For the second half of our week in Rome, we moved downtown to the pensione owned by the Sisters of St. Filippini, the order of which my friend Sr. MaryBeth Lloyd is a member. They’re dedicated to working with women and children in need, in a number of countries. Because of COVID, she’s been in Rome unable to travel, so we haven’t seen each other in a while. We spent our time together talking and eating and talking some more, and she drove me around sightseeing. The new location put us in the middle of Roman life, where families were having dinner in sidewalk cafes at ten at night, walking arm in arm with friends, and walking their dogs before bed. We felt very safe at every hour, and everyone was warm and friendly.
The Pantheon.
Streets filled with people.
I asked about the menorah, which along with a beautiful statue of Mary was a gift after World War II from the local Jewish community. At the request of the Pope, the convent sheltered many Jewish women and children during the war. The women wore habits and disguised themselves as nuns. The kids attended school and pretended to be Catholic, learning to cross themselves and say Catholic prayers, but retaining their true identities. The convent was under close scrutiny, and at one point a policeman attended mass and asked why all the nuns didn’t take communion. The women agreed for their safety to take communion, and they all made it safely through the war. Although the pontiff has been criticized for not taking a stronger stand against Mussolini, he apparently orchestrated considerable support of the Italian Jews covertly.
We loved this little clock shop.
Dempsey makes another friend.
This is an office building built into a Roman relic.
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