All Roads...

Abbiamo finito! We have finished our time in Assisi and have returned to Rome and the North American College. The classes in Assisi were wonderful and Fernando and I think we’ve got, at least, a good start to the Italian language. In fact, this morning we had to show our stuff on an Italian placement exam that will be used to group us into new classes for the next few weeks to continue our study of Italian before theology classes begin in October. And so really, we have just begun.

We were blessed to be joined by 20 more new NAC seminarians when we returned to Rome, a number of which Fernando and I knew during our time at the Josephinum. This new group brought fresh (so to speak- not counting the serious jet lag) enthusiasm and joy to our ever growing community at the onset of our journey together here in Rome. This brings the total number of new men to around 75! It the biggest class the NAC has seen in a long time and it is a grace to be a part of it. The total number of seminarian that study here, once they all return from there summer breaks, I’ve heard is close to 250.

We have already started to discover the long history and the many traditions of the College. A beautiful moment of the past few came just after the rest of our class arrived, and we, all 75 of us, were “clapped in”. This event is a tradition that only happens twice to a seminarian while he is here. On our first entrance as a class into the main chapel, the returning men and all of the faculty line the steps and clapped as we start this new part of our journey. They welcome the newest members of their community with joy and hope for the future, which, in turn, inspires us anew. The second time this happens is after our graduation, as our time here comes to a close and the joy is brought to completion.

Then, this morning, came a highlight of my time in Italy so far. All of us new seminarians were privileged to have a mass at the tomb of St. Peter. Under the main altar of St. Peter’s Basilica, this simple chapel was packed by close to 100 men in their clerics (all black and the white collar). It was a beautiful moment of prayer at the rock of the Church. It called to mind the reasons that we have made the long trip here. We are here to give witness to Jesus Christ, to give a reason for our hope.

For Peter this witness was a witness by blood…

a witness that has borne fruit.