Where we'll be staying in Rome

Some of you have asked about where we're staying while in Rome. We're staying at place called Casa Tra Noi, close to the Vatican II. It was built in the late 1950s-early 1960s and opened in 1962 as part of the apostolate of the Tra Noi Movement, a community founded in 1952. Initially, the residence was built to house disadvantaged women. It later widened its ministry to become a home for pilgrims and tourists visiting Rome. Casa Tra Noi still remains connected to its original purpose by designating its profits for children and young people suffering from addictions, terminal illnesses, homelessness, etc. It's about a 30 minute walk from the Centro Pro Unione where we'll be studying.

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The Catacombs of Domitilla

The story of Christianity is awe-inspiring. This is true whether you are a believer or not. Within 50 years of the physical death of Christ, 12 believers had directly and indirectly converted thousands to the new faith. Within 300 years, they had converted an empire. This tour begins at the walls of Rome within sight of St. John Lateran where we get our ride to the countryside of Rome. Making our way outside the walls, the city changes to country quickly. The Roman countryside is quite beautiful. The hills begin to roll and the gated villas extend to farms of vegetables, rose hips, or barley. The air cleaner and the sound clearer. Flavia Domitilla was the granddaughter of the emperor Vespasian. As daughter of Domitilla "the Younger", Flavia was also the niece of the emperors Titus and Domitian. These catacombs were founded on her property in about the year 120 A.D. Flavia and her husband, Flavius Clemens, were likely ...

We're Off on the Road to... Assisi!

Last weekend, a few members of our "gang," as Mike calls us, went off to Assisi. When we got there, we saw the tombs of two major saints—Francis and Clare—and, of course, a plethora of gorgeous churches. We also had a chance to meet up with the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement, one of whom gave us a tour of "a town that has so much influenced [his] life and, in which, in [his] opinion, the spirit of Francis is so strong!" What can I say, apart from that going to Assisi is like stepping into a Catholic fairy tale? It is a visit that I would highly recommend to anyone—Catholic or not—who wants to explore Italy because even if the basilicas hold no interest for you, its médiéval atmosphere is sure to charm you. There's so much that I could speak about, but one thing that stood out from yesterday in a surprisingly personal way was to see the resting place of Blessed Carlos Acutis. This young man, who died well before his time at 15 years old, is everywhere to be ...

The Splendour of Santa Maria Maggiore

Today our group visited the remarkable Marian church, the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore. Its inner core with its dazzling mosaics remains intact from the time that it was built around 430 CE in response to the Council of Ephesus, which declared Mary to be the Mother of God. Many additions have been built onto the original basilica over the centuries, reflecting developments and changes in the Catholic Church. As someone who studies decolonial theology and the interplay of Christianity and empire, I was especially fascinated by this church structure, which was built a mere fifty years after Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire with the Edict of Thessalonica in 380. While I could not help but be in awe at Santa Maria Maggiore’s grandeur, beauty and sheer size, I also could not help but think about how much of this magnificence came into being at the expense of imperial oppression. The two long rows of pillars running the length of the original church c...

Rome Ecumenism Course 2023

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