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Familiar territory


Rome feels very familiar to me. Since my 20s, my family and I have been visiting Rome for spiritual pilgrimages. Each time I return, I discover something new and fresh, adding to the depth of my connection to this city. Each time I come is a unique experience; there is always something waiting to be discovered, and some new experience to fathom! This time, I am grateful to be staying within the walls of Vatican City. While some people associate Rome with food, museums, or romance, for me, spirituality takes precedence. I am excited to be part of this diverse group and I eagerly anticipate discovering new churches and sites during this visit along the way! They say Rome has 900 churches, yet there is always more to explore! What makes this trip even more special is that we come from different religious backgrounds: Jewish, Catholic, and Anglican., hence the “ecumenical nature” of the course. I am looking forward to the ecumenical dialogues ahead, coming from perspectives of different religious backgrounds, and the talks over meals. I am also looking forward to see the non-Catholic sites of Rome such as the Mosque and the Jewish sector. We are also joined by classmates from other religious backgrounds, so it will be interesting to hear what they have to offer in the mix. A lot of friendly, sometimes even heated, discourses have already occurred. I hope that by the end of the course, we will have a further appreciation for other people's perspectives. It's already been an interesting week and I look forward to the experiences that lie ahead!


 Blessings to all!

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