Latest news with #SistersofSaintJoseph
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Historical harp to help open Hammond concert series
Jun. 27—HAMMOND — The Yellow Barn Concert Series opens Sunday with a celebration of a historical harp from the Sisters of Saint Joseph's. At 5 p.m. Sunday, the Iva Smith Memorial Gallery of Fine Art, 627 State Route 37, will present renowned harpist Janet Witman, who will commemorate the discovery of a rare harp dating from 1810 that had been in the possession of the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Watertown. In April, the sisters decided "it was time to repurpose" the property at 1425 Washington St., and sell it, so it would become an important asset for the community. Some sisters moved to Samaritan Summit Village and others found smaller homes in the area. The rare Erard harp dates from 1810 and is one of the first double-action harps capable of playing flat, natural, and sharp tones in the same piece, according to Evelyn Saphier, gallery director. Throughout the 20th century, the harp was used in the Sisters' musical conservatory by Sister Emmaline. Witman will perform her program on a Camac concert grand harp, Trianon model, made in France. "The harp of Saint Joseph's, too delicate to play, will be on display for its beauty," Saphier said. Witman's harp concert will include sacred works by Grandjany, Catagay Akyol, Bach, Mozart, James L. Bain, John Steiner, Sir John Rutter, Janet Witman and others. The Erard harp will be on display during the concert and throughout the summer at The Iva Smith Gallery. It will then find a new home in the music room of the Paddock Mansion of the Jefferson County Historical Society. Yellow Barn Concerts are $10 at the door, with children 18 and under admitted for free. Parents are encouraged to come 20 minutes early so their children can meet the instrumentalists and their instruments. This project is made possible in collaboration with Chippewa Bay Community Club, with funds from the Statewide Community Regrants Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts, with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature, and administered by the St. Lawrence County Arts Council.
Yahoo
08-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Erie religious groups protest Trump immigration policies in downtown Erie
The fight for immigrant rights makes its way to the front doorstep of the Federal Building in downtown Erie. Local religious groups organized Friday to deliver a message to our local representatives in Washington D.C. with a demonstration. 'They were devastated' Impacts of Trump immigration policies felt by Erie families Religious leaders from Erie County have strongly condemned recent executive orders issued by the Trump Administration, which they said have enabled mass deportation and ripped families apart. Representatives of religious groups including the Benedictine Sisters of Erie, Sisters of Saint Joseph, Sisters of Mercy, Benedictines for Peace, and many more made their voices heard. The group stood in solidarity in support of immigrants who feel they have become increasingly threatened under the trump administration. 'The immigrants right now, the refugees, they're living in fear, constant fear, because there's no way of telling when someone will show up and just take them away. This is happening. We know some people it has happened to,' said Sister Stephanie Schmidt, prioress for the Benedictine Sisters of Erie. UPMC Hamot hosts annual Wear Red Expo for women's heart health Members of this group said local immigrants, even ones with legal statuses, are fearful of action against them, hearing stories of others with proper documentation being detained and spilt up from their families. For demonstrators out on the doorstep of the Federal Building in downtown Erie, their Christian faith and belief about how others should be treated has brought them here. 'We want to show a united front that this isn't just individual people who think this, this is communities of people, it's communities of faith who think this and we come out together to ensure that our voices collectively have a more likelihood of being heard,' said Very Reverend Melinda Hall, dean of the Episcopal Cathedral of Saint Paul. 'It is not fair, it is not right, it is not just to treat people like animals and herd them away. It's all people. All people are deserving of respect and dignity,' Sister Schmidt said. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now They said executive orders have paved the way for militarized immigration enforcement and allow raids on schools, churches and hospitals in addition to workplaces and homes and effectively end asylum for those seeking it. Collectively, the religious coalition said regardless of legal status, immigrants are human beings and to carry out these executive orders means abandoning traditions that have made the United States a beacon of hope and safety to immigrants for generations. 'Any of the immigrants who are here, whether they're here just for basic immigration or they're here as refugees seeking protection, they are part of the fabric of this community. It is part of what makes erie, erie. It is part of how our businesses run, it is part of what our school district is comprised of, and to be a welcoming city means to care for those people who are in our midst and to let them know that we believe that they belong here,' Very Reverend Hall went on to say. Pymatuning State Park hosting annual Winter Fun Day After a demonstration outside, people flooded into the federal courthouse to leave their message with representatives of Senators John Fetterman, Dave McCormick, and Congressman Mike Kelly. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
