| CIAO, AUSTRALIA! |
| CHAPTER 1 Parli Italiano? July, 2001 Carissimi amici (dearest friends), I hope that you are all very well. Know that I pray for you every day asking for all your special needs. Through prayer we are so close. My journey from one side of the world to another was better than I could’ve expected. I got a good sleep on the plane and on arrival I managed to get from the airport to my accommodation in Rome by myself without getting lost robbed. The traffic – as many had told me – was wild and dangerous. The many ancient buildings reminded me of how young Australia really is and how much experience the Church has had. Being only 15 minutes walk from St. Peter’s Basilica I went there for holy Mass at midday. I could have stayed there for days. Its size is only matched by its beauty. It was here that I blessed my first pair of Rosary beads. I know it’s winter down under so I will not speak too much about the beautiful Italian summer I have to put up with. |
 |
| After a brief tour of such great sites as the Pantheon and the Colosseum I was treated to some traditional Italian pasta by my host Fr. Peter Murphy. Early the next morning I took a six hour bus trip up north to Urbania. It is a small, delightful town of about 7,000 people. I will be here until the middle of September trying to learn Italian. I am presently living in an old seminary that is only used now as accommodation for those seminarians from all over the world who need to learn Italian before they go to Rome to study. There are about forty of us. Most are from Africa, others are from Asia, Europe and the Middle East. We all attend classes six days a week at the Centre for Italian Studies just five minutes walk away. We “try” to speak Italian all day long. Mass and other prayers are also in this musical language. It is quite a challenge but each day I am aware of understanding more and more. I am happy to be making many new friends along the way. |
 |
 |
| by Reverend Paul Newton POSTAL ADDRESS: Collegium Lateranense, Viale Alessandrino 675, 00172 ROMA, ITALY Ph: 0011 39 06 2510 1426 - Fax: 0015 39 06 218 4251 |
 |
| There is one other Australian here with me. He is from Wagga Wagga and his name is Paul too. We find each other’s company and support very helpful. I don’t have ready access to news about you or Australia in general so you might like to let me know what’s happening now and then. It’s great to keep in touch. Nel nome del Signore (in the name of the Lord), Rev. Paul |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|