Cór an Chroí preparing for Rome trip and singing at Mass in St Peter’s Basilica

The Loreto College choir, Cór an Chroí, are preparing for a trip to Rome in January 2027, and, as well as rehearsing, are busy raising funds to cover the costs.

Laura Cahill, music teacher at Loreto and choir director, said it is “a wonderful opportunity for students to sing in one of the most beautiful and historic cities in the world”.

They will visit places connected to the Loreto Community, including the beautiful Basilica of St Mary Major (Santa Maria Maggiore), which has a special connection with Mary Ward and Loreto.

Laura said: “We are pleased to confirm that the choir have been invited to sing at 12 noon Mass in St Peter’s Basilica on Saturday 23 January. In addition, we will be singing at 10am Sunday Mass on 24 January at the Irish College, where an invitation will be extended to the Irish Ambassador to the Holy See to attend.

“We are continuing to organise fundraising opportunities and explore additional funding to help reduce the cost as much as possible. Our students have been busy organising clothes collections, bake sales and other events to help raise money for the trip. We hope this will be a memorable and inspiring musical and cultural experience for our choir, and something very special to look forward to together.”

Among the students is Nathan Geszczak, a sixth year at Loreto, who said: “While going to Rome is an exciting trip in itself, it’s also incredible to get an opportunity to sing in such a historical place with the people I’ve spent the last six years of my life with.

“It’s going to be a trip that sticks with us for life! The choir have been incredible so far in terms of opportunities for competitions and performing, and we are so lucky to have support from our school and community for the trip. It has brought us together, and it’ has brought together a wider group of people who are helping us succeed. We are so very grateful and so excited for the things to come!”

Jane Maxwell, also sixth year, said: “Performing in Rome will be a completely different experience from singing at other school concerts and Masses. As students are trying to raise money themselves, but every small donation gets us one step closer to Rome.”

Third year student Erica Kelly said: “Our choir trip to Rome is so exciting! All the members are really looking forward to the adventure and I think it is going to be an amazing bonding experience, not to mention how significant singing in St Peter’s Basilica will be for the whole school community, it really is a big deal. This is why we are doing lots of fundraisers like bake sales and non-uniform days to help cut down the cost for our members’ families.”

The trip is on January 21–24, 2027.