St Marys Church Newport Media Advisory Return of Pipe … attend special music events and performances by its choirs and guest musicians. Title Microsoft Word - St Marys Church Newport_Media

ThemissionofSt.Mary'sParishistocontinuetheworkofJesusChristthroughWorship,Education,StewardshipandService

MEDIAADVISORY

WHAT:HighlyanticipatedarrivaloftheChurch’smassivepipeorganafterbeingfullyrestoredbytheCasavantFrèresCompanyinQuebec,Canada.Themediaisinvitedtoattendandwitnessthismajorspectacleandonceinalifetimeevent.WHEN:Wednesday,April19th.TheorganwillbedeliveredtoSt.Mary’sChurchat8a.m.(asectionofthestreetwillbeblockedoff).Thechurchwillbeclosedfortwoweekswhileateamofexpertsreassemblestheorgan,piecebypiece,backtoitsoriginalsplendor.WHERE:St.Mary’sChurch,12WilliamStreet,Newport,RI.

WHY:Afternearly60yearsofdeliveringmagnificentsoundtoeachweeklyservice,andthousandsofweddings,baptisms,funerals,concertsandholidayliturgies,St.Mary’sChurchmassivepipeorganwasdisassembled,piecebypiece,inSeptember2016andcompletelyrefurbishedbyitsoriginalbuilder,theCasavantFrèresCompanyinQuebec,Canada.Refurbishingtheorganandits30,000+individualpartswasdonebyhand,usinghistorictechniquesbyskilledcraftsmen.Duringitsabsence,St.Mary’sChurchrebuiltthechoirloftspacetoensurethatuponthepipeorgan’sreturnonWednesday,theenvironmentisstructurallysound,aestheticallypleasingandperfectlymatchedwiththeChurch’sremarkableandhistoric188-year-oldGothicRevivalarchitecturalstyle.TherestorationprojectispartoftheSt.Mary’sSoulsInHarmonycampaigntoraise$1.2milliontopreservetheChurchbuildingandchoirloft,restorethe1958pipeorganandexpandthemusicprogramintothecommunity.TocreatetheuniqueSt.Mary’sChurchinstrumentalsound,speciallytrained“Casavantvoicers”willbeon-siteastheorganisbeingre-installedoverthenexttwoweekstoexpertlytestandtuneeachpipe.Theirworkwillultimatelycreatethebeautyandmajestyofthesoundandtonalqualityoftheoriginal1958organthatisuniquetoonlySt.Mary’sChurchanditsliturgyandacoustics.ThefirstChoralMasswiththenewlyrestoredpipeorganwillhaveitsfirstmusicalperformanceduringSundayMassonMay28,2017at11:00a.m.

Rhode Island’s First Roman Catholic Parish Honored as a National Historic Shine

12 William St. Newport, RI 02840 401-847-0475 www.stmarynewport.org

ThemissionofSt.Mary'sParishistocontinuetheworkofJesusChristthroughWorship,Education,StewardshipandService

ABOUTST.MARY’SCHURCH:St.Mary’sChurchwasbuiltin1848.Fortwocenturies,ithasheldaprominentplaceinRhodeIsland’shistoryasthestate’sfirstRomanCatholicParish,andinAmericanmilitaryhistoryastheChurchthatservedastheU.S.NavyAcademy’schapelduringtheCivilWar(1861-1865).TheChurchhasgainedinternationalacclaimasthelocationwherePresidentJohnF.Kennedy(thenSenator)marriedJacquelineLeeBouvieronSeptember12,1953.In2008,itwasnamedtotheNationalRegisterofHistoricalPlaces.WithitsmajesticlandmarksteepleandpresenceinNewport–aworldwidetouristdestination–St.Mary’sChurchisanimportantpartofournation’sheritageandtheCityofNewport’sillustriousculture.ThousandsofvisitorscometoSt.Mary’sthroughouttheyearforliturgicalservices,andtoadmireitsstunningarchitectureand42breathtakingstainedglasswindowsortoattendspecialmusiceventsandperformancesbyitschoirsandguestmusicians.