I lived at the Lay Centre between October 2002 and July 2004. While living at the Lay Centre I studied Christian theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University (holding a Nostra Aetate scholarship awarded by the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue). First I obtained a Post-graduate Diploma (graduated in June 2003) and then a Licentiate in Interreligious Studies (graduated in July 2004).

At the moment I am a post-doctoral research fellow at a project called “Zukunftsphilologie: Revisiting the Canons of Textual Scholarship” at the Free University of Berlin. My current research examines a late 17th and early 18th century Muslim theologian’s views on religious pluralism. Just recently I’ve been offered a teaching position at Tübingen University where I’ll be teaching Islamic Theology, starting next academic year.

The Lay Centre was not only a place that provided me with accommodation and other facilities for enjoying my student days in Rome, but more importantly, as a Muslim who takes matters of faith seriously, it offered me abundant possibilities to further my knowledge of Christian tradition and spirituality. It served as an excellent platform to meet important church figures, eminent scholars of different faith backgrounds, diplomats, journalists – simply people from all walks of life. It introduced me to the world of interfaith dialogue in the most natural way: through lifelong friendships.

Stuart received his BA in Theology from the Franciscan University of Steubenville and his MA in Religious Studies from Providence College in Rhode Island.  Stuart also completed four years of postgraduate studies at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome and he later taught in the Caribbean for two years in Antigua where he served as a lay missionary.

Congratulations Stuart!

I stayed at the Lay Centre this past October until January, 2012.

I was a fellow at the Cardinal Bea Center for Judaic studies at the Gregorian University. I took two courses:  The story cycle of Abraham Isaac and Jacob, with Prof. J.-P Sonnet, and Christian Epigraphy with Prof. Boccharelli. Other than this, I conducted an intensive independent study of the archaeological sites of Rome (in other words I walked around a lot), and wrote my PhD proposal:

The Urban Culture of Roman Judaea/Palaestina and Arabia from the Flavians to the Tetrarchy– Inscriptions in Context.

Upon my return to Israel I will continue writing my PhD in the Institute of Archaeology of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, and will continue working as a teaching assistant there for the course: Introduction to Roman Archaeology. Other than this, I will continue work on several archaeological projects: Excavations of Sepphoris, Excavations of Beit-Loya, co-authoring a book about Roman and Hellenistic Jaffa (with Prof. Hannah Cotton, Prof. Jonathan Price, Ms. Anna Veronese, Ms. Yana Tchekhanovets) and reading the Greek and Latin inscriptions from Herodium – King Herod’s fortress and tomb.

While in Rome, I was a stranger in a strange land and the people of the Lay Center gave me a home away from home. A loving trusting open community to which I was happy to return every night. Such peace of mind is absolutely necessary for any work to be done. One cannot work (at least this one) when his soul is tormented by loneliness. Other than this, on another personal level, I have made contacts here with future and present scholars of the church, heard opinions and had daily dialogue with people of different cultures and faiths – there was not a day in which I did not learn something new. I met good people and made good friends.

Thank you.

yours

Avner

Betul recently shared with us her experience of studying in Rome and living at the Lay Centre:

I stayed at the Lay Centre for almost four years in total between 2000-2003. While I was there I was a full time student at the Gregorian University and took some courses at the Angelicum. As a non-Christian student, I tried to learn as much as possible about fundamental issues of Christian theology. I finished my Licenciate at the Gregorian with a thesis entitled “Idea of Revelation in Christianity: Revelation as Progressive.” My doctoral dissertation is entitled “Contemporary Turkish Study of Christianity.” At the moment, I am waiting to be appointed at a faculty position in Turkey. I will teach religious studies focusing on Christianity.

The Lay Centre was not just a place to stay for me. It was rather a place to learn by living together with Catholic people who are serious about their faith traditions. Here I felt at home where I did not have to be “politically correct” all the time. I was free to ask silly questions. Because the people around me were my housemates, they were my Roman family. Moreover,  I could share my Muslim experience with them also.

Lay Centre Alumnus Rev. Michael Wimmer, ordained to the priesthood.

Congratulations to Rev. Michael Wimmer who was ordained to the priesthood on Saturday, 17 September for the Community of the Beatitudes. Michael was part of the Lay Centre residential community during the 2003-2004 academic year. Congratulations also to Rev. Dr. Johann Schneider who was elected regional bishop for Halle-Wittenberg on 18 November by the Synod of the Lutheran Church in Central Germany. Bishop-elect Schneider lived at the Lay Centre from 1993-1994.

Read AJ Boyd’s Blog, with the full text of the Pope’s sermon.

Listen to Donna Orsuto’s Sermon for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity at the service organised by Churches Together in Rome and hosted by Ponte Sant’Angelo Methodist Church

Dr Donna Orsuto, a professor at the Pontifical Gregorian University and Co-founder and Director of the Lay Centre at Foyer Unitas, Rome

The Lay Centre at Foyer Unitas: Catholic, Ecumenical, and Interreligious

"We will all be changed by the Victory of our Lord Jesus Christ" (cf. 1 Cor 15:51-58)

During the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (January 18-25), join us in an afternoon of reflection and prayer with Rev. Drew Christiansen, SJ, Editor-in-Chief, America Magazine, New York, who will speak on

Impulses of the Spirit, Promotion of Human Rights, Justice and Peace since Vatican II

followed by

An Ecumenical Celebration of the Word

with Presider: Canon David Richardson, Director, Anglican Centre, Representative of the Archbishop of Canterbury and Preacher: Msgr Mark Langham, Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.

The theme of this year’s week of prayer, “We will all be changed by the Victory of our Lord Jesus Christ,” (cf. 1 Cor 15:51-58) was chosen as a fruit of dialogue in which representatives of the Roman Catholic Church, the Orthodox Church, the Old Catholic Church, and Protestant Churches active in Poland participated.

Following extensive discussions in which the representatives of various ecumenical circles, it was decided to focus on a theme that is concerned with the transformative power of faith in Christ, particularly in relation to our praying for the visible unity of the Church, the Body of Christ. The particular history of the Polish nation served as a catalyst for reflection on what it means to “win” and to “lose.” This was based on St. Paul’s words to the Corinthian Church which speak of the temporary nature of our present lives (with all its apparent “victory” and “defeat”) in comparison to what we receive through the victory of Christ through the Paschal mystery.

See Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity

AJ Boyd has updated us on the activities occurring in Rome during this year’s Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, January 18-25. See AJ’s Blog, Pro Unione.

In Italy, since 1990, the national bishops’ conference has designated January 17 as a national day of reflection and exploration of Jewish-Christian dialogue.

Worldwide, January 18-25 is the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (WPCU), co-sponsored by the Holy See and the World Council of Churches. In one form or another, this has been celebrated since 1908.

•             There is a website with material in English and Spanish, including a history of the WPCU, here: http://www.geii.org/week_of_prayer_for_christian_unity/index.html.

•             In Italian there are some historical notes here: http://www.pro.urbe.it/att-act/i_sett-preg_2011g.html

•             Below is a a general calendar of all the related ecumenical or interreligious events scheduled in these days, and a list of the Catholic liturgies taking place at Santa Maria in Via Lata (not actually ecumenical, but demonstrating that Catholic unity does not mean Roman uniformity)

•             An invitation to a book presentation by Cardinal Walter Kasper, and a response by Cardinal Kurt Koc –  http://www.pro.urbe.it/att-act/i_conf-gen2012a.html

Thanks to AJ!

We also point out to our readers Resources for THE WEEK OF PRAYER FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY and throughout the year, following this year’s theme, “We will all be changed by the Victory of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (cf. 1 Cor 15:51-58)

http://www.oikoumene.org/fileadmin/files/wcc-main/documents/p2/2011/WOP2012eng.pdf

Tuesday, 17 January

1730     Giornata di Riflessione Ebraico-Cristiana: La Sesta Parola: «NON UCCIDERAI»
S. E. Mons. Benedetto Tuzia Commissione diocesana per l’Ecumenismo e il Dialogo
Ecc.mo Rav Riccardo Di Segni Rabbino Capo della Comunità Ebraica di Roma
Prof. Mauro Cozzoli Professore Ordinario di Teologia Morale, Pont. Università Lateranense
Pontificia Universitá Lateranense, Aula Pio XI

Wednesday, 18 January

1730      The Encounter of the African Traditional Religions, Islam and Christianity in Northeastern Nigeria:
Toward a Contextual Theology of Interreligious Dialogue
Doctoral Defense of Rev. John Bogna Bakeni, Russell Berrie Alumnus
Pontificia Universitá San Tommaso, Aula X

1830       The Venerable English College – Celebration of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

1900      Celebrazione, Consulta delle Chiese Evangeliche Romane
Pastore Herbert Anders, Chiesa Luterana
S. E. Mons. Benedetto Tuzia Commissione diocesana per l’Ecumenismo e il Dialogo
Chiesa luterana, via Toscana 7

Thursday, 19 January

1600     Celebrazione ecumenica finlandese, festa di S. Enrico di Finlandia
S.E.R. Mons. Teemu Sippo, vescovo della diocesi cattolica di Helsinki.
Rev.mo Seppo Hakkinen, vescovo della diocesi evangelico-luterana di Mikkeli.
Basilica di Santa Maria Sopra Minerva

1630      Impulses of the Spirit: Promotion of Human Rights, Justice, and Peace since Vatican II
Rev. Drew Christiansen, SJ, editor-in-chief of America Magazine
Ecumenical Celebration of the Word
Canon David Richardson, ChStJ, Archbishop of Canterbury’s Representative to the Holy See
Monsignor Mark Langham, Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity
Centro Pro Unione, Via del Anima 30 (Piazza Navona)

1830       Veglia Ecumenica Diocesana di Preghiera
Basilica Santa Maria in Trastevere

Friday, 20 January

1730      Vespri ecumenica
Rev.mo Seppo Hakkinen, vescovo della diocesi evangelico-luterana di Mikkeli
S.E. Teemu Sippo, vescovo della diocesi cattolica di Helsinki
S.E. Mons. Brian Farrell e Mons. Mathias  Türk.
Chiesa di S. Brigida, Piazza Farnese 96

Sunday, 22 January

1100      Catholic Eucharist with guest preacher,
Canon David Richardson, ChStJ, Archbishop of Canterbury’s Representative to the Holy See

Oratorio di San Francesco Saverio del Caravita

1830       Ecumenical Prayer Service/Churches Together in Rome
Prof.ssa Donna Orsuto, DSG, Preaching
Ponte Sant’Angelo Methodist Church, Piazza di Ponte Sant’Angelo

Tuesday, 24 January

1245      Anglican Eucharist
Anglican Center in Rome, Piazza del Collegio Romano 2

1830       Dialogo Interreligioso in Chiara Lubich e nel Movimento dei Focolari
Dott. Roberto Catalano, Centro Dialogo Interreligioso
Istituto Tevere – Centro pro Dialogo, Via di Monte Brianzo 82

Wednesday, 25 January

1730      Vespers at the Papal Basilica of San Paolo fuori le Mura
Pope Benedict XVI Solemn Closing of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

2000     Veglia di preghiera ecumenica
Mons. Charles Scicluna
Chiesa Santa Brigida, Piazza Farnese 96

Thursday, 26 January

1800      Chiesa Cattolica: Essenza – Realtà – Missione
Presentazione: Dott. Rosino Gibellini
Intervento: S.E.R. Cardinal Walter Kasper
Responso: S.E.R. Cardinal Kurt Koch
Centro Pro Unione, Via Santa Maria dell’Anima 30

BASILICA DI SANTA MARIA IN VIA LATA
Dal 18 al 25 gennaio 2012 Ore 20.00
Divina Liturgia nei vari riti cattolici orientali con la partecipazione dei Collegi Pontifici di Roma:

Mercoledì 18
Rito Bizantino-greco
Pont.Collegio Greco

Giovedì 19
Rito Bizantino-ucraino
Padri Basiliani di S. Giosafat

Venerdì 20
Rito Bizantino-romeno
Pont. Collegio Romeno

Sabato 21
Rito Siro-maronita
Ordine Maronita B.M.V.

Domenica 22
Rito Romano
S.E.M. Piero Marini

Lunedì 23
Rito Siro-malankarese
Pont. Collegio Damasceno

Martedì 24
Rito Armeno
Pont. Collegio Armeno

Mercoledì 25
Rito Etiopico
Pont. Collegio Etiopico

Basilica di S. Maria in Via Lata – Via del Corso, 306 – 00186 Roma

On Thursday, 1 December, the Lay Centre welcomed Dr. Sarah Bernstein from Israel, Rev. Dr. Ruth Patterson from Northern Ireland, and Dr. Aida Abadzic Hodzic from Bosnia, to share their insights and experience on women's roles in international peacebuilding.

Click here to hear the Vatican Radio interview with Dr. Sarah Bernstein, Rev. Dr. Ruth Patterson, and Dr. Aida Abadzic Hodzic

Click here to watch the Rome Reports video on the Colloquium.