By Anastasia Pinto / Photo: Karina Gandur
“Remain in My Love” (John 15:9) is the theme guiding the 2025–2026 academic year at The Lay Centre. As we began our annual Leadership Orientation Week for community residents, rooted in the Jubilee of Hope, we set out on a spiritual and formative journey.
This year, our community is composed of 25 lay men and women from 17 nations. They come together in Rome to study or work in Catholic universities and organizations, and to anchor their lives in Christ’s love — a love that listens, welcomes, and accompanies us.
Pilgrimage and Encounters
The highlight of the week was the pilgrimage to St. Peter’s Basilica, walking through the Holy Door and celebrating Mass as a community, presided over by Fr. Agnello Stoia, OFM Conv., parish priest of St. Peter’s.
The visit also featured a tour of Vatican Radio, offering an engaging look inside one of the Holy See’s main communication offices, led by Lay Centre alumnus Joseph Tulloch, now working with Vatican News in its English Section.
First Steps
The year opened with meetings with the director, Dr. Filipe Domingues, and the community life coordinators, inviting the group to come together to share hopes and expectations for the year. Dr. Domingues also offered a session titled “Pope Leo XIV and His Leadership Style,” exploring leadership at this historic moment at the start of a new pontificate in Rome.
Embracing the opportunity to be both learners and pilgrims, the community explored the spiritual and historical richness of Ostia Antica under the guidance of art historian Christiaan Santini, operations manager at The Lay Centre. The visit offered a glimpse into daily life in ancient Rome and carried deep spiritual significance as the place where St. Monica and St. Augustine shared their final conversation.
Another cherished moment was the Taizé prayer in our chapel, where the community gathered in shared silence and reflection, lifted by hymns and petitions for the needs of the world.
A Culture of Care
The week also emphasized developing practical skills to create safer environments for ourselves and others. A workshop on safety measures, specializing in workplace safety, offered valuable tools and guidance.
To build awareness and foster dialogue, Dr. Carlo Belardi and Sara Staiano led a session and workshop on safeguarding in Church institutions, inviting residents to reflect on safeguarding as a call to live responsibly and create spaces where everyone feels respected, protected, and valued.
Through case studies and practical discussions, these sessions encouraged residents to explore contemporary challenges and learn how to respond to situations of vulnerability with compassion, attentiveness, and wisdom.
