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Reflections on the 2014 Rome Seminar
By Candace Introcaso, CDP, president, La Roche College
In describing its annual Rome Seminar, the Association
of Catholic Colleges and Universities (ACCU) promises
participants from Catholic colleges and universities “a
firsthand opportunity to explore the intellectual and spiritual
legacy of the Catholic Church in order to strengthen and
promote the mission of Catholic higher education in the
United States.” The promotional material goes on to note
that the “seminar offers a unique look at the Vatican and an
inspiring experience of the Eternal City’s spiritual treasures.
Included are in-depth conversations with key representatives
within the Holy See and Rome’s pontifical universities.”
Participants in the 2014 ACCU Rome Seminar pose for a photo
following lunch at the residence of the U.S. Ambassador to the
Holy See, Ken Hackett.
The 2014 Rome Seminar delivered on these promises
splendidly. But it went on to deliver so much more.
I attended the seminar with two La Roche College
colleagues: Kathryn Jolley, vice chair of the board of trustees;
and Kathy Kozdemba, special counsel for strategic initiatives
and board secretary. We came to the seminar with different
backgrounds and perspectives, but we left with the same,
very special, gift—a renewed appreciation for Catholic
higher education and the roles we can play at this very
exciting moment in the history of the Church.
Months later, we continue to talk about the experiences
of the Rome Seminar and its outcomes: personal and
spiritual nourishment, and a deepened understanding that
we are part of a faith tradition that is universal and diverse.
The insight I personally gained in Rome, about the
depth and breadth of the Catholic faith tradition, has helped
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me think about what I can do to offer La Roche College
something that our world needs so desperately: a sense of
purpose and stability. The insights from the Rome Seminar
will have a lasting impact on me and, I hope, on my campus
community for years to come.
We came to the seminar with
different backgrounds and
perspectives, but we left with
the same, very special, gift—a
renewed appreciation for
Catholic higher education...
As a woman religious from the United States, I must
admit to mixed feelings about travelling to Rome to meet
with Vatican officials. Other sisters from the United States
had not fared so well lately in their own meetings with the
Curia, and this had greatly concerned me. However, as a
sister president of a Catholic college, and as a member of
the ACCU Board of Directors, I wanted to remain open and
receptive to what I would hear, in the spirit modeled by the
leadership of U.S. woman religious.
Much to my surprise, I found the conversations with
Curia officials, for the most part, to be warm and engaging.
I sensed a genuine desire on their part to nurture a mutually
beneficial relationship between the Vatican and American
colleges and universities. ACCU leadership has cultivated
these relationships for years, and it was evident that
significant inroads have been made, resulting in a genuine
spirit of trust that seemed to permeate our meetings and
discussions at the Vatican.
I returned from Rome with insights and ideas for
strengthening my own college’s Catholic identity. While
this was not my first visit to Rome, it was my first since the
election of Pope Francis. The excitement around this pope
is palpable. We could feel it in almost every meeting with
Vatican dignitaries, in our interactions with other visitors to
Rome, and in casual conversations with residents of the city.
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Associ a tion of Ca tholic Colleges a nd Univer sities
Archbishop Jean-Louis Brugues, OP (center), prefect, gives the
Rome Seminar attendees a tour of the Vatican Library.
As a non-Catholic alumna of La Roche, Kathryn
Jolley found the preparatory readings for the seminar to
be a source of deep understanding of the Church and the
Vatican. She was particularly inspired by our group’s private
Mass at the tomb of St. Peter under St. Peter’s Basilica; the
retreat at Subiaco, the breathtaking mountaintop monastery
where St. Benedict formed his first monastic community;
and our private tour and Mass in the humble rooms of St.
Ignatius of Loyola, the first Superior General of the Jesuits.
In her professional life, Kathryn is an interior designer, so
she quickly became enthralled with the beauty of the art and
architecture found literally on every corner in Rome.
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As a retired media executive, Kathy Kozdemba was
impressed with the level and depth of discussions among the
ACCU seminar participants, as well as the impressive stories
All photos by Paula Moore, © ACCU 2014
As educators, we can learn much from the charisma of
Pope Francis and how he draws people to him and to his
message. He tells us, and shows us, how to reach out to the
many students who come to our campuses with a mixed
experience—or no experience—of what today’s Church can
offer them. Pope Francis’s message of mercy and forgiveness
and his focus on the social gospel, especially advocacy for the
poor, resonate with our socially conscious students and the
wider campus community.
On a personal level, the Rome Seminar renewed in me
the realization that I am part of an intellectual tradition that
is rich and purposeful. It has inspired me to explore how we
might revitalize the Catholic Intellectual Tradition on our
own campus, articulating it in new ways tied to the charism
of the founders of La Roche College, the Sisters of Divine
Providence. As this new academic year begins, we already
are beginning conversations about making God’s providence
visible through our advocacy for justice and a providential
presence with those who suffer or are marginalized.
Seminar attendees visited the monastery of St. Benedict in
Subiaco, which enshrines the cave (Sacro Speco) in which
St. Benedict lived as a hermit before he organized his first
monastic community.
each of us eagerly shared with Vatican officials about how we
already are fulfilling Pope Francis’ mission on our campuses
and in our communities. In addition, she appreciated (as
we all did) the input of the staff of the Lay Centre at Foyer
Unitas, who worked closely with us throughout the seminar,
providing meaningful insight into the history and workings
of the Vatican (as well as directions to the best family-owned
restaurants and gelato stands in Rome!).
A highlight of the week for Kathryn and Kathy was
their climb to the top of the dome of St. Peter’s Basilica, very
early on a Sunday morning. They own the bragging rights to
that rare experience—especially Kathryn, who has a fear of
heights! But they speak more softly, and reverently, about
the serenity of standing on the roof of the Vatican behind
the towering statues of the saints, looking down on an empty
St. Peter’s Square . . . while sipping a cappuccino. (Yes, the
Vatican thinks of everything—there is even a rooftop coffee
shop to help pilgrims savor their experience!)
In short, the ACCU Rome Seminar was an experience
that enriched our lives and energized our commitment to
Catholic education. It is an experience that I hope you and
your colleagues might consider in the future. It can be good
for your campus . . . and for your soul.
See more photos from the 2014 Rome Seminar on ACCU’s
Flickr photostream at https://www.flickr.com/photos/
catholichighered/.
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