I’ve made it to Rome
I’m still in my first 24 hours in Rome, and it’s awesome. Haven’t met all my classmates yet, but we hail from Australia, Canada, and the USA. While we all speak English, there are some priests with strong accents – and I find my myself regularly asking them to repeat their question. And no, it’s not that I’m hard of hearing; question that, and ask the parish secretary how often I respond to a comment they’ve softly spoken to someone else! (LOL. Yes, it happens with regularity.)
Ordinarily participants have one comfortably sized room with bed, desk, armoire, and an in suite bath. This is the arrangement I had for my 2010 sabbatical, and it’s precisely what I was expecting this year. The accommodations I was assigned … well, I didn’t even know they existed in Casa O’Toole!
The rooms at Casa O’Toole are assigned according to a number of criteria, including: age of the participant, years the participant has been ordained, as well as the number of modules in which they’ll be participating (1, 2, or all 3). Well, I’m not the “grand-daddy” of the group, but I’m close. There’s one participant who’s been ordained 42 years. I’ve been ordained 39 years. There are a few participants in the lower 30’s, but most are in their mid-20 years of ordination. With everything taken into consideration, I was assigned one of the nicest ‘rooms’ in Casa O’Toole! In addition to the bed, desk, and bath … I also have a sitting room and a balcony. And I find the balcony a great place for prayer – because it has such an awesome view.
Fr. Edward Linton, the director for the Sabbatical, told me that: “Rank has its privileges!” He also told me that I don’t look my age, and probably shouldn’t flaunt the room (actually it’s a suite, as you’ll see from the pictures). I’ve been very good about it so far, and don’t plan on changing.
