1955 and her manual for altar guild workers is seldom out of print. The Perry family papers and letters may be found at the University of Rhode Island. For more on the life and career of the Bishop click here: http://www.uri.edu/library/special_collections/registers/manuscripts/perry_james_dewolf/bio.html
A favorite prayer to begin each altar guild meeting comes from this little blue manual. Used copies may be found on Amazon.com starting at $3.99 Here is one of several beautiful prayers from Mrs. Perry’s manual:
| From the “Altar Guild Manual” |
| O Lord Jesus Christ, who didst accept the ministry of faithful women during your earthly life; We pray you to accept and bless the work that this altar guild undertakes in the care of your sanctuary. Grant us a spirit of reverence for your house and worship, your Word and Sacraments, and preserve in purity and holiness our own souls and bodies as living temples of Your presence. Amen. |
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