My flights etc were without real event, which was great, though I met a couple of interesting people on the plane. My seat buddy was a physician who works in a community health center, and we actually had quite an interesting talk about mental health. I also met a Baptist pastor (American) who has a mission to military personnel and others in Sicily. Good times.
The Rome airport was absolutely everything I had been led to fear in terms of 1000 people offering me rides for great bargain prices. It was pretty difficult to figure out whom to trust. But I finally got where I was going without it costing too much money or energy.
I'm staying at the Lay Centre, which in its "real life" houses lay students who are in Rome to study theology. Its summer life sees it hosting some groups (I met a group of Muslims who were here from Cambridge as I arrived and had lunch here today) and some individual visitors like me. Several friends of mine lived here as students through the years, and two of them (and their kids) are here this summer (and most summers) helping host the groups.
The place is inexpensive, the grounds are beautiful, and the location is ... well, we walked by the Colosseum on the way back from dinner tonight. The streets were also full of folks watching the World Cup semi-final outside bars.
Dinner was great. A few highlights: an appetizer of fresh buffalo mozzarella and prosciutto (among other things), a simple but great pasta/bacon/garlic dish, a dessert featuring a mousse-like substance in a white chocolate shell, and fresh figs. And plenty of vino.
Also, went to my first Mass in Rome at this little church around the corner from where I'm staying. It was of little note, really. No homily, all in Italian, probably 20 minutes. But it is amazing to think about how long Christians have been gathering in prayer in this space.
My sleep is, of course, way off. But I'm going to try to turn in now.
2 comments:
I was in Rome during the World Cup in 1994. I have a vivid memory of the city being freakishly silent during the Italy-Mexico game, except for one loquacious woman watching the game outside a pub and energetically cheering for Mexico.
Dana, I just have to tell you that your blogs are getting better and better all the time, although they always were among my favorites. I had your mother's death in 1999 on June 30th and I cant' believe it's been 11 years either. When it came to the July 4th homily comments, I think you gave the priest more respect than he deserved. I have given up listening to homilies or bothering to respond. I think very few priests are good public speakers or have content worth commenting upon. An exception was the July 4th homily I heard in Denver given by a Maryknoll priest. He never even mentioned the National holiday. His name was Fr McCormick.
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