Madam, - Further to your report on the impending canonisation of Blessed Charles of Mount Argus ( The Irish Times, May 28th), your readers may wish to note that he is not the only Irish priest to be honoured in Rome this weekend.
The splendid 12th-century basilica of San Clemente is celebrating the 150th anniversary of the historic excavations undertaken by the Dominican Fr Joseph Mullooly. These uncovered a wealth of ancient remains, including a forgotten fourth-century basilica and the tomb of St Clement, who was Pope around the end of the first century.
As part of the weekend celebrations, the Dublin-based Lassus Scholars will sing Mass in San Clemente on Saturday at 6.30pm and give a concert in the courtyard on Sunday at 8pm, performing a wide-ranging programme of music reflecting the long history of the basilica. The concert will be attended by the Irish ambassador to Italy, and by the ambassadors of Ireland, the UK, Greece, FYR Macedonia and Bulgaria to the Holy See. We hope that the Irish community in Rome will be well represented. Irish visitors to Rome are welcome to attend. The Lassus Scholars' trip to Rome is grant-aided by Culture Ireland. - Yours, etc,
ITE O'DONOVAN, Director, The Lassus Scholars, Dublin Choral Foundation, Dublin 2.