A Providential Experience Past Review

As a theology major, I originally chose to study in Rome because I thought that there was no better place to study Catholic theology than the Eternal City. Upon completing my semester abroad, I can honestly say that my experience far exceeded my expectations. The streets of Rome still throb with the same pulse which drove the city of Gregory the Great, the same pulse which was transformed by the coming of two humble apostles, bound in chains, over 1900 years ago. The princes of the Apostles have left their indelible mark on the city of Rome. In Rome, I found the truth of the creed statement that there is "one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church!" Representatives of the whole church can be found daily in the arms of Bernini's colonnade. In the art and architecture of the city, the sacred professed by the Church comes to life. There is no better place to witness the Universality (Catholicity) of the Church, for people of every age, race, and nation can be found worshiping in the hundreds of basilicas, chapels and oratories in the city. Finally, you cannot help but see the heirs of the apostles, from seminarians to cardinals, roaming the streets every day. For those with eyes to see, the Church is still the heart of Rome. Where better to study Theology than at the heart of the Church herself? As a scholar and art-enthusiast, the city of Rome offers a treat seldom found in the world today: the chance to see, to actually see, the course of history unfold within a few square miles (kilometers). At every turn, there is a building or piece of artwork from a different century. Within two blocks of Largo Argentina, for instance, there are the ruins upon which the blood of Julius Caesar poured forth "whether Brutus so unkindly knocked or no", the Pantheon of the gods qui M. Aggrippa Fecit, a baroque church in which lies the body of Saint Catherine of Siena (senza la sua capa), and the basilica known simply as the Gesù, in which the Jesuit Order was born. The city is saturated with such history from every age of human existence. I cannot begin to explain how amazing it has been to live in a city so rich in history. The degree of independence I had in Rome was at times even unnerving. The staff truly gave us the space to live on our own., though they were a safety net in case of catastrophe. All of the professors did a fantastic job incorporating the richness of the culture into their classes. I was surprised with how easy the classes were, but in retrospect, having easy classes when abroad was a blessing, as it permitted us students to live our experience abroad without too much concern about schoolwork. Overall, the experience of studying history and theology in Rome was, quite literally, a Godsend. I did not truly gain from the program more than any other year at school, but from the experience, I have grown to be more the man God made me to be. Worthwhile? I would say so.