Roman Echoes 2015 – Volume 19, Issue 4

THE PONTIFICAL NORTH AMERICAN COLLEGE • SEPTEMBER 2015 • VOLUME 19: ISSUE 4

A Year of Blessings 10 Understanding Social Justice 14 Serving American Military Families in Italy 20 Alumni Profile ROMAN ECHOES 2015 • VOLUME 19: ISSUE 4

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Content EDITORIAL STAFF EDITOR IN CHIEF Kevin Staley-Joyce ‘16 Archdiocese of Boston

LAYOUT & DESIGN MANAGER Alexander Padilla II ‘16 Diocese of St. Petersburg

MANAGING EDITOR Michael Zimmerman ‘17 Archdiocese of Boston

6 Year’s End A look back at the highlights of the year.

Pope Francis’ visit and the dedication of the new classroom building were high points in a year filled with blessings for the College.

ASSISTANT EDITORS Paul Haverstock ‘16 Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis Grayson Heenan ‘17 Archdiocese of Detroit

Alumni Interview

Michael Casey Sanders ‘17 Archdiocese of Louisville LAYOUT & DESIGN EDITORS Corey Tufford ‘16 Diocese of San Diego Andrew Showers ‘17 Diocese of Madison

PHOTOGRAPHERS Michael Lund ‘16 Diocese of Pembroke Rev. Mr. Kyle Manglona ‘16 Archdiocese of Seattle Daniel Hart ‘17 Diocese of Alexandria

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6 Year End

STUAC and PC

8 STUAC and PC

Student governance in the Student Activities Council and the Pastoral Council

10 Social Justice

To assist the rector and prepare for future ministry NAC seminarians devote time to the administrative life of the seminary.

20 Rev. Paul Hoesing ‘02 Rev. Hoesing recalls his first memories of the College and shares insights gained as a vocation director and seminary formator.

18 First-Year Seminar Rev. Msgr. William Millea ‘80, C‘89 Msgr. Millea looks back on over twenty years teaching NAC seminarians.

Cover Image: The Pontifical North American College Class of 2015 with Rev. Msgr. Michael Farmer ‘95 (Mobile), Vice Rector for Administration, center-left; Rev. Msgr. James Checchio ‘92, C‘97 (Camden), Rector of the College, center; and Rev. Brian Christensen ‘99 (Rapid City), Vice Rector for Seminary Life and Director of Human Formation, center-right.

5 Rector’s Corner

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12 Fraternity Weekends 14 Apostolate 16 News Bytes 18 Seminar 20 Alumni Interview

News Bytes

22 Casa Update

Moments from daily life at the College

24 ICTE Update 26 Institutional Advancement

Perennial college events and athletic contests help set the steady pace of the spring semester.

14 American Military Families in Italy Rev. Jack Schrader ‘15

The College’s largest apostolate gives seminarians the chance to minister to the pastoral needs of hundreds of American families living on American military bases in Italy.

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Rector’s Corner

BOARD OF GOVERNORS OF THE PONTIFICAL NORTH AMERICAN COLLEGE CHAIRMAN Most Rev. John J. Myers ‘67 Archbishop of Newark

TREASURER Most Rev. Frank J. Dewane ‘88, C‘89 Bishop of Venice

VICE CHAIRMAN Most Rev. John C. Nienstedt ‘73, C‘84 Archbishop Emeritus of St. Paul and Minneapolis

SECRETARY Most Rev. Joseph M. Siegel ‘88 Auxiliary Bishop of Joliet

A statue of Our Lady, Seat of Wisdom, located in the Saint John Paul II Chapel in the College’s new building.

RECTOR Rev. Msgr. James F. Checchio ‘92, C‘97 VICE RECTOR FOR SEMINARY LIFE Rev. Brian P. Christensen ‘99 SUPERIOR, CASA SANTA MARIA Rev. Msgr. Fred Berardi C‘82 DIRECTOR, INSTITUTE FOR CONTINUING THEOLOGICAL EDUCATION Rev. James M. Sullivan, O.P. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT Mark Randall, CFRE

Donald Cardinal Wuerl ‘67 Archbishop of Washington

Most Rev. William M. Mulvey ‘75 Bishop of Corpus Christi

Most Rev. Robert J. Carlson Archbishop of St. Louis

Most Rev. William F. Murphy ‘65, C‘74 Bishop of Rockville Centre

Most Rev. Gerald Nicholas Dino C‘72 Bishop of the Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Holy Protection of Mary

Most Rev. Joseph A. Pepe C‘76 Bishop of Las Vegas

Most Rev. Robert C. Evans ‘73, C‘89 Auxiliary Bishop of Providence Most Rev. Jeffrey M. Monforton ‘93, C‘02 Bishop of Steubenville

Most Rev. Glen J. Provost ‘75 Bishop of Lake Charles Most Rev. J. Peter Sartain ‘78 Archbishop of Seattle Most Rev. Michael J. Sheehan ‘65, C‘71 Archbishop of Santa Fe

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.

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his summer, fifty-four of our fourth-year men were ordained priests of Jesus Christ; thanks be to God! During the same period, nearly six hundred deacons were ordained priests across the United States, meaning the North American College was blessed with a good share of this year’s ordinations. Last year, during his Chrism Mass homily, Pope Francis preached encouraging words for the newly ordained priests: “On this priestly Thursday I ask the Lord Jesus to preserve the joy sparkling in the eyes of the recently ordained who go forth to devour the world, to spend themselves fully in the midst of God’s faithful people, rejoicing as they prepare their first homily, their first Mass, their first Baptism, their first confession. It is the joy of being able to share with wonder, and for the first time as God’s anointed, the treasure of the Gospel and to feel the faithful people anointing you again and in yet another way: by their requests, by bowing their heads for your blessing, by taking your hands, by bringing you their children, by pleading for their sick. Preserve, Lord, in your young priests the joy of going forth, of doing everything as if for the first time, the joy of spending their lives fully for you.”

newly ordained priests begin their sacred ministry, joined by many of our priests just finishing their studies at the Casa Santa Maria and at the Institute for Continuing Theological Education. It was an honor for me to be able to attend ordinations this summer in Houston, Baltimore, and Austin, but it would have been wonderful to be present at them all. For now, it’s reassuring to hear stories about their priestly joy—a priceless treasure, for the priest himself and for the Church. We join with the Holy Father in praying for these newly ordained priests, and all priests, that they may grow more deeply in love with this oil of gladness, constantly being enriched by the people they are called to serve.

We are certainly filled with hope for the sacred ministry of our alumni in so many dioceses in our country. These

Enjoy this edition of the magazine, which our students provide for you, so that you can get to know them and

Thank you for assisting us in this mission of forming such instruments of joy—men prepared to spread and to be further enriched by this oil of gladness. Without the financial help and prayers of so many of our friends, the support of our bishops and the collaboration of their many vocation directors, we would not be able to complete our task here in Rome! For the faculty, it is a blessed time to be in this ministry, as we form new priests in Rome, which provides such spiritually rich soil for this nurturing work.

this wonderful institution of priestly formation. They are happy to share with you different aspects of life at the College, including highlights of the year, the role of student coordinating councils, student social justice initiatives, fraternity weekends, apostolate and academic highlights, as well as updates on the Casa Santa Maria, our Institute for Continuing Theological Education and an alumnus profile. I hope you enjoy it, and I know we can count on you to continue to support us in this mission by your prayers and financial support. For that, we are truly grateful.

Vergine Immacolata, aiutateci

Rev. Msgr. James Checchio ‘92, C‘97 Diocese of Camden Rector

Tel: (202) 541-5411 • Fax: (202) 722-8804 Email: pnacdc@pnac.org • Website: www.pnac.org 4

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A Year in

REVIEW ROMAN ECHOES EDITORS

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he 2014-2015 academic year at the Pontifical North American College was a year of exceptional moments—high points whose effects will be felt for many years to come. In one year, the College witnessed both the completion and dedication of a new classroom building and a visit from the Roman pontiff.

It was just a few short months after the new building’s dedication by His Eminence, Pietro Cardinal Parolin, Secretary of State to the Holy See, that the College was the blessed recipient of a visit from His Holiness, Pope Francis.

These two moments formed the axes of the year, and will not soon be

forgotten by the members of the College community who witnessed them.

Before these two momentus events, the year began as it always does—with recollection, the month of September being set aside for retreats and human formation classes, bolstered by the addition of four new faculty members.

Lessons learned on summer assignments came into focus with the start of classes, seminarians having completed pastoral assignments in continental Europe and more far-flung mission fields, from Cape Verde to Irkutsk.

Fall also brought diaconate ordination for the fourth-year men, who made promises to Christ and the Church. As deacons, the men of the class of 2015 assumed new roles at the College, preparing for those in their future ministries, with their ordination to the priesthood set for the late spring.

The fall also brought the proceedings of the Extraordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, and later on, before Christmas break, the College celebrated its patronal feast day, the feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary.

The College’s year was highlighted by the visit of His Holiness, Pope Francis on May 2, 2015, made in commemoration of Blessed Junípero Serra, who will be canonized during the Holy Father’s visit to the United States in September, and whom the Pope held up to the College’s priests and seminarians as a model of missionary zeal, devotion to the Blessed Mother, and witness to holiness.

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Upon return from Christmas break, the College celebrated the dedication of its new classroom building, which was dedicated by His Eminence, Pietro Cardinal Parolin. His Holiness, Pope Francis had previously blessed the building’s cornerstone, now ensconced in the first-floor administrative wing.

The 2014-15 year began with the ordination of forty-three men to the Order of Deacons on October 2, 2014, by His Eminence, Donald Cardinal Wuerl ‘67, Archbishop of Washington and member of the College’s Board of Governors.

This important milestone served as a welcome start to the new year and the new semester. The College would also soon mark the passage of its first- and second-year men to new stages on their path to ordination, instituting them in the ministries of lector and acolyte, respectively.

Lent is always a special time at the College, with early morning walks to the Stational Churches bringing a taste of the early Church to the morning liturgical and academic routine. The late spring brought exams, tesinas, and the annual Rector’s Dinner.

The second of May brought perhaps the most memorable point of the year—His Holiness, Pope Francis’ visit to the College. Pope Francis offered midday

Mass at the College, on the heels of a series of morning discussions on the legacy of Blessed Junipero Serra, planned in anticipation of the Holy Father’s fall visit to the United States.

In his homily, the Holy Father spoke of the holiness embedded in the history of America, and of Blessed Serra’s role in establishing the nation’s missionary spirit.

As seventy-two New Men arrived during the summer of preparation for Pope Francis’ fall visit to America, the College looked back with gratitude on the pope’s pastoral visit to the seminary, which both encouraged its seminarians and signaled the Holy Father’s confidence in the American missionary field. Before long, these New Men will occupy that mission field as priests. n

The College’s new building was dedicated on the Feast of the Epiphany, January 6, 2015, with the Dedication and Mass presided by His Eminence, Pietro Cardinal Parolin, Secretary of State of the Holy See.

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Preparing for Future Ministry: STUDENT GOVERNANCE AT NAC R E V. M R . R O B E RT A D A M S ‘ 1 6 , D I O C E S E O F L E X I N G T O N

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hen most people think about what happens in a seminary, they probably think about a bunch of men praying and studying. They are correct.

Men at the North American College do spend a good deal of time studying and praying. However, we also do a lot of “normal” things, too.

We have parties on holidays, play sports, and coordinate several day-to-day jobs that keep community life enjoyable. To keep things running smoothly, the Pontifical North American College has two committees: STUAC (Student Activities Council) and the Pastoral Council. As a member of both of these groups, I would like to explain what they do and how they help in priestly formation.

STUAC coordinates all sorts of activities to encourage happy and healthy community life. This group is in charge of the things that make community life fun.

It organizes sporting events, sponsors holiday parties, and even runs two stores.

Since this is a student council, it only works as much as seminarians are willing to put into it. Everyone from the guys who clean the gym and run the stores to the STUAC chairman (“King STUAC”) has to do his part to keep things in order. Every month, we have a STUAC meeting to talk about what we are doing and how we can do it better, much like a typical parish meeting - including discussions about the budget!

I work for STUAC as the Student Kitchen Prefect. The student kitchen

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is a fully equipped kitchen on the fifth floor terrace that students can use to cook for visitors, apostolate groups, or just friends who want to cook something exciting. My job in the kitchen is to organize the calendar so that everybody who wants to use the kitchen gets a fair chance to do so. I also make sure

From left: Rev. Joseph Delka ‘15 (Salt Lake City), Kevin Staley-Joyce ‘16 (Boston), Matthew Murray ‘16 (Oakland), Phillip DuFour ‘18 (Providence), Timothy Anastos ‘17 (Chicago), Christopher Jarvis ‘16 (Gaylord), and Rev. Mr. Robert Adams ‘16 (Lexington) discussing matters at a STUAC meeting.

My job on the Pastoral Council is the Community Life representative. That means that I report about the general morale of the seminary and how things affect the house as a whole. For example, this year, I worked with one of the spiritual directors to plan how the NAC would celebrate the Year for Consecrated Life.

We have parties on holidays, play sports, and coordinate several day-to-day jobs that keep community life enjoyable. it stays clean (no small task for an area used by 200 men) and that it is stocked with all the necessary supplies.

The Pastoral Council, on the other hand, works to facilitate communication between the students and the formation faculty. The Pastoral Council at the North American College works a lot like the pastoral council in most American parishes. We meet once a month to discuss things that are going on and to communicate with the rector.

Because it is only advisory, the Pastoral Council is not a type of student government that sets policies for the house; nonetheless, it is an important avenue for advice and communication.

I have found that being a member of STUAC and the Pastoral Council has been quite helpful in my formation.

Both of these jobs require me to be organized, communicate effectively, and lead with some sense of vision, all skills that priests need. While it is true that the spiritual part of priesthood is the most important part, it is also true that Pope Francis, our bishops, and future parishioners expect us to be good stewards and good leaders. These leadership skills cannot be learned in a classroom - they have to grow through good practice.

Fortunately for me, I find that STUAC and the Pastoral Council give me just the opportunities I need in order to grow in these areas. n

The cast and crew of the College’s annual stage production, Journey’s End, take their bow at the conclusion of one of their two performances. From left: Kevin Leaver ‘17 (Boston), Rev. Scott Murray ‘14 (Pembroke), David Tomaszycki ‘16 (Detroit), Sean Grismer ‘16 (Rockford), Daniel Eusterman ‘17 (Denver), David Exner ‘16 (San Diego), Michael Dion ‘16 (Seattle), Paul Bechter ‘16 (Dallas), and Colin Jones ‘18 (St. Paul-Minneapolis).

The annual “Hall Ball” basketball tournament is a staple of the College’s community life each Spring. Seen here: Mark Mleziva ‘17 (Green Bay), left, and Matthew Rensch ‘16 (Burlington), right, leading their team to victory.

Rev. Paul Solomon ‘15 (Joliet) sprinting toward the end zone, with Colin Jones ‘18 (St. Paul-Minneapolis) in pursuit, during the College’s annual “Spaghetti Bowl” football game, held on Thanksgiving weekend.

Understanding

SOCIAL JUSTICE E R I C TA M AY O ‘ 1 8 , D I O C E S E O F S A N D I E G O

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he North American College has recently begun a new initiative aimed at addressing important issues of social justice and facilitating discussion and understanding among seminarians. Spearheaded by Rev. James Quigley, O.P., Carl J. Peter Chair of Homiletics, and assisted by the work of seminarians,

the group meetings provide an environment to discuss prominent issues regarding social justice and peace. The group’s meetings revolve around a chosen film which addresses an issue of social justice. After the screening, an informal discussion follows allowing seminarians to express their thoughts and insights. I myself have been able to attend two of the gatherings focused on

the difficulties concerning immigration and racism featuring the films El Norte (1983) and Selma (2014). The films themselves present a unique perspective on social issues and have been helpful in discussing various ways in which we can work to improve similar situations in today’s modern world. I was particularly struck by Selma, which follows Martin Luther King, Jr. and the marches of

Films that the group have currently discussed are: Selma, a chronicle of Martin Luther King’s campaign to secure equal voting rights with a march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama in 1965; El Norte, in which peasants escape mindless labor and a murderous Guatemalan government to head to America; and The Butler, which looks at the life of a White House butler who served eight presidents between 1952 and 1986 while navigating the nation’s shifting racial politics.

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1965 from Selma to Montgomery which protested various inequalities in voting rights. The movie beautifully depicted the personal battles of Martin Luther King Jr. and his impact on so many around the country. I saw not only a new aspect of the civil rights movement, but also the courage it takes to stand up for your beliefs and for others.

The dignity of the human person is

With videos being posted every day depicting racism and brutal violence,we are reminded of the need to share the love of Christ and show true respect for all our neighbors in our opposition to injustice in any of its forms.

For the seminarians and priests of the North American College, passionate, informed, and focused conversation is an important aspect of social justice ministry. Sharing their experiences and ideas helps them come to a better understanding of the needs of the people, as well as how to better serve their communities in ministry, now and in the future, knowing well that what they do for God’s people, they do for Christ.

something that deserves to be defended in every era. With videos being posted every day depicting racism and brutal violence, we are reminded of the need to share the love of Christ and show true respect for all our neighbors in our opposition to injustice in any of its forms.

This event presents a wonderful opportunity for both seminarians and faculty to discuss social justice issues in an open forum. The various discussions help seminarians to discover ways these issues can be approached in pastoral

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settings in which dialogue from both sides can take place. An important part of preparation for the priesthood is being able to identify and talk about issues regarding the respect and dignity of the human person. These events allow seminarians and faculty alike to share their own views and personal experiences.

I particularly found it interesting to see the different views of my fellow seminarians and also to see how these issues are becoming even more relevant

today. With so much cultural diversity among seminarians from various parts of the United States, it is a great benefit to see how issues concerning social justice are viewed around the country.

It also has given me a much greater appreciation for the universal Church as a whole as we approach such issues on a unified front. The gathering of this new social justice group is just one of the many ways the North American College tries to form well rounded seminarians in preparing them to be leaders in their own communities back at home. n

The College has nearly 5,000 likes on Facebook—about the same as the number of living NAC Alumni! Visit our page, click the “Like” button, and keep up with the latest photos, news, and events from our campuses in Rome. www.facebook.com/PontificalNorthAmericanCollege

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Fraternity Weekends

Roman ruins found there, and still others spent time in groups at a local café, comparing notes on the semester’s progress. One evening a number of us found a café with a piano in it. We spent the evening playing the piano, filling the café with a rousing medley of various types of music. Before long, the whole room seemed to be filled with second-year men from the NAC. Throughout the course of the weekend, we took all of our meals together. Most important of all, we came together as a class for Mass and the Liturgy of the Hours, with all of us working together to fill the various ministries. These are

among the most significant moments of the fraternity weekends, since they are the perfect expressions of the communal nature of our faith.

After returning from the weekend, we shared a class dinner together—another opportunity provided by the College to facilitate our development of fraternity.

These dinners, which are held twice a year, allow the class to come together and work as a unit to provide good cooking of the sort that we could otherwise only find in the United States.

It is weekends and moments like these that help me to realize how important

fraternal relationships are for a healthy priesthood. Priests rely on each other for human and spiritual support, and intentional get-togethers like our weekend in Spoleto reinforce how important this relationship-building is as a foundation for that support.

One exceptional blessing the College’s seminarians enjoy in their pursuit of fraternity is not just a formative set of years spent together in Rome, but a network of fraternal bonds that will span the many years ahead in dioceses across the United States. n

Some of the seminarians from the Class of 2017 take time to explore an old Roman Amphitheatre in Spoleto.

Fraternity Weekends: Developing Lifelong Friendships

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y bishop frequently discusses the fundamental role that genuine fraternity plays in the priesthood, and his sentiment is one that a great many priests share. For this reason, the Pontifical North American College goes to great lengths to provide the opportunity for fraternity. The College places us in the unique situation of being able to develop relationships with seminarians from around the United States and around the world. Taking

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advantage of this grace, the College offers opportunities each semester aimed at fostering unity and fraternity.

One of the more significant of these are annual class fraternity weekends. These weekends are held once a year for each class level, and provide an opportunity for classmates to get together and develop closer relationships.

Most recently, the second-year class traveled to Spoleto, an historic city in central Italy. While there, some men went for hikes or visited the ancient

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It is weekends and moments like these that help me to realize that these relationships and this deep fraternity is so very important for the priesthood.

The second-year men pose for a group photo with Rev. Stephen Doktorczyk ‘05, C‘07 (Orange) and Rev. Peter Harman ‘99 (Springfield) after Mass at the cathedral in Spoleto.

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Serving the Pastoral Needs of the

AMERICAN MILITARY IN ITALY R E V. J A C K S C H R A D E R ‘ 1 5 , D I O C E S E O F FA L L R I V E R

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lmost every weekend of the academic year, four seminarians from the Pontifical North American College travel southward to serve the Catholic community of the U.S. Naval Station in Naples. These seminarians, including two deacons, assist the military chaplain, Father Tung Tran

of the Diocese of Corpus Christi, Texas, in his pastoral duties at the base. In particular, we help teach their religious education classes and serve at their Sunday liturgies. The deacons are given the opportunity to preach. In Naples, we get a real foretaste of our final goal as seminarians: serving parish communities in the United States.

Rev. Mr. Anthony Hollowell ‘16 (Indianapolis) with members of the U.S. Naval Station’s Catholic community in St. Peter’s Square.

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The families of the Catholic community in Naples generously host us each weekend for breakfast, lunch, and dinner in their homes. During these meals, we discover that what we share is more profound than even our common homeland. As Catholics, we have a home, the Church, that goes beyond borders. This shared identity is a source of mutual encouragement for us and for the Catholics at the base. Our presence allows them to see the way God calls men to priesthood, and they give us a privileged view of Christian marriage and family life.

Sean and Paola Quinn are one such married couple. This past November they made the two-hour drive from Naples to Rome to celebrate their fifth wedding anniversary. Rev. Bill Appel, of the Casa Santa Maria, who was involved in the Naples apostolate during his time at the College, offered Mass for them at St. Peter’s Basilica. During the homily, he elucidated the ways in which Sean and Paola have embraced the vocation of Holy Matrimony. Their love for each

Paul Haverstock ‘16 (St. Paul-Minneapolis), Rev. Zachary Mabee ‘15 (Lansing), Rev. Jack Schrader ‘15 (Fall River), and Joseph Keating ‘16 (Fort Worth) with members of the Catholic community of the U.S. Naval Station in Naples during a visit to the North American College.

and considers us part of their family.

The example of the Quinns and other families like them are a source of formation and encouragement for us during our time here in Italy.

Brian Lenz ‘16 (Lansing) giving members of the U.S. Naval Station’s Catholic community a panoramic tour of Rome from the terrace of the new building expansion.

other is fruitful and at the service of God, as they care for their own children and also for us. To this end, they coordinate host families at the base for visiting seminarians each weekend, ensuring that we are fed. Sean jokes that American seminarians are fueled by bacon and cheddar cheese (items available on the base but not in Rome). The Quinn family shows us great love and hospitality,

Brian Lenz ‘16 (Lansing) and Paul Haverstock ‘16 (St. Paul-Minneapolis) giving members of the U.S. Naval Station’s Catholic community a tour of the College’s Immaculate Conception Chapel.

We are often joined in our ministry by the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist, a community of religious sisters residing here in Rome. They travel regularly to Naples to help with religious education classes and to support the Catholic community in their area of expertise: family counseling. Thus, at various times throughout the year, the whole spectrum of Christian vocations is present in the small military chapel in Naples: Deacons, seminarians, religious sisters, married couples, and children are gathered around the priest. On these occasions, the authentic diversity of the Church is revealed in a beautiful way. n ROMAN ECHOES 2015 • VOLUME 19: ISSUE 4

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News Bytes

Rev. Msgr. James Checchio ‘92, C‘97 (Camden), Rector, congratulating the seminarians for their victories against the Legionnaires of Christ at the conclusion of NAC/Legionnaires Sports Day.

Seminarians from both the College and the Legionnaires of Christ gather for a group photo at the conclusion of NAC/Legionnaire Sports Day.

Matthew Rensch ‘16 (Burlington) trying to defend Adam Potter ‘16 (Pittsburgh) during a game of “Hall Ball.”

Rev. Msgr. Gerald Vinke (Lansing), Spiritual Director at the College, offering words of thanks on behalf of the departing faculty members during the College’s annual Closing Banquet.

Members of the North American College community praying a Rosary for life at the College’s Marian grotto.

From left: Rev. Msgr. Gregory Fairbanks C‘05 (Philadelphia), Rev. Peter Harman ‘99 (Springfield), Rev. Austin Vetter ‘93 (Bismarck), Rev. Daniel Hanley ‘05 (Arlington), Rev. Msgr. James Checchio ‘92, C‘97 (Camden), Rector, Rev. Brian Christensen ‘99 (Rapid City), and Rev. Msgr. Thomas Powers ‘97 (Bridgeport) enjoying the afternoon together in priestly fraternity.

This year, Rev. Msgr. Gregory Fairbanks C‘05 (Philadelphia), left, and Rev. James Quigley, O.P., celebrated their 25th and 50th Anniversaries of Priestly Ordination, respectively.

Rev. Charles Samson ‘13 (St. Louis) making a catch during a game of ultimate Frisbee against the Legionnaires of Christ. Also pictured: Nicholas Hagen ‘17 (St. Paul Minneapolis).

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The College’s basketball team playing against the Legionnaires of Christ during NAC/Legionnaires Sports Day.

Rev. Brendan Hurley, S.J., Rev. Mark Baumgarten ‘15 (Perth), and Rev. Zachary Mabee ‘15 (Lansing) providing commentary on the basketball games during the annual “Hall Ball” tournament.

Departing deacons and student priests standing as they are called to preach the Gospel to the People of God in their respective dioceses.

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In-House Seminar

language and different concepts, and, in the process, to be surprisingly enriched.

This “medieval” pedagogy also teaches an important lesson about theology itself. There is something necessarily slow, meditative, even monastic, about learning theology. Like the moral conversion which is part of our Christian lives, the intellectual conversion which the study of theology is meant to stimulate is grounded in quiet openness to the grace-filled word of God, resounding in the living tradition of the universal Church.

Rev. Msgr. William Millea ‘80, C‘89 teaching the College’s Gregorian students during their weekly seminar in one of the new building’s classrooms.

A Seminar Within the Walls

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eginning the study of theology in Rome can be an exciting but bewildering experience.

This is particularly true for the students of the North American College who attend the Gregorian University. Not only are classes taught in a foreign language, but the method of teaching is, to put it mildly, “medieval.”

When I studied at the Gregorian, listening daily to lectures in Latin delivered from a high podium, we used to joke that if Saint Robert Bellarmine,

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who taught at the University in the 1570s, entered one of our classrooms today, apart from the light bulbs he would feel completely at home. Nothing has changed!

For young Americans, an education based on magisterial lectures, lacking the give and take of questions and answers, discussions and disagreements, might at first seem hopelessly antiquated and passive. But like so many other aspects of the Roman experience, learning theology at the Gregorian has its own value. It challenges our students

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From its earliest years, the Gregorian curriculum included, alongside the formal lectures, what was called a repetitio. In the afternoon, the professor who had lectured that morning would “repeat” in summary fashion the material he had covered. Not only did the students review and assimilate the material, but a good “repetitor” could also bring out its deeper significance for the spiritual life and the apostolate. Repetita iuvant!

The first-year Gregorian seminars at the North American College are grounded in this venerable tradition. Now, as then, students meet to review and discuss the material presented in their

university classes. For the students of the College, the “repetition” takes place in their native language, with their classmates and friends, and in the intellectual and spiritual setting of a community of priestly formation.

When I began teaching, I was struck by an image used in the 1599 Ratio studiorum, the guidelines for Jesuit education formulated in the generation following the founding of the Roman College. The Ratio compares students to a capacious bottle with a very thin neck; young minds can be imbued with immense knowledge, if only they are filled slowly, patiently, and methodically.

Our Gregorian seminar is guided by this Ignatian wisdom. As a “repetition,” it reviews the material taught at the University, drawing upon a variety of readings by oustanding theologians and spiritual writers—patristic, medieval and modern. As a seminar, it seeks to be rigorous, focused on mastery of the material through questions and discussion.

Some of my greatest personal satisfaction in over two decades of directing the seminar has been to see how the

It is clear to me that these future preachers of the Gospel are conscious that they will be responsible for mediating the richness of our Catholic faith, ever ancient yet ever new, to their contemporaries in a rapidly changing world. to engage with an unfamiliar culture, to approach issues in a new context, and think them through using a different

students of the College help one another, generously and respectfully, sharing in the common enterprise of learning. And, needless to say, I learn a lot myself each year from seeing a new generation, whose experiences are very different from my own, grapple with perennial questions and issues. It is clear to me that these future preachers of the Gospel are conscious that they will be responsible for mediating the richness of our Catholic faith, ever ancient yet ever new, to their contemporaries in a rapidly changing world.

When the young Karol Wotyła was assigned to studies in the Eternal City, one of his professors gave him this advice: “Study Rome!” Years later, Pope John Paul II reflected with the alumni of the North American College about the lessons they had learned from their Roman education. We were blessed, said the Pope, “to experience in a unique way the catholicity of the Church and to partake in a living tradition which pervades every aspect of priestly formation—from theological studies done in contact with professors and students from all over the world, to hours of quiet prayer and contemplation at the tombs of the martyrs and saints, to closeness to the Successor of Peter and his solicitude for all the Churches.”

This is the education to which the Gregorian seminar seeks to contribute.

“Medieval,” yes, but in the best and most catholic sense of the word. For it is meant to hand on to others the fruit of our own growing understanding of the faith: contemplata aliis tradere.

And, by doing so, to contribute to that “Spirit-filled evangelization” which Pope Francis has pointed out as the exciting challenge facing the Church in the next generation. n

Rev. Msgr. William Millea ‘80, C‘89 provides the College’s first-year Gregorian students with a review of the theological material covered in their lectures during his weekly seminar.

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Alumni Interview

In your work as vocation director, what do you see as the most significant influence on a man’s attraction to the priesthood, and secondly, his ability to press on through the six years of formation?

Rev. Paul Hoesing ‘02 (Omaha) explains the façade of the Papal Archbasilica of Saint John in the Lateran during a World Youth Day Pilgrimage in 2013.

Alumni Profile: Rev. Paul Hoesing ‘02

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hat is your first memory of the North American College, and what was your first year like as a student?

Many of my classmates and I arrived on a flight from Philadelphia. It was a sultry, rainy afternoon in late August, and we climbed the steps into the Immaculate Conception Chapel with bells ringing and a crowd clapping.

Our ruddy-faced rector, His Eminence, Timothy Cardinal Dolan, led the

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cheerful greeting. After all of the preparation, travel, and separation, we began our life at the College with a communal recitation of Daytime Prayer, chanting “O God, come to my assistance.” For perhaps the first time, that prayer came directly from the heart.

I cannot forget that grace. Such a petition would echo through my classes at the Gregorian University, where Rev. Luis Ladaria Ferrer, S. J. wanted us to behold the Trinity, and Rev. Chapin ensured we were aware of historical

moments of nepotism in the hierarchy.

Cigarettes in the Gregorian’s atrium could get you a new friend, and a million lira bought you a used motorino.

The whole city was under scaffolding.

The millennial Jubilee was eighteen months away, and the world would soon be making pilgrimage to Rome.

Pope John Paul II was holding everyone’s attention, and I knew that my life could not be the same with this messy, infuriating, sometimes lonely, and other times glorious Roman experience.

I believe that the everyday and ordinary encounters with men who follow Jesus in the priesthood are the most significant factor in moving a man to notice the priesthood. The parish priests, high school and university chaplains, the priests in classrooms and hospitals, the priests with passions, hobbies and interests like those of prospective men—these men serve as a bridge, and without many words, encourage a man to consider the priesthood. Those priests in a young man’s life are more than models or exemplars: Their humanity and generous capacity to accompany a man allow the priesthood to become a reality and not an ideal.

Sadly, at the same time, several of those priests in my life left the priesthood or were removed under the 2002 charter—the year of my ordination.

Consequently, I firmly believe that what permits a man to press through formation is beginning to accept the humanity of the priesthood. Receiving Jesus’ friendship in the humanity I find unacceptable becomes vital in discipleship and priesthood. Jesus was a friend of sinners, and only his friendship can transform us. Receiving Jesus’ own friendship can be the most difficult aspect of formation and all of priestly life. Somehow those priests who were important in my attraction to priesthood taught me that principle in negative and positive ways.

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in my own life, I have been learning the interiority that can support this new mission in the seminary. Each day, I am preparing to be amazed by what the Lord wants to do for His people, especially now, with these men at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary.

Rev. Paul Hoesing ‘02 (Omaha) was the Archdiocese of Omaha’s Vocations Director before accepting a position as Dean of Men and Director of Human Formation at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary.

How did your work as vocation director and your work with the Institute for Priestly Formation shape your role both as a spiritual director and now as Dean of Seminarians and director of formation at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary?

A vocation director actually directs very little of what is significant for a person’s vocation. I learned that I am more of an umpire than a player on the field.

My mission gives me the opportunity to help people notice the greatest player on the field of every human heart—the Holy Spirit. God’s activity is endlessly fascinating and always personal.

Whether that person is seeking spiritual direction or human formation, I want to discern what Jesus is doing with that person in freedom. Nothing good happens without freedom. The Institute for Priestly Formation did this for me, shaping me into a more fundamentally receptive man. Through regular spiritual direction, supervision and mentoring

Could you point to cornerstone experiences while at NAC that equipped you to serve in your current ministry?

In 2000, the Jubilee Year, Cardinal Dolan gave a rector’s conference explaining the three most uniquely significant seminary experiences which we will always be able to share with pilgrims and people we serve for the rest of our lives: abiding appreciation for the Church universal, filial love for the Holy Father, and deep fraternal bonds with our seminary classmates. Those elements coalesced in my years as a Scavi guide. Through many tours to the bones of St. Peter, I encountered the universal Church. From the Kennedys to a group of Korean sisters, from Dutch mathematicians to a cadre of English rugby players, the Gospel always provokes the questions that move us into communion. Sharing the story of St. Peter, drawing people through the gritty reality of following a man who loved and betrayed Jesus, then having the groups notice the Pope who follows Peter, and finally, standing with them as their brother at the tomb of Peter, this experience continues to animate my passion for discipleship and leading others into it. Sia lodato, Gesu Cristo, sempre sia lodato. n

Your monthly, automated gift to the College is an easy way to sustain our noble mission! Join with a gift of $10, $15, or even $25 – the amount is adjustable at any time. Call the Office of Institutional Advancement (202-541-5411) or visit http://onlinegiving.pnac.org/cormeum ROMAN ECHOES 2015 • VOLUME 19: ISSUE 4

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Casa Santa Maria

As a result of the general calm of the Casa, house fraternity was easy to foster.

On one occasion, Rev. Cameron Forbes (Melbourne) arranged a casual, musical evening put on by the residents. House parties were well planned and executed, each with substantial involvement by residents. In the spring, Msgr. Berardi arranged a pilgrimage to the Holy Shroud of Turin that was well-attended by the residents. Each weekday evening, the priests of the Casa rounded out the day in the chapel with exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and Vespers.

Rev. Msgr. Ferdinando Berardi C‘83 (New York), Superior of the Casa Santa Maria.

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his past year at the Casa Santa Maria was pleasant and quiet, even amidst the constant presence of academic work and the bustle of Rome. Among the Casa’s faculty, Rev. Msgr. Berardi has by now become a fixture in the house, and Rev. Msgr. Joseph Chapel ‘92, C’98 has easily fallen into stride with the men as the house spiritual director.

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Rev. Msgr. Michael Osborn ‘92, C’99 departed the house at the year’s end for his next assignment—taking with him his capacity for telling a good story—but the transition was natural.

Though jackhammers and construction workers will be common sights next academic year, given many needed infrastructure updates, this year was happily uninterrupted.

Of course, this is not to give the impression that the year was filled with relaxation, parties, and a library-like quiet. On the contrary, our fraternal life acted as a significant human support to the work of study. As any current or former resident of the Casa Santa Maria knows, giving up fruitful parish work to live in a house filled with men from all over the Anglophone world has the potential to be disheartening or discouraging. Giving up the responsibility of a pastorate—as many residents have done—can leave a man feeling useless, anxious, or even guilty. Our

fraternal life brings life to our days, and helps the Casa to feel like home.

Many men this past year found further fraternity opportunities outside of the Casa, both with their house colleagues and other priests in the city. “Circles” were offered for priests at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross by priests of Opus Dei, and several men assisted in parish communities affiliated with the Neocatechumenal Way. Still others discovered a nearby, newly-opened gymnasium that would soon be supported by not a few new memberships from Casa priests.

Of the past three years of my time at the Casa Santa Maria, this past year was the most even and fraternal.

Next year’s residents will be awoken by hammers and saws, but the 2014-2015 academic year at the Casa maintained a pleasant calm, with supportive priests and an atmosphere of devotion to study. and prayer. n

The College offers a variety of digital means to keep up to date on our community, milestones, and special events. Be sure to sign up for monthly e-Newsletter (Firmum Est), ‘like’ our

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Msgr. Michael Osborn ‘92, C’99 departed the house at the year’s end for his next assignment—taking with him his capacity for telling a good story—but the transition was natural.

STAY CLOSE TO ROME!

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Seminarians and priests gathering for prayer in the Casa Santa Maria chapel.

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Institute for Continuing Theological Education

A view of the Papal Basilica of St. Peter from the Casa O’Toole, home of the College’s sabbatical program, the Insitute for Continuing Theological Education.

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REV. JAMES SULLIVAN, O.P., DIRECTOR, INSTITUTE FOR CONTINUING THEOLOGICAL EDUCATION

s a special addition for the Jubilee Year of Mercy, the Institute for Continuing Theological Education at the Pontifical North American College is planning a unique module of ongoing priestly formation in the fall of 2016 (October 4 through October 22) entitled “In Rome and in the Holy Land: The Church’s Works of Mercy.”

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This module will highlight the Church’s social teaching as recently repeated in Pope Francis’ encyclical, Evangelii Gaudium. We will also undertake a seven-day pilgrimage to the Holy Land, where we will not only share in the past while visiting the sites of Our Lord, but will also share in the present while visiting the “works of mercy” supported

by Catholic Relief Services.

With the guidance of experts from Catholic Relief Services, we will be able to meet the people who make a true difference in the lives of so many who struggle to live in the Holy Land amidst dire poverty. All too often, pilgrimages pass from town to town, visiting basilicas and holy sites, but passing by the people who live there. This pilgrimage will be different in that we will have an equal share of both.

There will be time devoted in Rome to prepare for the pilgrimage and time given after our return to discuss the ramifications of it, all in the light of Evangelii Gaudium. As the Holy Father reminds us: “As children of this age, though, all of us are in some way affected by the present globalized culture which, while offering us values and new possibilities, can also limit, condition and ultimately harm us. I am aware that we need to create spaces where pastoral workers can be helped and healed, ‘places where faith itself in the crucified and risen Jesus is renewed, where the most profound questions and daily concerns are shared, where deeper discernment about our experiences and life itself is undertaken in the light of the Gospel, for the purpose of directing individual and social decisions towards the good and beautiful’”(Evangelii Gaudium 77).

The chapel at the Casa O’Toole, home of the College’s sabbatical program, the Insitute for Continuing Theological Education, where our sabbatical priests gather together in prayer.

The modules of ongoing priestly formation offer the opportunity for priests to come to Rome for one, two, or three months in the fall of a given year and to take advantage of all that the Eternal City has to offer. The other two modules for the fall of 2016 are: “In Rome and In Greece: Following in the Footsteps of Saint Paul,” which will run from September 6 through October 1, 2016 and includes a seven-day pilgrimage to Greece, and

“In Rome and In Siena: The Beauty of Art and Architecture,” which will run from October 25 through November 19, 2016 and includes a five-day tour up to Siena and back to Rome.

Please consider joining us for this unique opportunity during the Jubilee Year of Mercy and please keep in your prayers all of the ICTE priests, living and deceased. n

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By having the guidance of experts from Catholic Relief Services we will be able to meet the people who make a true difference in the lives of so many struggling to live in the midst of such dire poverty and difficulty in the Holy Land.

PLANNED GIVING By including the College in your estate plan, you can help bridge support for the next generation of seminarians who will be sent to Rome. A Charitable Gift Annuity is an easy way to simultaneously provide a charitable donation, an income tax deduction, and a guaranteed lifetime income stream for you, the benefactor. Annuities can be established for as little as $10,000.

TO LEARN MORE: Contact Mark Randall, CFRE, Executive Director for Advancement. mrandall@pnac.org or 202-541-5411

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Institutional Advancement

2015 Alumni Reunion Highlights

Soldiers For the Faith Yesterday and Today

BY MARK RANDALL, CFRE • EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

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n September 18, 1870, the students of the Pontifical North American College found themselves in a perilous situation.

Just days before, Victor Emmanuelle II, King of Italy, declared war against the Papal States. Pope Pius IX avowed, “I am no prophet, nor son of a prophet, but I tell you, you will never enter Rome!” The Papal army, or “Papal Zouaves” numbered merely 8,000 men but they prepared for battle nonetheless.

The city gates were closed, and the thirteen students of the North American College circulated about the Eternal City (a reminder: the College itself was only eleven years old at this time). As some 50,000 Italian troops marched toward the city, the students’ anxiety must have been tremendous. They perhaps feared for their own lives, but more so for the civilians of Rome, and the Holy Father himself. For it was Pius IX who founded the College, attended its dedication, and had even given the seminarians a private tour of the Vatican apartments and museum.

So in an act of bravery and loyalty, these young seminarians penned the following letter to Pope Piux IX, volunteering to join the Papal Zouaves: Most Holy Father, The following students of the American College of the United States offer themselves freely to Your Holiness so that you may make use of them in the army to protect the sacred rights of the Holy Roman Church during the siege.

The Pope was genuinely moved and deeply consoled by the offer, but would later remind them they were called to be soldiers in a far nobler army. He noted the following reply at the bottom of their letter and sent it back: May God bless you and graciously grant to you the grace and strength for fighting his battles. – Pope Pius IX

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The Holy Father soon after asked that the seminarians help care for those who would be wounded. As history relates, Pius IX eventually surrendered and the existence of the Papal States ended forever.

Gratefully, our seminarians today face no danger of the Italian army invading our campus on the Janiculum Hill.

Still, they have no less courage, determination, and loyalty to fight the battles besieging our culture. Upon their return to the United States, our students use their extraordinary experience of priestly formation in the Eternal City to serve, teach, and guide the faithful. They pledge an oath of fidelity to the Roman Catholic Church – and the Successor of St. Peter – that inspires their ministry and love of those whom they so willingly serve.

His Eminence, Justin Cardinal Rigali C‘64, receiving the 2015 Founders’ Award, presented by Rev. Msgr. James Checchio ‘92, C‘97 (Camden), Rector of the College; His Excellency, Most Rev. Robert Carlson, Archbishop of St. Louis, right; and Rev. Msgr. Michael Curran ‘81, C‘88 (Brooklyn), Alumni Associate Executive Secretary.

The alumni of the Pontifical North American College celebrating Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis.

Rev. Sean Martin C‘95 giving a toast to the Holy Father at the Wednesday Night Banquet.

Mrs. Shirley Drury, a longtime supporter of the Catholic Church and College along with His Excellency, Most Rev. Robert Carlson, Archbishop of St. Louis at the Wednesday Night Banquet.

The College’s alumni enjoying time together in priestly fraternity during the Wednesday Night Banquet at the Drury Plaza Hotel at the Arch.

His Excellency, Most Rev. Robert Carlson, Archbishop of St. Louis, center; Rev. Phil Smith ‘10 (Toledo), left; and Rev. Michael Bruno ‘10 (Brooklyn), right, at the 2015 Alumni Reunion, held in St. Louis, Missouri, at the Drury Plaza Hotel at the Arch.

On this 145th anniversary of our students volunteering to be physical soldiers for the Faith, please remember the equally brave men enrolled with us today. They need your prayers! And be assured of our sincere appreciation for your past and future financial support for our extraordinary mission. It is an investment in our future, and yours. n Elements of this article adapted from “The American College in Rome” by Robert F. McNamara, 1956.

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

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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) 722-8804 Email: pnacdc@pnac.org Website: www.pnac.org

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28TheThe Pontifical American College Papal BasilicaNorth of St. Peter during a thunderstorm at night, taken at the College by John Lamansky ‘18 (Davenport).