LI Catholic school belts holy hits and expects 3 or 4 kids to do this during their Christmas show: It happens every year

It’s not for the faint of heart.A massive Catholic high school music group, believed to be the biggest in the US, is so grandiose that each year they expect some members to pass out during their Christmas performance.“We always plan for three or four kids to pass out at the concert,” Franciscan Brother Joshua DiMauro, the longtime choral director of St.Anthony’s ensemble, admitted to The Post.

“It happens every year.”“We have an army of fathers ready in the back, but we also have an army of teachers and nurses who are in the front and waiting,” he added of the South Huntington academy’s prestigious program.What’s truly dizzying, though, is the group’s size, boasting 600 members.“I’m in a number of professional organizations where I’ve come across the scope of choruses and other schools,” said DiMauro, who’s spent 45 years at the holy helm.“And I’ve not found any that match our numbers,” added the director, who hands out detentions for uniform infractions and tomfoolery like prayer cards.The chorus has performed in the Vatican for Pope John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis — and plans to return in 2027 to serenade Pope Leo.When he needs to rally the masses before a show, DiMauro, endearingly called “Bro Jo” by students, often touts that the Mormon Tabernacle Choir pales in scale with just 360 members.Coordinating a Christmas concert of Latin chants, plus other classics and some fun tunes for hundreds of students — there are 150 per vocal part — requires divine intervention.The annual December show needs about 30 faculty members to assist with rehearsals and intermission prop changes that happen faster than a NASCAR pit stop — along with the dozen or so backstage parent-catchers.Warming up is also its own scene to behold, as students — they take up an entire bleacher block in the Friars’ gym — are ordered to make animal noises like jungle beasts and “kill the mailman” dogs to get everyone amped u...