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The day after their arrival the students were woken early and bussed in for a visit
to St. Peter’s Basilica. The early wake up meant that students arrived to a mostly
empty St. Peter’s Square, avoiding crowds and moving quickly through the security
line. The students then had the opportunity to attend a private Mass at the Altar
of St. Joseph with chaplain Msgr. Fucinaro and Fr. John Bayer, a visiting priest from
Cistercian Abbey. After Mass, the students were split into small walking groups and
were given orientation tours of Rome, led by faculty and staff. These walking tours
gave them a chance to learn a bit about Rome and its history, see some major monuments,
learn how to navigate the city, and most importantly, experience their first Italian
cappuccino and gelato! All the groups gathered on the Capitoline Hill for some closing
words from Dr. Hatlie and a group photo, before heading back to campus for lunch and
more orientation meetings! In the evening, the Capp Bar was open for the first time
with the offer of a free coffee for each student. What a great way to prepare for
their first day of classes the next day!
