‘There is something here for everyone’
St. Ninian’s Cathedral in midst of year-long 150th anniversary celebrations
For 150 years, St. Ninian’s Cathedral has sat perched atop its hill, a major landmark for all who approach Antigonish.
With its 125-foot-high square towers and its spires lit up at night, it is a sight that draws the eye’s attention.
But it is also a place that draws people together.
For Rev. Daniel Maclennan, cathedral rector, the community of Antigonish has evolved greatly, and this 150th anniversary is an opportunity to take stock of and celebrate how far it has come.
“Our community is a wonderful multicultural community now and that’s what we’re really celebrating,” he told The Casket. “We tried to make it really a wonderful cultural event where we really get to know each other.”
Celebrations of the Cathedral’s 150th anniversary commenced with a soft launch last September.
The church’s anniversary date falls on Sept. 13, 2024, marking 150 years since its dedication.
But the anniversary committee, comprised of parish members, decided to make it a yearlong celebration.
Since last September, celebrations have been ongoing with events planned each month.
Committee head Helen Kennedy felt it was important to the committee to plan initiatives and activities that are social, historical and liturgical in nature.
“We want to demonstrate that we have a living faith community here, that this is a place where life happens and we have spiritual experiences; we also want to show that we’re honouring a history that is rich and meaningful, that the faith of our forefathers and mothers have resulted in the institution that we have today,” she explained. “And we also want to show that we’re a welcoming community to all and our community is changing.”
She sees the festivities as a chance to reconnect with the broader community, especially in the wake of the pandemic.
“There is something here for everyone: there is joy, there is comfort, there is community here,” stated Kennedy. “And it’s an opportunity to invite people to come and celebrate with us and share with us this important milestone.”
EVENTS
The committee has been planning events as they go. Oftentimes, they coincide with moments on the liturgical calendar.
During Christmas, a special prayer was written for the anniversary. It was recited by children at the Christmas mass.
On Easter, they had a special dinner and presentation on the anniversary to all the priests and the diocese.
Other times, they are just ideas that spring up.
In one case, Rev. Maclennan suggested an event that would celebrate the diversity of the community.
They invited people from other faiths and cultures for a Soups Around the World event and scheduled it for early March.
There were soups from places as diverse as Italy, India, the Philippines, Germany, Ireland, Ukraine and the Netherlands. They raised over $1,800 in the process and well over 200 people attended.
“It was a wonderful event,” said Kennedy.
Another fun event was Drinking With the Saints.
The committee got local artists and musicians together for a cabaret style event, where they portrayed different characters, including saints, with a particular relevance to the community.
The evening of entertainment was a fun way for people to socialize and learn about the community’s history, including the naming of the church.
Since last fall, they have also been busy fundraising. Volunteers developed a cookbook, which sold over 350 copies.
Mary Janet Mcdonald of the popular Tunes and Wooden Spoons series even dropped by the church to do an episode.
While all events thus far have taken place at the Cathedral or parish hall, the next event is taking place at the Antigonish Heritage Museum.
There, at 1 p.m., April 28, Prof. Matthew Anderson of St. Francis Xavier will give a talk on the life of St. Ninian.
In July, they’re hoping to plan something in conjunction with the Antigonish Highland Games.
Through August, they’ll be prepping for the closing celebrations.
It will conclude with mass on Sept. 14 or 15, just in time for the Feast of St. Ninian on Sept. 16.
A photographer and videographer will also be putting together a digital document of the year-long celebration.
Kennedy is hoping that will be ready by the closing ceremony.