The following is an article in the Atlanta Journal Constitution about the youth choir at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Valdosta who is traveling with Music Celebrations International to the 2005-2006 International Congress of Pueri Cantores in Rome.

Donna Farwell thought she was the target of a prankster when an unknown caller invited her choir to travel to Rome and sing for the pope.

“I said, ‘Could you mail something?’ ” said Farwell, director of the youth choir at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Valdosta. “Then they mailed me a confirmation letter and I knew it was true.”

Her choir was one of 12 American groups — two from Georgia — invited to participate in the International Conference of Pueri Cantores, the Catholic organization for youth choirs.

Twelve members of the youth choir from Mary Our Queen Catholic Church in Norcross, plus 26 adults, also will fly to Rome on Monday.

About 100 choirs — 4,500 singers — from around the world will sing hymns and Christmas carols.

They’ll also sing during Pope Benedict XVI’s first New Year’s Day Mass.

The 32 Valdosta singers and adult chaperones will fly to Rome on Monday for three performances over eight days.

“Hopefully people will be reminded by the voices of these children of the simplicity of God’s grace,” said the Rev. David Dye, priest of Mary Our Queen. “When you talk about the glory of Christmas, people have all sorts of ideas about it being wealth, power, lots of presents and material things. But Christmas is a lot deeper and longer lasting.”

When the young singers are not performing, they will be able to tour Rome’s major basilicas and the catacombs.

“I’m excited, but more excited for the children,” said Farwell. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. They’ll get to tell their grandkids that they sang for Pope Benedict’s first New Year’s Mass.”

The Valdosta group’s invitation came as a result of a November 2004 performance during a youth choir conference in Savannah that featured hundreds of young singers.

“Someone from California was scoping out the choirs and we received an invitation,” Farwell said.

Each of the Valdosta singers had to raise $2,500 for the eight-day trip.”They raised the money either out of their parents’ pockets or [through] carwashes or chicken dinners,” said the Rev. John O’Brien, the priest of St. John.