Rome Ecumenism Course 2024

In the Church of St. Agnes is a gay icon; do they know? Just inside the main doors on the altar to the left is a statue of St. Sebastian. Posed with a hand behind his head and the other on his thigh, the sculpture accentuates his youthful buff-good-looks but also emphasizes the arrows which pierce his taut body. His facial expression seems slightly odd however. With eyes looking upward to the sky questioningly his slightly open mouth seems to be saying: "who, me?" Perhaps that is the nature of martyrdom: "who, me?" St. Sebastian is a gay icon. Dating back to at least the 19th century his image has taken on a cult like status within the gay community. The homoerotic quality of the composition coupled with his tortured predicament has resonated deeply within gay culture and identity:  https://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/stories/lgbt-artwork-marks-saint-sebastian-feast-day On the same altar and just to the left of St. Sebastian's sculpture is the figure of the brok...

We have a solid and diverse group of students in this class, not just from Toronto but from as far as Australia, and it’s fantastic. We have Christians from all strains of traditions, and even a seminarian and a priest are joining us. Despite our differences, I like that we all get along "over the lunch table" (or dinner, depending on the time) and have a good time. We have different opinions, especially on how church bureaucracy operates, but the discussion has been civil, if not cordial. People really open up after a beer or a glass of wine. One thing Fr. Jim said resonated with me: dialogue begins over food. This is absolutely true; great food and fantastic wine have a way of bringing people together and allowing for a good, open discussion to take place. I also found it interesting that we would say "grace before meals together", which is an act of Ecumenism. 

Jewish Quarter: History The  Roman Ghetto  or  Ghetto of Rome  ( Italian :  Ghetto di Roma ) was a  Jewish ghetto established in 1555 in the  Rione Sant'Angelo , in  Rome ,  Italy , in the area surrounded by present-day Via del  Portico d'Ottavia ,  Lungotevere dei Cenci , Via del Progresso and Via di Santa Maria del Pianto, close to the River  Tiber  and the  Theatre of Marcellus . With the exception of brief periods under  Napoleon  from 1808 to 1815 and under the Roman Republics of  1798–99  and  1849 , the ghetto of Rome was controlled by the  papacy  until the  capture of Rome  in 1870. The ghetto was a walled quarter with its gates locked at night. The wall was built under the direction of the architect  Giovanni Sallustio Peruzzi . The cost of the wall's construction, 300  Roman scudi , had to be paid by the Jewish community. The area of Rome chosen for the...

I had a very moving visit to the tomb of St. Peter on July 2. Although I have been to St. Peter's Basilica before, I had never seen the “backside” of Peter's tomb. It was amazing to learn that an entire necropolis lies beneath St. Peter’s Basilica, and seeing it unearthed was an absolute eye-opener regarding the history of the place. The ongoing debate over whether or not the bones found there are actually those of Peter was also quite thought-provoking. However, this experience serves as an analogy for the nature of faith, as it reminded me that faith is essentially believing without seeing. The visit strengthened me spiritually, and I felt a different spiritual power emanating from that place. The fact that the entire Catholic bureaucracy and the Popes are all buried in that crypt only strengthens my conviction that those bones are indeed St. Peter's! God bless us all!

 The Amalfi Coast Contemplation  I have long understood that I reflect deepest when I am alone. While enjoying social groups and interactions, a balance of alone time is important. This gives me a way to consider, reflect and ponder my experiences- and recharge my own sense of self and purpose. For this reason, I decided to go to Amalfi for the weekend. Navigating public transportation, (busses, and trains), and including a ferry hopping form - that would eventually leave me in Amalfi.  This proved the most scenic and relaxing experience to date.  Ferry Hopping: Napoli- Ischia - Capri- Positano- (and more) - Amalfi! This portion of the trip included sorting out how to get from Napoli to Amalfi - with the most scenic route - rather than the fastest route. Often in our lives we have choices on how to get to places we want to be - and sometimes the slowest way there can be the most meaningful.  I was able to find a port shuttle (bus) from Napoli train station - kin...

Ideas and Ideologies Merge and Mix in the Sky We gathered on our rooftop patio - overlooking great crowds lining all of the streets and alleys below us. We celebrated the closing celebration of the Feast of St. Peter & St. Paul with friends that joined us from the class. It was wonderful that those from this course in Ecumenism - representing such diversity - could put time to come together for this spontaneous occasion.  Inspiration & Imagination I thought about how our ideas of belief systems are much like these fireworks - they illuminate our mind and our world - and without them - there would only be darkness. The colours, hues, and sparkle give meaning  and reflect our experiences. Like experiences - we appreciate the light - especially after darkness.  Ideas Shooting Upwards - Reaching for understanding, one-ness, unity... a sense of quest... Blending, Shaping, Influencing others around them...each with their own path towards fulfillment... co-existing free...

If you ever want to know if someone is from British Columbia but are too afraid to ask them (we are intense and scary people, after all), just ask them if they like the mountains. The answer will always be a "yes" and, if you are lucky, we will regale you with stories about scaling our favorite mountains. As hard as it can be to climb a mountain, the views of the valley below are always worth it. Arcangelo Michele (Matteo Carboni) Because I love climbing mountains and seeing the word with the "Birds Eye view", I walked to the top of Castel Sant'Angelo. Castel Sant'Angelo was initially built between 135-139 AD to serve as a mausoleum for the Roman Emperor Hadrian and his family. In 403 AD, however, it was converted into a fort along the Tiber River by the Western Emperor Honorius to protect the Vatican area from invasion. During the sack of Rome by the Visigoths (410 AD) and the Vandals (455 AD), the fortress served this purpose very well. The castle received...