CHAPEL CHOIR PERFORMS FOR POPE

Fifty members of the Stonehill Chapel Choir recently returned from a triumphant eight-day visit to Italy, where they sang for His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI and received his Apostolic Blessing. 

Accompanied by Campus Minister Denise Morency Gannon, Director of Campus Ministry Rev. James Fenstermaker, C.S.C., and five alumni, the Choir toured and performed for eight days, visiting Rome, Assisi, and Florence.

On their last day in Rome, the Choir and entourage had the privilege of a Papal Audience. The Choir performed several selections as 6,000 pilgrims gathered, waiting in the Papal Hall to see Benedict XVI. 

“The Prefect, Archbishop James Harvey, assigned us to the front section of the Papal Hall," recalled Gannon.  "We performed Ave Maria by Jacques Arcadelt for the Pope during our audience and received a resounding burst of applause from the visitors and from the Pope.  His Holiness actually waited for me to be seated to give me a smile and nod of approval.  I felt quite honored." she said.

“Our students were thrilled to receive an Apostolic Blessing from Pope Benedict, who was truly touched and pleased to see our young students from Stonehill who had traveled so far to greet him," added Gannon. 

"As a freshman, I was so fortunate to experience the amazing opportunity of being able to tour Italy with Chapel Choir singing in awe-inspiring venues, absorbing the Italian culture, and, above all, forging new friendships and strengthening old bonds," enthused Brittany Kaminski '11.

“The first Rome trip was a pilot tour in 2004,” explained Gannon. “It was important for me to incorporate the highlights of that trip for our students – the outstanding Italian art and history: the Vatican Museums, The Sistine Chapel, the Scavi Tour, the Catacombs, St. Peter's Basilica, and a Papal Audience.”

Other highpoints of the tour were a performance at Rome's Church of Santa Susanna; a visit to Assisi, where the group sang the daily Mass in the historic Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi; and an impromptu performance under the magnificent dome of the Basilica in the Renaissance city of Florence.

01/23/08