ANTIGONISH, N.S. — The gift of music is a great way in which to remember.
That will happen this weekend at the venerable St. Ninian Cathedral in Antigonish.
The St. Ninian’s Cathedral Concert Series will take center stage with an evening in honour of Remembrance Day.
“It will feature songs of the era,” Sean Cameron of the St. Ninian Parish Foundation said.
The concert, which will feature talent from Antigonish town and county, and beyond, will take place Friday, Nov. 8, from 7 to 8:30 p.m.
“We have a lot of very talented artists,” Cameron noted.
The line-up of entertainment includes the St. Ninian’s Choir – under the direction of Emery van de Wiel – and the Clan Thompson Pipe Band, along with performances from the likes of Mary Beth Carty, John Pellerin, Margaret MacGregor MacDonald, Janet Becigneul and Andy Hirt.
The concert of hymns, tunes and pieces, ‘in remembrance of those who lost their lives for us,’ as promotional material indicates, will also include a recitation of In Flanders Fields by John Bugler and participation from 285 Royal Canadian Army Cadet Corps’ members.
Cameron noted the concert, which is open to everyone and non-denominational, will also help mark the 100th anniversary of Remembrance Day.
Proceeds from the goodwill donation celebration will benefit the foundation, which, as its mission states, accepts and receives donations and bequests from parishioners and other approved sources and to be proactive in supporting the financial needs of St. Ninian’s Parish.
Those ‘financial needs’ include, but are not limited to the ongoing maintenance, operations and repair of St. Ninian Cathedral, St. Ninian Place, St. Ninian Rectory and any other place of worship, parish office or parish rectory designed by the pastoral council of St. Ninians Parish for “the primary purpose of making possible the promotion and preservation of the Roman Catholic Faith.”
Cameron noted one of the ongoing initiatives that will benefit from concert series’ proceeds will the restoration of cathedral paintings, including the saints that adorn the place of worship.
The next presentation of the St. Ninian’s Cathedral Concert Series will take place in the lead-up to Christmas.
