I first visited Rome in the summer of 2001 and moved here from the US in December of that same year. My faith journey began as a Roman Catholic, baptized as an infant, but “church” was always a duty forced upon me rather than a joy, and I stopped going as soon as I moved away to college. Although I had always been prayerful and spiritual, I never thought I would find a home in organized religion.
When the first of my three American-Roman children began classes for first communion in the Roman Catholic Church (which is common for many Italian elementary school students whether their families regularly attend church or not), I was required to take my son to Sunday Mass, which I did begrudgingly. After a few months though, I experienced a true conversion of heart simply by listening to the Gospel each week and hearing about how Jesus lived and taught. I then immersed myself in the faith, completing a two-year diploma in Spiritual Theology at the Teresianum University and becoming a member of the Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites (OCDS), part of the reformed order founded by 16th-century Christian mystic St. Teresa of Avila.
However, after several years I left the Roman Catholic Church because in my personal experience it wasn’t an inclusive place to worship. As a divorced single mom as well as the parent of a child who is a member of the LGBTQ+ community, I began to wonder if any traditional faith community existed where its members openly strived to live out Jesus’ teaching of unconditional love for all with no exceptions.
After a year of intense doubt, searching, and prayer, one Sunday I decided to attend services at St. Paul’s Within the Walls. I immediately felt at home amidst the authentic warmth and smiles of this diverse, welcoming family of faith. The sticker on our front door says it: “All are welcome.” I love St. Paul’s because the message on the sticker isn’t just something we say; it’s something we live out: in our beautiful, uplifting, and down-to-earth Sunday worship; in our many joy-filled fellowship and service activities, and throughout our daily lives in this challenging city. To everyone who’s searching for what really matters, to everyone looking for deeper meaning, quiet contemplation, friendship, and vibrant community in a world that can often feel very isolating and superficial, I invite you to join us at St. Paul’s and enrich us with your time, talents, and heart!