Mary McCauley, who recently retired as parish administrator of St. Bridget’s Catholic Church in Postville, Iowa, will give a presentation at Drake University on immigration and the continuing impact of the May 12, 2008, raid at the Postville meatpacking plant.
The free, public talk will be held from 5:15-6:15 p.m. Tuesday, March 30, in Sheslow Auditorium in Old Main, 2507 University Ave.
Sister McCauley had been scheduled to give her presentation along with Mark Grey, professor of anthropology at the University of Northern Iowa, on Feb. 9. That event was postponed due to a winter storm that prevented the two of them from traveling to Des Moines.
Grey and Michele Devlin, professor of public health at the University of Northern Iowa, have rescheduled that presentation on “The Demographics of Immigration” for 5:15 p.m. Tuesday, March 23, in Sheslow Auditorioum.
These presentations are part of a series of events that Drake’s choral program has organized on issues of immigration, homelessness and housing.
The series aims to provide context for an upcoming performance by the Drake Choir, Chamber Choir and Drake University/Community Chorus.
The free concert, “Where You Belong,” will be performed at 3 p.m. Sunday,
April 18, on the Jordan Stage in Sheslow Auditorium.
The presentations leading up to the concert are designed to help singers and listeners connect to key societal issues through music and to elicit a spirit of service in the community.
“Choral music is an especially important vehicle for helping people to understand that they are part of something much larger than themselves,” said Aimee Beckmann-Collier, Drake director of choral studies.