The school day ended early for Christmas Break, but choir students at Mary Immaculate Catholic School in Farmers Branch headed to the choir room for one last rehearsal with choir director Jamie Bottomley. “One, two, ready, go,” Bottomly said as she directed her students, stopping to correct t hem from time to time. After Christmas, 25 students in a select choir will board planes bound for Rome, Italy. The choir plans to sing at the Vatican and outside its walls. “I’ve always wanted to travel with my choir, but I’ve never gotten the chance to,” 6th-grader Mille Grobe said. In the fall, Mary Immaculate Catholic School Pastoral Administrator Alfonse Nazzaro starting working on plans to get his choir to The Vatican to perform during the Jubilee, which comes around every 25 years. “When the Cardinals came together and elected an American pope, well, ok, lets go for it, lets go for Rome,” Nazzaro said. “Let’s see if we can sing for the Holy Father.” “I’m just surprised because I can’t believe Father managed to do this,” 7th-grader Eliana Aguilar said. “He just kept asking, and here we are; we’re going to go to Rome!” The choir will be performing around the Nativity when Pope Leo blesses it, so Nazzaro thinks there are better than 50/50 odds the Pope will hear them, and if their prayers are answered, stop by to see them. “I wanted the children to see that if you have a goal, if you have a dream, then just go for it,” Nazzaro said. “I really hope that he thinks like, wow! There’s some good choirs in America,” Grobe said. ‘You’re gonna probably tell your kids about it, and they’re gonna be like, wow! You went to Rome,” Aguilar said. “It makes me feel like God wanted me to go to this choir and sing.” The Mary Immaculate Catholic School Select Choir leaves after Christmas for Rome. Their trip was paid for by fundraising and generous donations. ...read more read less