It’s official: The Papal Mass for St. Timothy’s Catholic Church Choir and soloists from the Central Florida Lyric Opera will be held Nov. 20, at 10 a.m. in Saint Peter’s Square in Rome.
Pope Francis will celebrate the Mass. More than 100 Villages residents will take part in the service as part of the St. Timothy’s Choir, under the direction of Maestro Bill Doherty.
The Sistine Chapel Choir will also participate. After Mass, Pope Francis will offer a Papal Blessing.
“I just received the news from the Vatican,” Doherty said Saturday. “I’m super excited and so happy for our choir.” Villages-News.com reported on the event in July.
Doherty had been hospitalized early in October, but was released after a day, and said he was feeling better.
Also, on Nov. 20 at 9 p.m. Doherty will present the European premier of “Requiem Mass,” which he wrote and will conduct at the Church of St. Ignatius in Rome. It will also feature the St. Timothy Choir and soloists from the Opera company.
Before going to Rome, the Central Florida Lyric Opera will present an “Opening Season Gala” on Thursday, Nov. 3 at 7 p.m. in the Savannah Center.
Doherty will lead the performers in selections from famous operas and Broadway shows.
Among those expected to perform in Rome: Metropolitan Opera soprano Molly Fillmore and sopranos Courtney Mills and Melissa Briozzo. Also, mezzo sopranos Kristin Patterson, Leonarda Priore, Laurie Arnold, and Debbie Garrett. Tenor Andrea Elena and baritones Samuel Reynolds and Theo Tyrrell will also sing.
Kathleen Kane, popular Villages singer and radio personality, is expected to perform during the concert.
St. Timothy’s Choir has more than 100 members who live in The Villages but come from all over the world, Doherty said. This will be the choir’s third pilgrimage overseas, he added.
This pilgrimage will include tours of Sorrento, the Amalfi Coast, Naples, Pompeii, the Vatican Museums, and the Sistine Chapel.
The St. Timothy choir event will be internationally broadcast on the EWTN cable-TV network.