Rome

Well you may have wondered where I have been for the last two weeks. In Rome, busy, out and about and fully occupied - also trying to get internet access. That was a saga. While there is wireless in the house here, I didn't know how to set up the computer to access it. I now know, press a button and change the default codes.

The Benedictine sisters in this program are a great group of people - from US, Canada and Australia, ranging in ages from 38 to 73, from all sorts of ministries and backgrounds. They are happy and enthusiastic and we have had fun. The 'staff', which I am joining really know their material about Rome. The program is a mixture of classes, excursions and reflection days. So far we have only been about in Rome and then mostly in churches, except for our pagan day - Forum etc. Even though we have been busy, we have taken the excursions at a far slower pace than is usual for tourists and I have appreciated this greatly.

The place we are staying at is a pensione run by the Tutzing Benedictine Missionary Sisters. It is attached to their Generalate, and the compostion of the community reflects their world wide compostition. Our Mass books have hymns in German, English, Tagalong, Portuguese, Korean, Swahili, Latin and Italian. And we have used some of these so far. Italian is the language of this house, even though there isn't a ITalian in the congregation, and English in the language of the Congregation, even though there is no English women either in the congregation. (Americans yes). Their multi-lingual skills awes me. I asked a young Namibian sister how many languages did she know - four? "At least" Seems they need that many just to live in her local area. English is the national language and she is now learning Italian for care for the guests in the persione.

The pensione is a way they earn money for their work. It it a type of hotel. Certainly the rooms are modest in decore are still the best I have had so far. Nothing fancy, but space, decent bathrooms etc. This place is in a remarkable location, 10 mins by train from St Peter's, yet set in the green area of Rome. Okay, the train only runs hourly during the day, so you have to watch your time. But to be this close to the centre of Rome, and still have the birds singing etc (the etc is the snake that was seen in the garden) is the best of both worlds.

The pensione takes anyone as guests, the prices are very modest, but there is no TV, access to phone etc. So if you just want a quiet base for seeing Rome, I doubt that this could be bettered.

I have enjoyed Rome this time around. It will be impossible to give all my reflections so just one or two.

St Peter's Basilica. If you look at the picture above, (which I have not been able to inset in the text). You will see St Peter dressed in a Roman toga, carved in the 15-16th century, with a 21st century TV screen in front. And I think that encapsulates the best of church tradition. Being feed from the past, not for one's own sake, but in order to preach the Gospel to all. St Peter's impressed me for two reasons. One, it is still a work in progress. Even in our time, art works have been added. For example, most of the doors were commissioned in the time of Paul VI and are excellent examples of modern art. I liked the one depicting the sacraments. Two, the place was swarming with people, ordinary people, who could get in, without charge. The best art, available for all, free, for the glory of God. I really had a sense that this was a people's place, which is ironic, because it could, and probably can and is, be a place of clerical privilege. The other thing about these people swarming in the square and in the building is that most possibly aren't even church-goers but here they were seeing this church as a highlight of their holiday!

Now dear friends and family, time for Sunday breakfast. This morning the Abbot Primate is coming for Mass. This time next week I will be back in the land of Oz.