“An Example of Faith” | Postcards from Rome 2026

This week on The Rome Experience has been one of many firsts for me. I have never been to Italy before, and the longer I’m here, the more I love it, and it has helped me grow in my faith as well. The first part of the week, we finished up our silent retreat with the Nashville Dominican sisters at their retreat house in Bracciano. This silent retreat was quite refreshing for me before going into the Eternal City. I have just finished a semester-long pastoral internship back in my Diocese of Belleville before leaving for The Rome Experience. It was quite joyful, but having time for silence to process and an awesome priest to discern with and listen to really helped grow my relationship closer to Jesus Christ and his Church. During my internship, I was sent out to the edge of the diocese, and I saw the importance of brotherhood in the priesthood. The time after the silence ended was great for sharing the graces with the brothers and for getting some gelato in Bracciano before we left. I saw that desire for fraternity with other seminarians and priests is something the experience values and will help me connect with even more priests across the country.

On our first day in Rome, we went to the Ancient part of the city to see the remains of the Roman Forum and the Colosseum. As a child, I have read so much about Ancient Rome and the time periods of both the Republic and the Empire. I’m one of the people who might think about the Roman Empire four times a day. Being able to see with my own eyes where the city of Rome was built and governed over two thousand years ago was a dream come true. The shining moment of the tour for me was the Arch of Constantine. As someone who loves history, Constantine’s story and how he changed the Empire, the Church, and the course of history was a moment I will never forget. Without him, we would not have all the other cool stuff to see on this Rome Experience. I find that when talking to people who do not believe in God or struggle with the faith, sometimes the best place to start with them is from a historical lens with the Church. We all care about history and time, and the same is true for the Church. The Church, over time, tells many amazing stories about the lives of the saints that can inspire someone to believe, no matter where they are in life.

Finally, on Friday, our group went to St. Paul Outside the Walls. St. Paul’s is a beautiful church that was rebuilt in a more classical Romanesque style rather than the Baroque style we saw at St. Peter’s. One of the most spiritual moments for me was seeing all of the Pope’s portraits around the Church. The parish was like seeing how the Church has grown over the last two thousand years, while at the same time always being connected to Jesus Christ, the Pope, and the sacraments. Also, St. Paul has always been one of my favorite saints. He was a man of much passion for the Lord, while at the same time suffering, finally, with his life. He has been a model for me to speak the truth, even when it is not well-received. After the tour, we had a wonderful meal with His Eminence Cardinal Harvey (pictured above, center). I was impressed that, even as a Cardinal of the Church, he has such a calm demeanor and a true sense of prayer in his busy life. Sometimes in seminary or at the parish, it feels like I’m running a thousand miles a hour. Cardinal Harvey’s example and the faith of Saint Paul are things I took away this week and want to bring into my personal and prayer life back to my diocese.

Terry Marmion
Diocese of Belleville