By Dominic Redcliffe

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Hello from Rome to you all at home.

 

During my Christmas break, a few people have asked me about what life is like here in the seminary – or, unofficially, “priest school”!

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Being at the Beda College is definitely different than, say, being at university, although academics is a major part of life. At times, it feels like a combination of being at a Catholic boarding school and sixth form college.

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Our day is centred upon daily Mass which is either in the morning or evening. Depending upon the day, there is either early Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament at 7:00am followed by Morning Prayer, or Adoration followed by Evening Prayer at 6:30pm. In between these times of prayer, we have our lessons from Monday to Friday. These start at 9 o’clock ‘til lunchtime - sometimes there are lessons in the afternoon and Saturday mornings.

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Afternoon lessons can be quite difficult because they follow our main meal of the day, lunch, which is definitely filling with plenty of pasta! Not always helpful to keep alert when having to study.

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The college was founded by Blessed Pope Pius IX in 1852 for English clergymen from other Christian denominations who wished to become Catholic Priests, and was in “downtown” Rome. Today’s college is similar to a 60’s high school and was opened by St Pope John XXIII in 1960 on some ‘swampy’ land not far from the River Tiber. It’s no longer swampy, but watch out for the hungry ‘mozzies’ in summer!

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In a way, the college is a bit like a mini, diverse parish. With 26 seminarians from the UK and Ireland, Europe, Central America, Africa, Asia and Australia, we all share English as a common language but our backgrounds are interesting and varied. Just like in a parish, we follow the liturgical year of the Church and people have different roles: priests and deacons who lead the liturgies; sacristans; readers; and those who organise social events to bring our ‘parish’ community together. You see many different personalities in our students; some quieter, others chatty and more outgoing.

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Within this college parish, we are also focused upon our own discernment in faith and overall formation – which is in a sense part of any parish life, be it back in the archdiocese or here in Rome. Whatever parish we find ourselves in, we have that opportunity to develop in faith and hope in the Lord.

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Until next time… Buon capo d’anno! (Happy New Year)