This morning inside the Vatican Basilica: Jonathan, a recent convert to Catholicism (and only American lay student on the licence level Rome's Augustinianum), greets Cardinal Burke.Join Jonathan and study patristics in Rome: http://www.patristicum.org/.
More importantly, who are the 2 OP's in the background and check out the little lady in the black with a scarf. Sort of doesn't fit there, wouldn't you say! Obviously rushing out before others do!
ReplyDeleteRedemptorist with the OP's is?
Congratulations to Cardinal Burke!
ReplyDeleteI'm happy to see American lay people pursuing theological studies in Rome. I too am a lay person studying at a Pontifical University here in the Eternal city! Here are my two cents - the Church might find it beneficial to encourage and facilitate greater numbers of lay people (especially young adults) coming to Rome to study their Catholic faith (whether for a short time or in order to obtain a degree). There really is nothing like studying your faith in the heart of the universal Church...and then applying this formation to service of the Church back in your home country. Rome has the ability to further convert and form the hearts of young people - through the beauty of it's sacred art, the vibrant witness of it's religious, the grandeur of it's Catholic history, and the truth pursued in it's pontifical universities. Unfortunately, it seems quite difficult for lay people to come study in Rome. How can the path be made easier for young Catholic lay people (and lots of them!!) to have this invaluable opportunity?
(As an addendum to my previous comment -- another benefit of lay people studying in Rome: it oftentimes inspires religious vocations!!!)
ReplyDeleteAmerican lay students in the Eternal City need housing.
ReplyDeleteExactly - housing. That's the most daunting hurdle for most lay people who wish to study in Rome. It would be wonderful if there was a large-scale, reasonably priced house dedicated only for lay students coming to study at the pontifical universities in Rome. (I'm aware of the Lay Centre, which is lovely but very small-scale...half a dozen or more lay people are hosted each year, it's a bit pricey, and you have to apply and hope that a spot opens up). Does the Church have any property in or near Rome that could be dedicated to such a purpose?
ReplyDeletewhy not use empty monasteries for this purpose instead of just selling them off?
ReplyDeleteAnother benefit of some type of large-scale lay accommodation is the community life that could form within this context. Most lay people studying at Rome's pontifical universities are spread out in random apartments across (or way outside) the city...it's not like coming to study in Rome as a seminarian or religious, where you have a Catholic community life and rhythm of prayer that is already set up for you. This community aspect is beneficial to faith formation of the entire person (not just our minds at school. :)
ReplyDeleteThat's a good idea about empty monasteries. Are there any out there now? Who would be the right person to approach concerning this issue of lay housing? And is it possible to prove that many lay people would come if a large, reasonably-priced house was opened for them (can we prove we have the numbers/demand)?
see the "lay students of rome" page on facebook, if you want to get inside insights on these questions and talk seriously about making something happen!
ReplyDeleteor contact me personally evan_michael_mary@hotmail.com
that looks like Fr. Waugh, Opus Dei, Harvard grad, next to him.
ReplyDeletesome straightforward facts:
ReplyDelete1. the lay students here dont make near enough noise about the difficulty (but also the joy)of their situation.
2. they are utterly unorganized. there is no formal entity which helps them stand together as a community with needs and a gift to share with the Church and the world as a whole. in effect, THEY DO NOT STAND TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY! there is not collective action of the lay student community as a whole, not even regular social events.
suggestions:
making noise, like asking John to post seriously articulated and crafted notices on his blog about our plight as well as the grace of being able to do what we do.
communications students have to make films every year in their coommunications classes: why dont they make a film about lay students, their needs and gifts?
a student newspaper . . . etc.
evan_michael_mary@hotmail.com