Dear Family and Friends,
I am writing you from the Eternal City!! (That is Rome for those of you who don't know.) I am at the beginning of four years of theology studies, which, God willing, will lead me to ordination to the Catholic priesthood. A little over a year ago, my bishop asked me if I would be willing to study here at the heart of the Church. After taking some time to pray about, I discerned that this did seem to be God's will for me, so I informed the bishop that I would be happy to do so if that is what he wished.
I spent the spring semester working on the application (it doesn't have to take five months, but I worked on it bit by bit along with my other school work). In the summer I renewed my driver's license and my passport, and applied for an Italian Student Visa. This required a daytrip to Chicago (from Omaha, NE, which is where I spent my summer). After the necessary paperwork, shipping (what a headache!), and packing, I said good-bye to my family at the Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport on Wednesday, August 22, met up with about 10 other seminarians in Newark, New Jersey, and arrived in Rome at about 9:00am (2:00am in Minnesota) on Thursday, August 23.
At the airport a priest and three seminarians were waiting for us to help us gather our luggage and load a tour bus for the Pontifical North American College. This is my school. It is a seminary for men from North America studying for the priesthood in Rome. The NAC is less than a ten-minute walk from the Vatican. As a matter of fact, I can see St. Peter's Basilica (through a tree) if I look to the right out of my window (see attached picture)!
They have kept us very busy since our arrival. So as to help us recover more quickly from jet-lag, they made us stay awake that whole first day with tours of the College and of the City, so that we would get a good night's sleep and feel more refreshed the next day. Our first full day included Mass at the tomb of St. Peter in the crypt beneath St. Peter's Basilica. I was also able to visit and say a prayer at the tomb of Pope John Paul II, which of course was not there when I was last in Rome, since he was still alive at the time.
We have also toured St. Peter's as well as the excavations beneath. The "Scavi" (Italian for excavations) tour ends with a viewing of some of the bones of St. Peter! These have been uncovered and placed back more or less in the location in which they were found. Now they are enclosed in clear boxes that were donated by NASA.
The Sunday after our arrival, we loaded two buses and went to Castel Gandalfo, which is where the pope's summer residence is located. Every Sunday the Pope Benedict the XVI gives a little homily and prays the Angelus. He then greets different groups present and offers his blessing for us and our families. We "new men" of the NAC were greeted personally by the pope (as a class, not as individuals). We were able to be very close to the balcony from which he preached, prayed, and offered the blessing (see attached picture). Another amazing day!
This week begun our Italian language studies. There are two universities at which we are able to study. The Angelicum, which is run by the Dominicans, offers classes in English. The Gregorian (which is probably where I will be studying) is run by the Jesuits and offers classes only in Italian. Our Italian studies are very important! Fortunately, those of us who study at the Greg have access to a note system in which everyone's notes are combined into one master set. Apparently, this system works pretty well. After listening to Italian lectures for awhile, eventually my ear should adjust. At least that's what I'm told by the other men!
They have also been making every effort to make us feel welcome here. On Friday evening we had Mass and Evening Prayer in the chapel. After that, we gathered in what is known as the "Red Room" (a room which seminarians rarely see) for apertivi (Italian for "before-dinner drinks"). The we went to the cortile (courtyard) outside the chapel where we were served a multiple-course meal by the second-year men. After a Spumante toast, we moved from this courtyard to the larger one at the center of the building for digestivi ("after-dinner drinks"). It was a most enjoyable evening and gave us a chance to get to know one another as well as the faculty and some of the returning men. (Don't worry, we won't eat like that for every meal!)
Although there are certain things I am already beginning to miss about home (family and friends especially!), I am very excited to be here. To study in Rome, blocks from the tomb of St. Peter and from the home of his successor, is an amazing blessing! I am very grateful and honored that my bishop asked me to be here. I am also grateful to God for giving me such a gift. I'm sure it will be an adventure seeing what He has in store for me over the next few years!
Please feel free to share this email with anyone you think might be interested. Also, if anyone else would like to receive updates from time to time (don't worry, it won't be that often) please let me know, so I can add them. Also let me know if you don't want to receive any more. Don't worry, I won't be offended.
Know that you are all in my prayers and I ask you to please pray for me. There are many joys that come with being in Rome for so long a time, but there are also many challenges.
Please keep in touch! May God bless you!
Aaron Johanneck
