Walking in the footsteps of
St. Benedict
Story: Dr. Jessica L. D. Jones | Photos: Dr. Daniel Vanden Berk
Standing at the atrium balcony of Monte Cassino, the crowning jewel of Saint Benedict’s monasteries thousands of miles from Latrobe, Julie Peterson (below) realized she was home. Before her visit to the abbey, she had already followed in the footsteps of Saint Benedict for a few weeks with the Saint Vincent College Summer Institute in Rome program. Looking out over the rolling Italian hills, having just seen Saint Vincent’s crest in the crypt, Julie said she had a “wow” moment she’ll never forget. “I got a sense of peace and beauty,” she remembered. “I was able to see the locations of the beginning and end of Saint Benedict’s life and journey. He is the reason I was standing there.” In that instant, Julie understood for the first time that, if Saint Benedict hadn’t founded his monasteries and written The Rule, Boniface Wimmer wouldn’t have founded Saint Vincent, her beloved college would not exist, and she would not be on a Roman adventure with wonderful Saint Vincent faculty and fellow students. Julie had found her place, all thanks to the vision of one monk 1,500 years ago.
At first, that sense of belonging experienced at Monte Cassino did not come easily. “I knew I wanted to study abroad, but as a biology major and politics minor, those possibilities started to look a little grim,” Julie recalled. As a STEM major, she needed to find a summer program that fit with her rigorous academic schedule. She applied to the Summer Institute on a whim and submitted her application at midnight before the final due date. After her acceptance to the program and making the final decision to go to Rome, she worried about traveling to a foreign country without knowing the Saint Vincent faculty there or many of her fellow students. Even the beginning of her journey to Rome was difficult, as illness plagued her first week abroad and the intensity of the walking long distances in the city pushed her and her classmates physically. The decision to go to Rome became increasingly intimidating.
Despite these early challenges, Julie kept an “open mind,” as she describes it, and her openness paid off. As the month progressed, the Rome program continued exceeding her expectations. She mentions staying at Sant’Anselmo on the Aventine Hill in the heart of Rome as a highlight: not only are Saint Vincent students a short walk to majestic, ancient monuments like the Colosseum, but at the monastery, they enjoy the Benedictine rhythm of life marking each day of class and sight-seeing. Julie especially appreciated how the Sant’Anselmo monks welcomed Saint Vincent students with classic Benedictine hospitality, reserving guest rooms with beautiful views of the Roman skyline and chatting with students during Sunday dinners in the refectory.
You get to see the roots of
Saint Vincent 5,000 mile away.
Eureka moments became an everyday occurrence with classes taught by passionate professors, including renowned art historian Dr. Liz Lev. “I did not appreciate Liz Lev enough,” Julie admitted. “She is a Christian art legend.” Julie credited philosophy professor Dr. Michael Krom with some of her favorite insights, including her revelation at Monte Cassino. His small, seminar-style class on Roman history and political thought renewed her love of the personalized attention of Saint Vincent classes. In Dr. Krom’s class, every student participated in class discussion and brought his or her major to bear on the lively conversation. “As a biology major, I would make a point in a physical manner, but then another philosophy major classmate would raise a great philosophical point, while our marketing major friend responded with her economic view,” she recalled. The city of Rome was often the backdrop to these multifaceted discussions, as Dr. Krom led students to the very places referenced in their readings. Slowly but surely, Julie started to acclimate as her fascination for the roots of the Eternal City grew with each new excursion. An occasional jaunt to the Pittsburgh bar in Rome may have helped too.
With a solid Benedictine foundation, Julie embraced life abroad. Trips to Castel Gandolfo and Assisi introduced her to some of the most beautiful pilgrimage spots in Italy. The bullet train to Florence was thrilling, and, upon arrival in that medieval city, physics professor Dr. Daniel Vanden Berk took everyone to see Galileo’s telescope and tomb. Somehow, in the midst of classes and traveling, Julie and her classmates managed to find a basketball and start some regular pick-up games at a local Roman court. Some of her fondest memories outside of class and the city involve friendly tournaments with local Italian teenagers competing with the rest of her Rome class. While it’s difficult for her to sum up every delightful moment with the SVC Summer Institute in Rome, Julie’s phone storage might tell the tale best. “Let’s just say I left Rome with 800 more photos than when I got there,” she laughed.