Scholastics Return to the Source in Rome
By Vincent Opiyo, SJ
The famous adage goes, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.” Perhaps, to some, this sounds outdated. Put in a Gen Z Jesuit way, however, it becomes: “When in Rome, make sure you walk in the footsteps of St Ignatius!”
At 5 a.m., a group of first-year scholastics, joined by a few confratelli from the second and third years, left the community on foot for La Storta, approximately 17 kilometres from central Rome.
After three and a half hours on the road, under a gloomy autumn sky and persistent drizzle, we were still trekking, determined to reach our destination. Those familiar with the route led the way, while the newcomers followed curiously, wondering how much farther we had to go. “No Jesuit can visit Rome without visiting La Storta,” one of our formators would later remark as we recounted the experience a tavola.
Soon, signs pointing towards La Storta began appearing, reassuring us that our destination was near. We passed a large church on our left, and about 150 metres farther on stood the chapel traditionally associated with St Ignatius’s vision: la Cappella della Storta.
Eccoci qua! (Here we are!)
Relief and awe filled the air. Our consolation was not simply that the long walk had ended; we had finally arrived at a place whose name resonates in Jesuit communities worldwide.
Who has not heard of Ignatius’s vision at La Storta? Allow me to call it an “Ignatian theophany”—a profound encounter with the divine. According to Ignatius’s Autobiography, he understood that God the Father was placing him with Christ, His Son, carrying the cross. This experience strengthened his conviction about his mission: to serve Christ under the sign of the cross. And to become a companion of Jesus, later, giving birth to our current name.
We celebrated Mass, presided over by one of our spiritual fathers, Fr Sardi. Afterwards, photographs captured the memories, but the pilgrimage meant more than a collection of pictures.
While some companions took the train back to centro, four of us, including yours truly, extended the adventure by visiting the nearby motherhouse of the Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Ragusa. The Mother General welcomed us with remarkable warmth. We were delighted to discover her knowledge of Africa, including the admission of three Kenyan novices, guess from where, the Diocese of Kakamega. Our conversation crossed cultures and continents before our hosts crowned the visit with a generous Italian lunch.
We returned with tired feet, cherished photographs, renewed fraternity, and a deeper appreciation of our Ignatian heritage. Sometimes, returning to the source means walking all the way there!
And then came Sunday’s dinner outing, when JCAM scholastics residing at the Collegio Internazionale del Gesù gathered at a Chinese restaurant in the city. But that, dear reader, is a story for another day!
Da Roma è tutto! Alla prossima!
