One might say that my study abroad experience in Rome has been somewhat of a paradox.
On one hand, I am studying for the first time in my life at a non-Catholic school, the Intercollegiate Center for Classical Studies. The academic program itself has been phenomenal: lectures by brilliant classics enthusiasts complemented by field trips in and around Rome, with two weeklong excursions to Sicily and Campania.
Yet leaving behind the Catholic haven of Notre Dame has been a bit of a culture shock for me. No longer can I walk down the stairs in sweatpants to attend dorm mass, pray at the Grotto anytime I want, or go on a retreat with Campus Ministry.
No longer do I have a community of peers who understand what it means to be a young Catholic. My Lenten abstinence from meat on Fridays is often met with curiosity from classmates. On more than a couple of occasions, I have been asked whether I feel guilty about the “hypocrisy” of Rome’s lavish churches.
Living in an environment where Catholics are a minority has helped me to appreciate all the more the support for living out one’s faith that Notre Dame offers.
On the other hand, even though I am participating in a secular program, I am living in the Catholic capital of the world. St. Peter’s Square and the pope are a mere 10-minute bus ride away. Many restaurants take Sunday as a day of rest seriously and close for the day. Magnificent churches, whose beauty and grandeur match or exceed that of Notre Dame’s own Basilica of the Sacred Heart, can be found on every other block.
The Catholic culture of Rome means that any Catholic can easily feel at home in this city. It did not take me long to find a community in the church next door to where I live. The nuns who attend daily Mass with me speak to me in Italian, and I respond to them in English – neither of us really understanding each other. Yet I am always welcome to pray together with them, and by doing so, I become more aware of the universality of the Catholic Church
The grandness and ubiquity of Catholicism in Rome also mean that every day can be taken as a pilgrimage. Rome’s vast number of churches might be impressive, but even more impressive is the unique splendor of each and every one of them – from the brilliant Byzantine apse of Santa Cecilia in Trastevere to the breathtaking façade of the Lateran, and from the humble charm of Santa Maria in Via to the chandeliers of Santa Maria in Aracoeli.
Visiting the relics of St.s is another unique opportunity available to the Catholic in Rome. On the first Saturday of Lent, I attended mass at the Basilica of St. Augustine, where I was pleasantly surprised to find the tomb of St. Monica. A few weeks before that, I accidentally wandered into the Chiesa del Gesu, which houses the remains of St. Ignatius of Loyola, my confirmation patron saint.
Beholding these tangible reminders of saints’ lives has been immensely inspiring. The fact that I often stumble upon the relics by accident makes my encounters all the more exciting.
Indeed, I think that the beauty of living in Rome this semester has been that, while I never know what I will encounter in the city, I do know that it is going to be amazing. The majesty of the Catholic Church can be found anywhere in Rome: perched atop the highest hills and tucked away into the most discreet corners. I can plan visits to the most famous churches of the city, but I can just as well make pilgrimages to churches that I stumble upon – each with their own unique history, design, and patron.
One of my vivid memories from this semester was when I wandered into the Church of St. Sylvester right before an English mass and was asked to serve as the lector. The experience captures my experience in Rome. I do not know what churches I will visit, whose relics I will see, or when I might be asked to read in front of a full congregation in Rome. But I do know that Rome is THE Catholic city, where literally every day can be taken as a pilgrimage.
Michael Mercurio is a junior classics major who considers performing “Call Me Maybe” in Italian for his oral Italian midterm one of his life accomplishments. You can contact him at mmercuri@nd.edu.
