Roman Echoes 2024 - Volume 28, Issue 4

roman echoes THE PONTIFICAL NORTH AMERICAN COLLEGE

VOLUME 28

ISSUE 4

2024 SPECIAL

Page 6 The Idea of Ancient Rome Page 14 Murder and a Comedy Page 20 A Walk Through Rome Page 24 Year in Review

SECTION:

Romanitas

2023-2024 YEAR

IN

REVIEW

Contents 14 6 Romanitas 6 The Idea of Ancient Rome

20 A Walk Through Rome

8 The Gems of Rome

23 From Plate to Heart

Features

7 What is at the Center?

10 The Reason for Being in Rome 14 Murder and a Comedy 22 City of Old

Year in Review

26 Sending Dioceses

28 Letting Rome Win 30 Going Back to the Sources 32 Not Only in Rome 34 Called According to His Purpose

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24 20 From the Editor

In the Cortile degli Aranci — the Orange Tree Courtyard — at the heart of the College, there is a series of mosaics, each with a quotation. One reads, “Rome is herself the mentor and the finest teacher of future priests.” While it is easy to miss this mosaic during a visit to the College, it truly speaks to the heart of our priestly formation on the Janiculum Hill. It is living in the Eternal City within a stone’s throw from the tomb of Saint Peter that truly sets our priestly formation apart.

Rome is a city of immense beauty with a rich, deep history, but for those studying for the priesthood, it is also a crucible. From the moment you arrive in July, the heat is on, and the city begins to test your resolve. From learning a new language and culture, to navigating a foreign city, to adapting to a different academic environment, Rome herself stretches and forms each man into the priest God intends. Yet Rome also charms you and wins your love and admiration.

As the heat fades and the man acclimates to his Roman environment, it is hard not to start building a life in the historic city, to make friends with locals, and to become a quasi-Roman. From

regular routes that wind through the historic center with shrines of the Blessed Mother smiling upon you to familiar faces in restaurants and cafes, Rome slowly teaches you how to appreciate the life God has given you and to absorb the faith of the Roman people into your own heart. Slowly but surely, Rome becomes home.

It is difficult to put your finger on one, single aspect of Rome that is the unique aspect of priestly formation in the Eternal City. Rather, it is the mosaic of life in this city that gives the unique flavor to our time here. Rome is our loving teacher who breaks you down, builds you back up, and wins you over with a sweet coppa di gelato. Though we are fortunate to have world-class formators, spiritual directors, and professors, it is truly Rome herself that is our “mentor and finest teacher.”

Editor-in-Chief Will Robbins '25, Diocese of Beaumont ROMAN ECHOES 2024 • VOLUME 28: ISSUE 4

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Contributors EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Will Robbins '25, Diocese of Beaumont ASSISTANT EDITOR Kyle Lang '26, Diocese of La Crosse Brian Schumacher '26, Diocese of Salt Lake City PHOTO EDITOR & PHOTOGRAPHER Chukwuma Odigwe '25, Archdiocese of Washington ASSISTANT PHOTOGRAPHER Steven Lang '26, Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis

Administration

of The Pontifical North American College RECTOR Rev. Msgr. Thomas W. Powers '97 VICE RECTOR Rev. Michael Pratt ‘11 CARL J. PETER CHAIR OF HOMILETICS ROMAN ECHOES FACULTY LIAISON Rev. Peter John Cameron, OP SUPERIOR, CASA SANTA MARIA Rev. James J. Conn, SJ

DIRECTOR, INSTITUTE FOR CONTINUING THEOLOGICAL EDUCATION Rev. Edward Linton, OSB EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT Mark Randall, CFRE For more information about The Pontifical North American College, subscription questions, or to learn about ways you can financially support “America’s Seminary in Rome,” please contact Mark Randall, CFRE, Executive Director, Institutional Advancement.

Tel: (202) 541-5411 Fax: (202) 470-6211 Email: pnacdc@pnac.org Website: www.pnac.org This publication is written, edited, and photographed by the seminarians of The Pontifical North American College.

COVER: Christian Hamrick ‘25 (Nashville) and Marco Cerritelli ‘25 (Washington) walk through Rome returning from class.

THIS PAGE : A view of the Papal Basilica of Saint Peter from the roof of the seminary. Rome itself offers unique opportunities for forming candidates for the priesthood who seek to follow Christ.

Photo by Mauricio Romero ‘26 (San Angelo).

BACK COVER: Rev. Mr. Stephen Jones ’24 (Oklahoma City) (left) and Rev. Mr. Joseph Brodeur ’24 (Providence) (right) exit the chiostrino outside of the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception as they are clapped out and sent forth to their priestly ordinations.

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RECTOR’S CORNER Dear Friend of The Pontifical North American College, In his landmark 1992 Apostolic Exhortation, Pastores dabo vobis, Pope Saint John Paul II provided a clear blueprint for seminary formation programs throughout the Universal Church, one that will continue to have positive implications for seminaries far into the future. He wanted young men to be prepared well to serve as an alter Christus, writing, “Priests are called to prolong the presence of Christ, the one high priest, embodying his way of life and making him visible in the midst of the flock entrusted to their care” (PDV, 15).

Saint John Paul II identified four areas – what we now call “dimensions” – of priestly formation: human, spiritual, intellectual, and pastoral. Those are the guideposts used when the priest formation team — and the seminarian himself — assess one’s growth and readiness to be ordained a deacon and priest.

Saint John Paul II identified four areas – what we now call “dimensions” – of priestly formation: human, spiritual, intellectual, and pastoral. Those are the guideposts used when the priest formation team — and the seminarian himself — assess one’s growth and readiness to be ordained a deacon and priest. Every seminary in the United States relies on those same four dimensions in assisting a seminarian in the work of his formation. In that sense, the formation program at the Pontifical North American College is not unique.

However, a seminarian of the College experiences what I refer to as the “Fifth Dimension:” Rome itself. It is a dimension that cannot be replicated in any other American seminary.

Our seminarians live next door to – and often serve Mass for – the successor of Saint Peter; on their daily trek to class at the pontifical universities, they walk the same streets that saints and popes have walked; they have opportunities to travel to other holy and historic sites in Europe and beyond; in the Italian language, they serve the poor and the homeless, assist at parishes, and visit the imprisoned; they learn theology from worldclass professors and attend class with men and women from all over the world. Our seminarians are grateful for this Fifth Dimension. They recognize that it is not only a great gift to be cherished but that it also prepares them well for the priesthood since it teaches them not to be afraid in the face of what is unfamiliar, new, or out of one’s comfort zone.

When sending me to the College as a seminarian, then-Bishop Edward Egan told me to soak up all the history and the traditions that Rome has to offer and then to return home to share all of it with those I would serve. I tell our men the same thing.

I hope you can come to the College for a visit and see firsthand the Fifth Dimension as experienced by our seminarians. In the meantime, please know of my deep gratitiude for your support, and be assured of my prayers and the prayers of the entire community of the Pontifical North American College.

Rev. Msgr. Thomas W. Powers ‘97 Rector ROMAN ECHOES 2024 • VOLUME 28: ISSUE 4

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The Idea of Ancient Rome JUSTIN SEIDLECK ’27, ARCHDIOCESE OF WASHINGTON Coming to Rome, we are privileged to live in the heart of the Church. Part of our formation as future priests is walking the same streets of many great saints before us, visiting the churches in which they are laid to rest, and being spiritually formed by their holy example. However, one seemingly overlooked aspect of Rome for some of us can be ancient Roman history, especially the Roman Forum and the Colosseum. These sites, while not Christian in their origin, are nevertheless an indispensable way to understand the city.

In April, we were blessed with the opportunity to have a guided tour with Dr. Elizabeth Lev and explore these two monumental sites. Dr. Lev was a firehose of ancient Roman history starting from Romulus and Remus on the Palentine hill to the construction of the Colosseum and the events that ensued there. What was particularly striking was Dr. Lev’s ability to draw you into the story of Rome and how God providentially used it as an instrument of his revelation. Ancient Rome still impacts us today.

put an emphasis on simplifying homilies but also the importance of telling the Christian story.

Dr. Lev did a fantastic job in ‘telling the story’ of Rome and drawing us into the idea that founded this city.

The idea that nothing is more important than the state, that it is even more important than your family is an idea that Augustus promulgated, and Peter and Paul subsequently used to direct us to the One, True God. Roman history and Church history are interwoven, and Dr. Liz Lev beautifully drew us into this story and made Rome come ever more alive for us! n

Earlier in the semester, we had a talk by Peggy Noonan on the lay perspective of homiletics. She

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© iStock/SNYS444

top to bottom: Justin Seidleck ‘27 (Washington) (center) learns the story of the Roman Colosseum on a tour led

by Dr. Elizabeth Lev; Dr. Lev gives a tour of the Roman Forum to seminarians and priests.

What is at the Center?

CHRISTOPHER TILLOTSON ’27, DIOCESE OF WORCESTER In Rome, just a few blocks from the Pantheon is the Basilica of Saint Eustace. The Basilica is representative of the many churches in Rome, but it has one unique feature. At the very top of the pediment is a stag head complete with antlers, and in the center of those antlers is a cross. This feature recalls the story of the early Christian martyr St. Eustace, a Roman general who converted when he had a vision of a cross that appeared between the antlers of a stag.

Recreating this image in my room at the College was the intention behind an adventure I undertook during the winter of my first year. I have been a hunter my whole life and have asked myself how to subordinate my enjoyment of hunting ethically to the love of Jesus Christ. I researched the most affordable red stag hunt in Europe and settled on a hunting outfitter in Hungary. A priest friend from Tanzania who also studies in Rome agreed to come with me, and

Christoper Tillotson ‘27 (Worchester) holds the antlers of stag he obtained during a weekend of Christ-centered leisure; INSET: The antlers, with a cross, on display in Christoper's room.

daily Mass together was a great help to remain close to the Lord in the Eucharist while on my trip. We encountered a Protestant couple who was enjoying a vacation at the same lodge, and we were able to share great Christian discussion and prayer at table. On the second day, I shot a large stag and was elated.

I waited about three months before the stag skull and antlers arrived at the College in the passenger seat of a freight box truck. That same day, I used tools from our woodshop to affix the stag head and crucifix to the wall. That night, I invited my brother seminarians to enjoy fraternity and share the story. It can be difficult sometimes to be away from the hobbies I enjoy at home, but studying in Rome and the breadth of the Catholic faith gave me this unique idea to put the praise of Christ at the center of leisure. n

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Gems of Rome

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Taken Up by the Truth

The Light of Rome

MICHAEL ANCTIL ’27, DIOCESE OF RICHMOND

ZAVIOR FRANCK ‘27, DIOCESE OF DULUTH

After class one day, I walked down the street to the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major to pray. Inside, a man approached me who I learned was Jamal, an Iranian Muslim.

What started with one question about the purpose of an altar turned into a lengthy conversation about the Holy Mass, Jesus Christ, the sacraments, and much more. The striking beauty, rich symbolism, and faithful people seen in so many churches here inevitably lead to new questions and deeper contemplation, not only for Jamal, searching for something he does not yet understand, but also for a seminarian like me. Those who enter Rome with heart and mind open to being formed will find themselves moved towards the truth that is Jesus—helped on our path to Him by the manifestations of that truth present in the lives of the saints and the history of the Church evident in this city.

There is a spark of wonder and awe in the heart of a pilgrim as they set their eyes on the captivating façade of the Papal Basilica of Saint Peter for the first time. Most only get to see the luminance of this initial experience once, but as a seminarian at the College I have been able to see this light of wonder and awe at the reality of being in Rome, on the radiant faces of so many pilgrims time and time again. In Rome, every stone tells a story, every ruin shares a memory, and every church is fit to be a palace. These encounters have been a tremendous source of spiritual refreshment and encouragement.

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CHARLES BERNER ’27, ARCHDIOCESE OF DENVER A seminarian and I were on an errand in the city on a Sunday afternoon. In the store we bumped into two American couples on vacation in Rome together and briefly chatted before parting ways. Shortly afterwards, we ran into them again at a restaurant and had a longer talk. Eventually, the seminarian and I had to go, but we invited them to join our community for Evening Prayer. They agreed. Upon walking into the chapel, hearing the organ prelude and seeing the numerous praying men in black, they were visibly moved.

By the time we took them up to the roof to share our view of Rome, they were in tears. They shared that this unexpected evening had been one of the highlights of their trip.

What was for us a simple act of hospitality became for our brothers and sisters in Christ a moving encounter with God and a renewal of hope in the future of the Church in America. The College is a treasure to be shared!

Encounter with Jesus BILL WATERS ‘27, ARCHDIOCESE OF GALVESTON-HOUSTON There is no greater gift for a seminarian than to be formed at the heart of the Church, and at the heart of the heart is the most precious treasure anyone could find. Only a ten-minute walk from the College, on the right side of Papal Basilica of Saint Peter just past the Pieta, Jesus patiently waits in a quiet side chapel, exposed in Eucharistic adoration, thirsting for His people to visit Him. The Psalmist notes that “If I take the wings of dawn and dwell beyond the sea, even there your hand guides me” (Psalm 139:9-10). While in our case the wings of dawn might have been a jet plane, we are certainly dwelling beyond the sea. In finding Eucharistic adoration available all day, every day at the Papal Basilica of Saint Peter, Jesus has shown His faithfulness yet again and guides us to His Sacred Heart. Thank you, Jesus, for your goodness to us!

© iStock/DieterMeyrl

Sharing the College with Pilgrims

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The Reason for Being in Rome REV. MR. JACOB LIVECCHI ‘24, DIOCESE OF TOLEDO Among the banquets we have each year at the Pontifical North American College, the Closing Banquet stands above all and is the best tradition at the College for two reasons: it is the last time the whole house gathers together as a community, and, more importantly, it sends men forth to preach the Gospel in their respective dioceses.

First, the Closing Banquet is the last gathering of the community. This is the last time that we share a meal with members of the community. On a personal level, this means that the community will never be the same again. The community as we have known it for the past year will be no more because half the house will change. The 4th-year men will leave, and then, in the summer, a new batch of 1st-year men show up. Each class brings with it its own characters and

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personalities, which grow to create a unique community.

This unique community only lasts a year. This is the rhythm of the house: each community lives for a year and then dies, and a new one rises in a very beautiful way. This rhythm of death and new life in the community in a certain way is a reminder of the Paschal Mysteries that we are called to incorporate into our lives. For me, the Closing Banquet has always been significant because it marks this change in the community. It is an opportunity to recognize the goodness of this past year, to give thanks for the unique community of this past year, and to bid farewell to our friends over one final meal.

The second reason the Closing Banquet is significant is because of the tradition of calling forth the deacon class to go and preach the gospel in their respective dioceses. This tra-

Rev. Alex Fry ‘23 (Dallas) stands with others who are "Sent to Preach the Gospel" at the 2024 Closing Banquet; The seminary community says goodbye to those who will soon depart for priestly ministry.

dition is probably my favorite. For me, it was always a reminder of why this whole program exists. The College does not exist for itself; it does not exist to provide unique experiences for seminarians; and, quite frankly it does not even exist to form great men. The College exists so that the Gospel of Jesus Christ can be preached. This is why each and every man is here. He is here so that he can go back to preach the Good News to all in his diocese. A lot can happen in a year, both good and bad.

Therefore, having this strong reminder where the community witnesses each deacon rise as his name is called and then is sent forth to preach the Gospel, gives context and perspective to the men who are still in formation.

Days before returning home to be ordained a priest, at the Closing Banquet I heard the words, “sent to preach the Gospel in the Diocese of Toledo.” I was profoundly moved, for that has been the reason for my time in Rome. n

Want to hear our student preaching?

Scan the QR Code to hear one of our practice homilies.

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MOSAIC BY Jack Kristensen ‘27, Archdiocese of New York 12

The Pontifical North American College

SPORTS REUNION WITH OUR “ARCH-RIVALS” THOMAS KOLLASCH '26, DIOCESE OF SIOUX CITY

As the men hit the basketball court, it was obvious that the College, led by Coach Dcn. Stephen Jones '24 (Oklahoma City), had the advantage. We had just finished our intramural basketball tournament, and we had bigger men in the paint. The Legionaries’ team was coached by Fr. David Daly and led by Br. Pablo and Br. Matteo. After being down 26-10 at halftime, the Legionaries made some tough shots and chipped away the lead. But they couldn’t fight all the way back, and the final score was 40-32 in the College’s favor.

ROMAN

Meanwhile, the College’s ultimate frisbee team routed the Legionaries 11-3. Our captain, Tristan Schubert '25 (Portland, Oregon), relayed, “They play frisbee like it’s soccer: short, quick passes. They’re fast and catch everything, but we beat them on the long throw.” Truly, their team was built for soccer. The order was founded in Mexico, and most of the current members come from Spanish-speaking backgrounds. Apparently, back in the 90’s, the Legionaries in Rome had more big bulky Americans to body the College in Basketball and muscle in runs on the softball field. But it was not so this year. Adding in soccer next year will even the playing field.

That Sunday was truly a day of leisure. Engulfing the fun competition was an aura of gratitude for the gift of life and the gift of sharing it together. We felt this especially during our cookout and the softball game that followed it.

After the day, many men spoke of how their encounters with the Legionaries were a blessing. This year’s sports day was more than a revived tradition; it was a beautiful encounter and a new creation.

Max Vetch ‘25 (Rapid City) and Kaleb Mitchell ‘26 (Helena) (left) during a game of softball with the Legionaries.

Legionaire seminarians eout collaborate during a tim between softball innings.

© iStock/Stockbox24

When the Legionaries of Christ came over on a beautiful spring Sunday, a sports tradition was revived. A 1998 edition of The North American College Newsletter chivalrously recounts that “our men defeated their arch-rivals, the Legionaries of Christ, in both basketball and softball.”

Unfortunately, this tradition fell by the wayside, and when Msgr.

The seminary challenges the Thomas Powers returned to the Legionaires of Christ to a College as rector, he ventured game of basketball and recovto bring it back. At the opening ers a long-standing tradition. prayer, he told us how the Legionaries, renowned for their discipline, would always train harder and play better than the College’s men. He jovially added, “If you guys let us win, we’ll invite you back next year.”

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Murder and a Comedy

Doctor Watso n recounts the d (Noah Huddleston) etails of a murder-m ystery.

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WILL ROBBINS ‘25, DIOCESE OF BEAUMONT Each year a group of seminarians come together to share their creative talents with the College’s community and friends throughout Rome. This year was no exception as a cast of six and a crew of twelve put on three spectacular performances of Ken Ludwig’s Baskerville: A Sherlock Homes Mystery. This comedic adaption of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Hounds of Baskerville was a perfect blend of mystery and comedy.

The cast of characters was reduced to six. Deacon Joe Brodeur '24 (Providence) and Noah Huddleston '26 (Grand Island) played Sir Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson, respectively. To add to the comedy of the play,

eur), oseph Brod haela J . r M . v e rs. Mic olmes (R Sherlock H a Baskerville local (M mystery. a Watson, and to get to the bottom of y tr ) Glafke

With full cost um performances e and British accent, the were received with great accl aim.

Nicholas Stellpflug '25 (Green Bay), Mrs. Michaela Glafke, and Lucas Folan '26 (Patterson) played a combined total of 36 characters with Michael Figura '26 (Omaha) providing supporting roles. From clever light cues, quick costume changes, and varied accents, the small cast brought a familiar Sherlock Holmes mystery to light.

Though immersed in murder and mystery, the ridiculous pacing and slapstick humor brought great joy to the three audiences in late April. Distracted by red herrings seeking “wengence” and oddballs chasing butterflies, viewers were left on the edges of their seats guessing who the

mber of coLucas Folan plays a nu t the murmedic roles throughou der-mystery.

culprit was. The mystery drew the audience in and kept them engaged through two acts.

From 221B Baker Street to the halls of Baskerville Manor, the theater was filled with laughter and gave the community a much-needed break from studies and time to relax. The creative abilities of the cast and crew did not go unnoticed and were a generous gift to the greater community. Despite putting our deerstalker caps and tobacco pipes away, the weekend of Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery was a highlight of the year and the talk of the College for weeks after.

Two messengers (Lucas Folan (far left) and Nicholas Stelpflug (far right)) assist Holmes and Waston as the plot thickens.

and con Brodeur ea (D n so at W r clues.

Holmes and on the hunt fo ) on st le d ud H Noah ROMAN ECHOES 2024 • VOLUME 28: ISSUE 4

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VOICES OF NAC

Which is your favorite church in Rome?

My favorite church in Rome is Santa Caterina da Siena a Magnanapoli, a beautiful and quiet Italian Military Ordinariate parish right outside the gate of the Angelicum run by the Servant Sisters of the Pierced Hearts. Though they’re not known for any famous saints, they offer daily adoration and the peace that I always experience there is the reason I chose to have my first preaching mass there as a deacon.

Rev. Mr. Brent Durschmidt ‘24, Archdiocese of Portland-in-Oregon San Lorenzo in Lucina is tucked away just off the Via del Corso, and it is one of Rome’s hidden gems. Stumbling upon this small basilica my New Man year, I was drawn to the side altar at the far end of the church. Quiet, beautiful, and conducive to prayer, it is a welcoming sanctuary in the heart of the city.

Rev. Mr. Scott Fyall ‘25, Diocese of Austin In 1842 our Blessed Mother appeared to an agnostic Jew in one of the side chapels of the Basilica of Sant'Andrea delle Fratte. Shortly after, the man converted to the faith and later became a priest. Because of the apparition, all the pews are now re-oriented towards this side altar – I have never seen anything like this before! Every time I pray at this church, I experience the peace of our Lady!

Jacob Derry '26, Diocese of Lansing My favorite church in Rome is St. Paul's Outside the Walls. It is a very beautiful, quiet basilica that allows you to enter deeply into prayer and to spend time with the relics of St. Paul himself.

Brian James ‘27, Diocese of Worcester

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The Pontifical Pontifical North North American American College College The

WHAT WE’RE

READING

A Norwegian Novelist Looks South

Catherine of Siena

by Sigrid Undset

REV. MR. THOMAS O’DONNELL ‘25, ARCHDIOCESE OF BALTIMORE Norway’s particular climate and history apparently provide an insight into human nature (and divine nature) with outsized influence. Familiar with how Nobel-winner Sigrid Undset uses this insight in her character-driven novels, I expected Catherine of Siena to fill out imaginatively the 14th-century virgin’s personality, with Undset’s typically rich dialogue simply set against a different national backdrop. Instead, Undset eschews novelization, providing helpful historical commentary, but letting the Doctor ‘speak’ only through direct quotations of her extensive letters. The result: Undset disappears almost entirely, the writer merely a window into Catherine’s own genius, that of the teen who controversially joined the widows’ prayer group at her neighboring Dominican parish but periodically broke from her back-pew spousal mysticism to cast out demons and command armies.

Catherine’s words to young men and priests simultaneously challenge and encourage. Of course, the priest whom she challenged and encouraged the most was Gregory XI, to whom—despite his faults— she showed utmost devotion, and unabashedly demanded that all Europe follow. We should not pray like Catherine to have the barque of Peter placed on our shoulders, but her sacrificial support for the papacy must inspire all seminarians. While reading Undset’s novel, I stopped countless times to venerate Catherine’s body on the ‘Greg route.’

The influence of Norway is minor in comparison to the influence of this Sienese saint, without whom Peter might have abandoned Rome, many others despaired of their own vocations, and we all, washed in his precious blood, forgotten the delight of “Sweet Jesus, Jesus love.” n

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Departing Faculty Thank you and Farewell to Monsignor Oliver REV. MICHAEL ROMANO ‘07, DIOCESE OF CAMDEN For the past two years, Monsignor James Oliver has blessed the members of this College community through his presence as an adjunct spiritual director. A priest of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and Official for the Dicastery for Clergy, he would weekly join us for prayer and accompany the men under his care. However, Monsignor was no stranger to priestly formation. Having spent some years on the formation team at Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary in Philadelphia, he had a tremendous impact on this priest when he was a young seminarian. His humility, simplicity, prayerfulness, love for the poor and generosity of spirit are manifestations of how he has exercised priestly ministry both at home and abroad.

Following six years of difficult, yet important, work at the Vatican, Monsignor Oliver leaves Rome to resume parochial ministry as a pastor in his archdiocese. While his presence at the College will be missed, he will certainly continue to influence many others through his priestly witness. Thank you for your service to the Church universal and this seminary community, Monsignor!

Ad multos annos!

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Thank you, Smith Family!

NICHOLAS STELLPFLUG ‘25, DIOCESE OF GREEN BAY You would be hard-pressed to find Shrek-themed birthday parties and highchairs at most seminaries. However, these are common items when a family with a young child lives on campus. Stephen Smith began as our coordinator of liturgical music two years ago, bringing his wife, Elizabeth, and daughter, Briella (now 2 ½ years old) with him. They truly became a part of the community and blessed us with their presence.

I am personally blessed to have come to know the Smiths, especially through working closely with Stephen in the music program and starring in the NAC Play last spring with Elizabeth. Many people joined the seminary choir not only for the music, but also to sing with and learn from Stephen.

A model of competency, he is also passionate about sacred music. Stephen helped us to make beautiful music for God and to enjoy our work. And what more needs to be said about Briella than the fact that her NAC nametag bore the title “Joy Capo.”

We were sad to see the Smiths return to the States in February, but we are grateful that they received the care they needed for Elizabeth during her pregnancy and for the healthy birth of their new baby, Gemma! We truly miss you, Smith family, and we keep you in our prayers!

Grazie mille, Signori Smith!

Godspeed, Sr. Monica Marie!

REV. JOSEPH SCOLARO C‘25, DIOCESE OF ROCKVILLE CENTER

After a decade of serving as house infirmarian, Sister Marie Mechtild, RSM, will be moving on from the Pontifical North American College. While we most often saw her after a collision on the Campo Sportivo or an unfortunate misstep on Rome’s cobblestones, we will miss her warm, motherly presence at the various College celebrations.

Asked about her time in Rome, Sister shared that her favorite memory has been “seeing the seminarians grown and becoming priests. There is truly a visible change happening, even when the seminarian does not see it. Best of all is the privilege to live spiritual motherhood in sharing the joys and sorrows, sustained through the prayer life of the whole religious community. We pray for the seminarians, faculty, and staff of the College and Casa Santa Maria every day at Holy Hour!”

It is with great sorrow that the Pontifical North American College community bids farewell to Sister Monica Marie, OP, who has served this past year as one of our librarians. She was a warm and uplifting presence for us all, especially for those students spending countless hours at their desks amidst the stacks. She was always ready with a smile and a word of encouragement, and was quick to assist in any way she could. She modeled for us all what it means to be a listening Church, welcoming suggestions as she expanded the library collection, and she was generously merciful, without hesitation absolving the less attentive students of their late fees. We are grateful for her beautiful witness to religious life, and will be praying for her as she departs to share her gifts elsewhere in God’s vineyard.

Sister Mechtild will be moving to St. Louis to help in the Archdiocese and the Mobile Clinic, which serves the poor.

Sister Monica Marie will be returning to the United States to teach kindergarten.

God bless your apostolate, Sister!

Godspeed, Sister Monica Marie!

Auf Wiedersehen, Sr. Mechtild KYLE LANG‘26, DIOCESE OF LA CROSSE

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is) visits aul-Minneapol inerva on P t.

(S 6 ‘2 g ra M Steven Lan ta Maria Sop an S of a ic il as the B s. his way to clas

During his walk to ‘25 (Washington) class, Chukwuma Odigwe prays before the Catherine of Sie tomb of St. na.

A Walk Through Rome CHUKWUMA ODIGWE ‘25, ARCHDIOCESE OF WASHINGTON

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Be it by bike, by scooter, or on foot, every morning seminarians of the Pontifical North American College journey through Rome to get to their university. The one I attend, the Gregorian University, is a 25-minute walk across the city. While some might say this is a long distance, I find that this trip is often one of the most pleasurable parts of my day.

thirty Catholic churches! These churches, which are very beautiful, are steeped in the history of the Church. Many of the churches on my walk to class have tombs of the saints.

Each morning, I have the opportunity to pray to such saints as: St. Agnes, St. Monica, St. Catherine of Sienna, St. Philip the Apostle, and St. James the Minor, to name a few.

In many ways, Rome itself is formative for a seminarian.

For starters, my route to class crosses ancient sites like the Pantheon, multiple ancient city squares, and the Tiber River. These places are rich in history and significance for someone studying to become a Catholic priest. What is more significant is that on my way to class I pass by over

Visiting the saints on my journey to class is a powerful reminder of what I am destined for. In seeing the physical places where these men and women who spent their lives serving God are buried and praying for their intercession, I am reminded each day of what we have the confidence to believe through our faith – that they are now with God

The Pontifical North American College

Chukwuma Odigwe and Bill Waters ‘27 (Galveston-Houston) cross the Tiber River on the way to class.

in Heaven. And this becomes a tangible daily reminder for me, that I too am called to go to Heaven and to help as many others as I can do the same. Through Christ it is possible, and it is real.

My walk to class also brings unique opportunities for prayer.

Whether I am praying a rosary with others or spending time with God in silence, my walk to class quickly becomes a time of prayer. Visiting churches to pray before the Tabernacle or Eucharistic Adoration is always a great way to start the day.

And then there are encounters with others that are unexpected - such as meeting a classmate or seminarian in a totally different part of town, having a conversation with an individual experiencing homelessness, or an impromptu encounter with study abroad students from the U.S. Encountering people in the city can involve anything from giving directions to the Colosseum to having conversations about the faith. These encounters, while often unassuming, are usually filled with the influence of the Holy Spirit. Over

ty of through the ci ial e ut m m co ly The dai d spec reat beauty an Rome offers g others. h encounters wit

time, I have seen firsthand the importance for priests to always be available and open to everyone they encounter.

Walks to and from class are also a great opportunity to spend time with fellow seminarians. Talking about recent events in the Church, discussing that one concept from yesterday’s theology lecture that I didn’t quite grasp, discussing what it really means to be a good priest–these have been conversations that have edified my mornings and often the rest of my day.

All of these experiences have truly enriched my time in seminary and helped me to connect what I learn in class with the priestly life I am preparing to live. And this is exactly how Rome forms me for the priesthood. It is often in the simplest moments that the Lord is most active. Each step of my walk to class provides opportunities for me to be formed–to grow closer to the Lord in prayer, in friendship with the saints, and more available to all that I encounter.

Each morning, I set out for class and let the beauty of Rome form me, step by step. n

ROMAN ECHOES 2024 • VOLUME 28: ISSUE 4

© iStock/Staselnik

journey At the end of his morning igwe reaches Od through Rome, Chukwuma iversity, where Un n ria th e Pontifical Grego he studies theology.

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CITY OF OLD M I C H A E L F I G U RA ‘ 2 6, A R C H D I O C E S E O F O M A H A o city of legend, o city of tome, where brother killed brother for hopping a stone; o city of keys, o city of sword, vital seed stolen from Sol to the Lord; o city of fire, o city of flame, innocent blood abandoned to blame; o city of pagan, o city of saint, yet hatred a love unable to taint; o city of darkness, o city of light, still holies of holies brighten the night; a city of contradiction it be beauty and strength albeit dirty, and man finds himself the center of all—dirt and scabs: signs of a fall are little to push a lover away from broken and bruised, chooses to stay; who is he who finds himself here? heart of a Father, surprisingly near beating for him to be remade son with undying embrace, past is undone. clay in a mold, tree that regrew; in city of old, he is made new.

22

The Pontifical North American College

Photo contest winner: Zavior Franck ’27, Diocese of Duluth

From Plate to Heart Paulo Salazar ’25, Diocese of Brooklyn

Throughout my years of study in Rome, I have developed lifelong friends, I have seen the universality of the Church, and have been able to immerse myself within the Italian culture. At the heart of this culture is enjoyment. What better way is there to enjoy the company of another person than sitting around at a table enjoying a nice meal?

One blessing being at the College is that you make friends from everywhere and this same blessing extends beyond the College’s walls. We are privileged to meet so many people from different parts of the world. That is the beauty of studying in Rome. Building relationships is at the heart of everything we do. Whenever guests come to the city, we always jump at the opportunity to show them around whether it is the College or St. Peter’s Basilica. Just as the Romans like those in Abruzzi make the Eternal City a home for us, we look to do the same with whoever it is that visits - be it for the first or hundredth time. The Romans have shown us that home is not just a place but it is the people with whom you surround yourself.

ROMAN ECHOES 2024 • VOLUME 28: ISSUE 4

© iStock/Thinglass

Since my first year in Rome, Ristorante Abruzzi has always been a place I frequented with my closest friends. I began going there for their famous rigatoni alla carbonara but eventually my reason for going changed from a culinary experience to a personal experience. I began to go more for the staff than the delicious food! They weren’t simply waiters bringing my food rather they were people with a story. The more I went, the greater my friendship with the staff grew. In each visit, they treated me as if I was in their home and as if I was one of them.

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2023-2024

Year in Review Priestly formation is a journey in which the four dimensions of human, spiritual, intellectual, and pastoral formation are woven together to conform the heart of the seminarian to the heart of Christ (PPF 6th Edition, 11-12).

24 2023-2024 Year in Review

2023-2024 YEAR

IN

REVIEW

25

Student Represent Seattle Spokane Yakima Portland

Crookston

Helena Great Falls-Billings

Baker City

Fargo

Bismarck

Boise Rapid City Sioux Falls

New Ul W Roc

Sioux City Santa Rosa Oakland San Francisco San Jose

Reno Sacramento Stockton Monterey

Cheyenne

Salt Lake City

Fresno

Colorado Springs

San Bernardino

Gallup

Orange San Diego

Kansas City

Salina

Dodge City

Las Vegas

Wichita

Kans - St.

Je

Sp Gi

Tulsa

Santa Fe Amarillo

Oklahoma City

Lubbock

Dallas

Phoenix Tuscon

Las Cruces El Paso

Where do our seminarians and student priests come from?

San Angelo

Fort Worth Tyler

San Antonio

Austin Victoria

Corpus

This past year, more than 50 dioceses were represented by 106 men in formation at the Christi Laredo Janiculum Campus, plus another 56 priests at the Casa Santa Maria for graduate studies. Their years in Rome foster a deep sense of community and embrace the diversity of experience and Brownsville knowledge that each man holds. In a unique way, the College offers a broad view of the Universal Church, not only in Rome, but within the community itself.

26 2023-2024 Year in Review

Des M

Lincoln Denver

Pueblo

Los Angeles

Omaha

Grand Island

Bea Galv Hou

at i o n b y D i o c e s e St. Paul-Minneapolis

Duluth Superior

Burlington

Marquette Pittsburgh Erie Youngstown

Saginaw

Syracuse Rochester Albany Buffalo Hartford Scranton AltoonaJohnstown Allentown

Newark

Camden Philadelphia Paterson Baltimore

Norwich New York Rockville Centre

Washington

Savannah

Alexandria Baton Mobile Rouge Biloxi Pensacola-Tallahassee Lake Charles New Orleans aumont Houma-Thibodaux St. Petersburg vestonLafayette uston

St. Augustine Orlando Venice Miami

Palm Beach

KEY:

State Borders Diocesan Borders Diocese with students attending (shown in red)

REPRESENTATION

Jackson

Brooklyn

Metuchen Trenton Harrisburg

Providence

STUDENT

Charleston

Birmingham Shreveport

Bridgeport

Worcester

• Perth, Australia • Sydney, Australia • Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter • St. Thomas, Virgin Islands

Memphis Atlanta

Fall River

REVIEW:

Lansing Detroit Kalamazoo Dubuque Cleveland Chicago Toledo Rockford Moines Greensburg Ft. Wayne Gary Davenport Joliet Wilmington South Bend Steubenville Peoria Lafayette Columbus Arlington Springfield Indianapolis sas City Cincinnati . Joseph St. Louis WheelingCovington Richmond Evansville Louisville Charleston efferson City Belleville Owensboro Lexington Raleigh pringfield-Cape irardeau Nashville Knoxville Charlotte Little Rock

Boston Springfield

Manchester

IN

lm Grand La Crosse WinonaRapids chester Madison Milwaukee

Portland

Ogdensburg

Gaylord

Green Bay

2023-2024 YEAR

St. Cloud

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Rome reminds me that the world does not revolve around me. The Eternal City teaches me that I am dependent on others in my community, and I believe these realities serve my human formation.

28 2023-2024 Year in Review

RYAN SALTNESS ’27, DIOCESE OF WINONA-ROCHESTER In my first year of formation at the Pontifical North American College, I have come to realize that Rome has a unique impact on the human dimension of formation. In my opinion, this impact is greater than the mere reason of us being far away from home, although that is part of it as well. If you have ever had the opportunity to travel to Italy, you probably noticed that the Italian way of doing things is quite different from the American way. Maybe you have heard of a few sayings that pass through the college year after year. Sayings such as, “if you have three things to do in town, you are lucky to get one of them done,” or, “you are thinking far too rationally for living in Italy,” or a personal favorite, “don’t let Rome win.” All of these sayings seem to help us deal with the fact that “we’re not in Kansas anymore.”

top: The campus of the Pontifical North American College. bottom left to right: Seminarians take an evening walk through Rome at the close of the day; Seminarians enjoy fraternity in the Jewell Student Lounge; Steven Howard ‘26 (Sydney) and Coulter McIntyre ‘ 27 (Portland in Oregon) perform live music.

DIMENSION

Finally, I hope these experiences make me a better disciple of Christ and, God-willing, a better priest. No matter how prepared we are, we will not have all the answers on this side of eternity, in matters great or small.

The Program for Priestly Formation does not say anything about what to do when your Italo train is canceled due to another strike. Nor does it offer help with a leaking roof or window shattered by a baseball. However, these experiences of “letting Rome win” invite me to not rely on myself. They call me to encounter a person instead of trying to deal with challenges myself or ignoring the situation all together. The inconveniences and chaos that Rome sometimes brings have shown me that much of seminary formation is learning to trust the Lord through the reality of each situation— not just the situations that go according to how I hope or expect.

And ultimately, I hope my experiences in which “Rome wins” serve as a bridge for others to encounter Christ.

HUMAN

I hope this lesson makes me more sympathetic and a better friend to the men who will come after us. I hope it continues to motivate me to learn new languages and other cultures. I hope it makes me a better listener and more prudent in making decisions.

REVIEW:

Rome reminds me that the world does not revolve around me. The Eternal City teaches me that I am dependent on others in my community, and I believe these realities serve my human formation. They have made me more grateful for others in the College community, especially our upperclassmen, who have always been willing to help. I am particularly mindful of the priests, deacons, third, and second-years from Minnesota and from my corridor. They have been upstanding men to follow. I can recall multiple occasions when Hall Prayer on Tuesdays or State Night on Thursdays altered the course of a week for the better.

IN

When I lived in Chicago, I could order a book before breakfast and anticipate its arrival around lunchtime at a nearby Amazon locker. In my home state of Minnesota, I could talk to a stranger and complain about Viking football woes together. I could make a trip to Fleet Farm and rest assured that “if they don’t have it, you don’t need it.” The biggest challenge I regularly face in this new city is the desire to tell someone something and having no idea how to communicate it, or the desire to help someone and having no idea how. No doubt the local barber would have been fascinated to hear more about Minnesota’s classic tator-tot hotdish, but how do you say “hotdish” in Italian? And you can imagine the embarrassment having lived here for nine months and still being unable to explain to a passerby how the parking meters near your University work.

2023-2024 YEAR

H u m a n Di m e n s i o n Letting Rome Win

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Intellectual Dimension Going Back to the Sources ANDREW MESSER ‘26, DIOCESE OF TOLEDO I look back on this year in great appreciation of my academic formation. During these three years in Rome, I have been studying at the Pontifical Gregorian University, which is the successor of the Roman College of Saint Ignatius of Loyola. The University has a real charism for “positive theology,” which means we go back to the sources and build our thought on the great pillars of the Church’s tradition. The best of the Gregorian has taught me to anchor my academic formation in Sacred Scripture, the Fathers and early Christian writers, the Scholastic thinkers as well as the whole history of the Church. But it has also taught me the freedom to put what I learn into a language that is adapted to our time. This careful balance between the Old and the New is a true mark of my formation. To go back to the sources is the source for all authentic renewal in the Church.

Among some of my favorite classes are the courses on Sacred Scripture. This past semester, for example, we have studied the Gospel of John; in those pages, everything that we have learned in our past courses comes to bear.

Having studied Christology, the Trinity, Ecclesiology, Eschatology, the other Gospels, and even some biblical languages, the Gospel of John truly comes to life, and I see how all of my courses have born fruit. The University has tied things together for us so we see just how connected all of revealed doctrine truly is. This is vitally important to understand— especially for subjects such as Bioethics or Moral Theology. Understanding theology as interconnected rather than isolated disciplines helps us to become faithful witnesses to the Gospel message and share with God’s people all that this message implies in the teachings of the Church.

This year’s seminar with Fr. Joseph Carola, S.J., solidifies this lesson. Titled “A Patristic Synthesis of Theology,” the seminar is a year-long study on the Fathers of the Church. I have found it to be a true synthesis of the various topics that we have already covered throughout our time at the University, as well as an analysis of how these early witnesses of the Church are taken up in the Second Vatican Council. We meet weekly for a lively discussion, with full participation of each member facilitated by Fr. Carola. We go back to the sources in order to look confidently ahead toward the ministry that awaits us. God-willing, I am confident that we all will be effective workers in the Lord’s vineyard, always going back to the sources to build up the Church!

I am confident that my academic formation will serve this purpose for my own ministry, as it already has affected me outside of the University. My growing love for Sacred Scripture has found an outlet through delivering practice homilies.

The ease that I feel with teaching confirmation students at my apostolate, St. Patrick’s American Parish, is in large part due to a growth in my integrated knowledge of doctrine. I have seen this year how a true synthesis between my studies has led to a true synthesis between theory and practice in the concrete work of a pastor. The two must go together.

The other great lesson that I carry with me from the Gregorian is that the problems of our age are only done with a lectio difficilior, or a “more difficult reading” of the situation. No problem that we will encounter in the coming age will have an easy solution. With a balanced knowledge of many different sources of theology, I will have what I need in order to look at complex problems for what they are. At the same time, sharing the riches of Scripture, Tradition and the Magisterium with the people of God will be the way I share the Church’s treasures with them. In the end, all of our knowledge is ordered to Christ; coming to know Jesus Christ and sharing this knowledge with others is the greatest gift for which I could ask.

30 2023-2024 Year in Review

right: Andrew Messer ‘26 (Toledo) (left) and Rev. Mr. Thomas O'Donnell ‘25 (Baltimore) (right) in theology class at the Pontifical Gregorian University.

2023-2024 YEAR IN REVIEW: INTELLECTUAL DIMENSION

The best of the Gregorian has taught me to anchor my academic formation in Sacred Scripture, the Fathers and early Christian writers, the Scholastic thinkers as well as the whole history of the Church.

But it has also taught me the freedom to put what I learn into a language that is adapted to our time.

31

I am surrounded by the Lord. The Eucharist is in all these places and more. He is on almost every block in this city of saints and sinners — waiting, calling, delighting.

32 2023-2024 Year in Review

STEPHEN HOWARD ‘26, ARCHDIOCESE OF SYDNEY The highlight of every week this year has been guiding tourists through the ‘Scavi’: the excavations of pagan mausoleums lost beneath Vatican Hill for 2,000 years. My desires to preach, heal and encourage are deeply enflamed in that ancient necropolis with a dozen or so strangers from all walks of life. At its conclusion, the tour becomes a pilgrimage as we pray before the visible bones of the Fisherman, and afterwards I visit the tombs of his successors who guided the Church during my lifetime.

DIMENSION

top: The seminary gathers to pray the rosary. bottom left to right: The seminary choir sings during the House Vigil prior to the diaconate ordination; Prayer is an essential part of seminarian formation for the priesthood.

SPIRITUAL

Rome is a special place, and a bewildering experience. But it is the indwelling Holy Trinity that transforms my heart, configuring me to the Good Shepherd. The opportunities I have are incredible and indescribable, but they only reinforce the infinite, universal generosity of life and love that God pours out upon each of us (not just me!) at every moment, preparing us to be with Him in the true Eternal City of Heaven. He is waiting for us and guiding us and pursuing us in every place and time, not only in Rome.

REVIEW:

But most importantly, I am surrounded by the Lord. The Eucharist is in all these places and more. He is on almost every block in this city of saints and sinners – waiting, calling, delighting. Addressing the community last year, Pope Francis encouraged the seminarians and priests to foster a daily relationship with Jesus, by “listening to Him in silence before the Tabernacle.” And that is where all of this begins to make sense.

Yes, I see the bones of Peter each week, but I bow to the altar beforehand. Yes, I visit Peter’s successors, but afterwards I bring my head to the floor in thanksgiving before the exposed, Eucharistic Lord upstairs. Yes, all these relics and masterpieces flood this city, but they are here because they were inspired by Christ and His Spirit, and only have meaning because of the Father who loves us. Yes, I live in Rome, but I receive God every single day in the Flesh.

IN

Through decisions great and small across thousands of years, I live in Rome, utterly blessed by Providence, and overwhelmed by the generosity of strangers, formators, fellow seminarians, the Church as a whole, and God Himself, Who draws all of these threads together into an impossible tapestry that sometimes feels like it’s all just for me. I do not exaggerate when I say that I am almost embarrassed by God’s abundant gifts.

To reiterate what I brushed over above: I lead people in prayer before the visible bones of Saint Peter nearly every week! And other saints and masterpieces are always merely a stone’s throw away: while I sit in class, Saint Monica rests in the church behind me, Caravaggio’s Call of Matthew is two blocks away, and I can see Saint Agnes at Piazza Navona; during my daily holy hour, I share the chapel with Pope Saint John Paul II and Saint Teresa of Calcutta, passing countless other relics and marvels on my walk back.

2023-2024 YEAR

Spiritual Dimension Not Only in Rome

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Pastoral Dimension Called According to His Purpose REV. MR. JOSEPH BRODEUR ‘24, DIOCESE OF PROVIDENCE Once you have lived in Rome, you can never read Saint Paul’s Letter to the Romans in quite the same way, for you realize that it is addressed, in some sense, to you. He writes, “We know that in everything God works for good with those who love him, who are called according to his purpose.” And it is never without a most solemn purpose that the Lord calls someone to the Eternal City.

For this reason, our apostolate began the year with the students of Ave Maria University and Saint Thomas More College by reading those words of Saint Paul and assuring them that God had called them to this city at this time for a very particular purpose.

Rome affords many unique opportunities to encounter the saints of the Church in the very places where they lived and walked and died—the saints who remind us where we are and where we’re going. Thus, we encourage the students to approach their time here as a pilgrimage, knowing that we belong to God’s “pilgrim Church on earth,” in exile from our heavenly homeland, but on our way through, with, and in him who is the Way to the Father.

Several moments stand out from this past year ‘on the way’ with our university students, and I would like to highlight a few: • Adoring our Eucharistic Lord over the tomb of Saint Ignatius of Antioch in the Church of San Clemente on his feast day, just a stone’s throw from the Colosseum where he suffered martyrdom and called himself “God’s wheat… ground… to become Christ’s pure bread.”

• Celebrating early morning Mass in the crypt of Saint Peter’s Basilica, near the tomb of the rock on which Christ built His Church.

• Singing carols of the Incarnation by candlelight with some 50 other college students in Saint Peter’s Square on a brisk December evening.

• Walking (or biking!) the Via Appia Antica, over the same cobblestones Saint Paul trod in chains on his way into the city. Then hearing Paul recount the story of his conversion in his letter to the Galatians during a holy hour just feet from the place where his mortal remains rest.

• Making a Day of Recollection in Lent and Advent on the Seven Church Walk of Saint Philip Neri, in which we visit all four papal basilicas (San Pietro, San Paolo, Maria Maggiore, and Giovanni Laterano), as well as San Lorenzo, San Sebastiano, and Santa Croce in Gerusalemme.

While on this earthly pilgrimage we do not always see the end in sight (rarely, in fact, do we see beyond the next step!), God often uses these moments of grace to reveal that next step to us. For some, this step may be seemingly small—a new friendship with a saint or a new insight in prayer. For others, it was more monumental. In both semesters, we rejoiced with students who were making decisive steps toward lifelong vocations—one couple to marriage and another young woman to consecrated life!

Through all these experiences, Rome gives us a glimpse into “the glory that is to be revealed” and to which we have been called according to His purpose. In my own future priesthood, to which I will be ordained shortly, while I cannot see beyond the next step, I remain convinced with Saint Paul that “in everything, God works for good with those who love him.” I am grateful to Rome and my time with the college students for teaching me that.

34 2023-2024 Year in Review

top to bottom: Rev. Mr. Joseph Brodeur ‘24 (Providence) (bottom left) celebrates with students from Ave Maria University and Saint Thomas More College at the conclusion of the Seven Church Walk; Rev. Mr. Stephen Jones ‘24 (Oklahoma City) (far left) with students from the University of Mary after an afternoon of sports at the seminary.

2023-2024 YEAR IN REVIEW: PASTORAL

Rome affords many unique opportunities to encounter the saints of the Church in the very places where they lived and walked and died — the saints who remind us where we are and where we're going. Thus, we encourage the students to approach their time here as a pilgrimage.

DIMENSION 35

Do You Have a Minute?

REV. NIC VENTURA C‘25, DIOCESE OF COLUMBUS

F

ather, do you have a minute?”

These six words dispose a priest to make a decision most rooted in freedom. The “yes” to this question could either mean you are helping someone find the thermostat, or it could also mean a several hour long conversation about a personal or family situation. Regardless of the outcome, the radical availability of a parish priest can be encapsulated in those six words.

Two years ago in August, I was asked this same question from the Rector of the Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus, Ohio, where I had attended seminary nearly nine years ago. I was faced, once again, with radical freedom. And my “yes” led to a complete change of life that can only be described as “providential”.

I could not have anticipated that my “yes” would become two years of intensive study and being immersed in the heart of the Church, the city of Rome. I went from being a pastor of a large parish with a very full school, to entering studies for the Licentiate in left to right: Rev. Nicola Ventura C‘25 (Columbus) pursues the Will of God through his studies in the Casa Santa Maria Library; Father Ventura joins other Casa priests for fraternity after a day of studies; Rev. Michael Bissex C‘25 (Rockville Centre) studies theology alongside other priests in Rome.

36

The Pontifical North American College

Liturgy at the Pontifical Institute for Liturgy at Sant’Anselmo.

Living and studying in Rome has been indescribable. Being both immersed in the richness of the Italian culture and being close to the rhythm of the heartbeat of the Church has led to an opportunity that I did not anticipate.

I have encountered so many others who have a heart of mission for the Church. Men from all over the United States have become my brothers in daily living. I see the diversity of the Church, not only in the multicultural reality of Rome, but in the priests from my own country.

I entered with several other priests this year at the Casa Santa Maria, all of whom have their own unique experiences living here. Father Kevin Klonowski of the diocese of Cleveland, Ohio, who studies Scripture at the Pontifical Biblical Institute says, “I found the community of the Casa to be a blessing for my priesthood. I enjoy my studies tremendously, not because I did not expect to, but I loved parish life and have been surprised how

smooth the transition was, and I have come to enjoy what the Lord has called me to do, which is clearly the result of grace.” The plans of the Lord always lead to the joy of the human heart.

This openness to the Will of God when He asks, “Do you have a minute?” is what leads us to live according to Providence, and it is what leads many men to come study here in Rome. Ultimately, no priest who comes to study in Rome does it for his own personal benefit, but for greater service to the Church. While intellectual rigor is part of the preparation, education is not only limited to the classroom. As the famous saying goes, “Don’t let academics get in the way of education.”

Rome is the classroom in which God leads many priests to a deeper love for the mission of the Church. n

Romanitas REV. EDWARD LINTON, O.S.B.

W

hat makes the Institute for Continuing Theological Education (ICTE) unique? What is its “Romanitas” (Roman-ness)?

The Casa O’Toole, located on the Janiculum campus, is ICTE’s home. It overlooks the Papal Basilica of Saint Peter. Every morning, each priest on sabbatical looks out the window as soon as he awakes to seek inspiration from the holy site. Every night, while preparing for bed, each priest looks out the window before sleeping to whisper a grateful prayer while taking in the awesome sight. Romanitas!

The Institute typically arranges a visit to the Dicastery for the Clergy. We are always greeted warmly by the officials of the Dicastery, especially its Prefect, His Eminence Lazarus Cardinal You Heung-sik. He always reminds us that formation as a priest is never complete. In the heart of the Universal Church, encouraged by a Korean Cardinal, we leave the Dicastery knowing that on-going formation is a gift—and a personal responsibility—that allows us to continue to serve God and His people. Romanitas!

This past autumn, ICTE focused on Marian theology. We made a six-day Marian pilgrimage to the Marche region of Italy, where the principal shrine is Loreto. As if the Holy House of Loreto wasn’t enough, there is so much more in Marche, including incredible art!

Art in Italy inspires. Priests who never thought much about art are overcome. On our trip through the Marche, conversations would drift back to a piece of art about which participants could not stop thinking. “That fresco of the pregnant Virgin Mary,” one priest told me, “has given me so much to think about, to pray about, to preach about.” Romanitas!

Priests are sometimes nervous about returning to a classroom after so many years. However, the anxiety doesn’t last long. Soon enough, the sabbatical priests recognize that they are part of a learning community and that their experience counts. Conversations—in class and during breaks—are always robust. Indeed, professors often say that they learn much from the sabbaticants, seasoned with years of pastoral experience. Romanitas!

Certainly, once arriving at ICTE, priests have their world expanded by living in a different culture, eating different foods, and meeting new people.

But sometimes, like last autumn when we traveled to Egypt to follow the route of the flight of the Holy Family, their world is expanded tenfold. This ancient route, kept alive through centuries by Coptic Christians, traverses

left to right: Rev. Edward Linton, O.S.B. (center) and ICTE priests in the chapel of the Casa O'Toole; The ICTE group at the Basilica of Saint Clement in Rome; ICTE participants near the ancient Egyptian pyramids during their pilgrimage to Egypt.

ancient temples and Christian Monasteries—some of which have been inhabited since the fourth century! From Mount Sinai to the pyramids to Coptic Communities along the Nile, sabbaticants continually gained new insights on a pilgrimage they will never forget. Romanitas!

As the director of ICTE, I welcome many groups of priests to the Casa O’Toole. Most priests haven’t lived in a community since their days in seminary. Many haven’t lived with another priest in decades. Despite this, it is always amazing to me how quickly sabbaticants acclimate to a priestly community. Lessons learned in their initial priestly formation still resonate strongly. Priests pray for one another; encourage one another; enjoy one another’s company. They are priests for one another!

To our knowledge, ICTE is the only permanent sabbatical program exclusively for priests offered in English.

It provides a beautiful place where priests minister to one another in a way that only another priest is able.

That’s our Romanitas! n

ROMAN ECHOES 2024 • VOLUME 28: ISSUE 4

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Roman Holiday… and Then Some MARK RANDALL, CFRE • EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT

I

love the theme of this issue: Roma! One of the goals of Roman Echoes, and for most of our communications to our stakeholders, is to “bring Rome home” through our stories, photos, and writing.

Since many of our lay benefactors may never visit Rome or the campuses of the North American College, this magazine is essential to our goal of sharing the fruits of your investment and how Rome is integral to that investment. Many times over the years, I have written in this column about the Roman Experience: how our seminarians live a ‘Roman Formation,’ what it means to visit the Eternal City as a Catholic, and why we encourage our friends and benefactors to visit. The articles in this issue reinforce these reflections ten-fold!

Of course, if you do go to Rome, we are here for you. The Office of Institutional Advancement (OIA) collaborates with the Bishops’ Office for U.S. Visitors to the Vatican on thousands of formal and informal requests from readers like you. The good Sisters in the Visitors’ Office field hundreds of email requests weekly, primarily for tickets to Papal events (Masses, General Audiences, etc.), which are always free of charge.

The seminarians at the College also assist pilgrims in Rome.

Collaborating with the OIA and the Visitors’ Office, they

The latest news and photos from Rome.

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offer tours of Saint Peter’s Basilica, Saint Paul Outside the Walls and the SCAVI tour (the excavations under Saint Peter’s Basilica that lead to Saint Peter’s tomb). They share with visitors the same Eternal City that has helped form them for the priesthood.

We enjoy assisting you with your pilgrimages, and we hope you reach out to us if you plan on visiting Rome. Unfortunately, we cannot order a parchment Papal Blessing for you or arrange a private meeting with the Pope (as is sometimes asked!), but we can help out in many other ways and are happy to do so.

For over a decade now, my favorite interactions with you – guests, pilgrims, and friends – are simply the conversations I have with you after you have experienced Rome, especially if you also visited our seminary. It is a great blessing to witness how Rome and the College affect benefactors: deepening their faith, increasing their hope in our Church’s future, and strengthening their bond with the College and its mission.

The recent, “American Week” in Rome, which brought hundreds of US Pilgrims to the city for the Rector’s Dinner and various other events, illustrated how people are so deeply moved by their time here. I saw many first-time faces this year, and with the upcoming Jubilee Year in 2025, we expect to see even more.

Whether or not you are able to visit Rome, please know that the seminarians pray for you and all of our benefactors and friends every day.

We are deeply grateful for your past and future financial support. n

For more information about The Pontifical North American College, subscription questions, or to learn about ways you can financially support “America’s Seminary in Rome,” please contact Mark Randall, CFRE, Executive Director, Institutional Advancement. Tel: (202) 541-5411 I Fax: (202) 470-6211 I Email: pnacdc@pnac.org I Website: www.pnac.org

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The Pontifical North American College

CONGRATUL ATIONS TO THE

CL ASS OF 2024

Rev. Ryan Joseph Asher, Archdiocese of Detroit

Rev. Jacob Francis Livecchi, Diocese of Toledo

Rev. Benjamin Richard Bralove, Archdiocese of Washington

Rev. Michael Patrick Mahoney, Diocese of Des Moines

Rev. Joseph Michael Brodeur, Diocese of Providence

Rev. Michael Thomas Maloney, Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis

Rev. Brent Douglas Durschmidt, Archdiocese of Portland-in-Oregon

Rev. James Phillip Muscatella, Diocese of Rochester

Rev. Justin Richard Echevarria, Archdiocese of Portland-in-Oregon

Rev. Troy Phillip Niemerg, Diocese of Springfield, Illinois

Rev. James Andrew Fangmeyer, Archdiocese of Washington

Rev. David James Nowicki, Diocese of La Crosse

Rev. Zachary Allen Galante, Archdiocese of Milwaukee

Rev. Matthew Louis Pohlman, Archdiocese of Omaha

Rev. Viktor Gjergji, Archdiocese of New York

Rev. Tyler Eugene Underhill, Diocese of Evansville

Rev. Stephen Austin Jones, Archdiocese of Oklahoma City

Rev. Joseph Nathaniel Wappes, Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis

Rev. David Thomas Lee, Diocese of Nashville

Rev. Andrew James Westerman, Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter

ROMAN ECHOES 2024 • VOLUME 28: ISSUE 4

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The Pontifical North American College Office of Institutional Advancement 3211 Fourth Street, NE Washington, D.C. 20017-1194 ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED1

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