Mars and dicasteries

We hit the ground running today. This morning we met with both the Congregation  for the Evangelization of Peoples and the Pontifical Council for the Laity.  Both were good, but in order to go from the Congregation on the Quirinal Hill to the Council located in the same complex as the Council for Peace and Justice, we walked across what the field of Mars, which became the major suburb of Rome in the Late Republic and prior to that had been the main military training grounds for Rome. I realized this during our 40 minute walk, so I guess that home schooling unit on Ancient Rome in middle school really paid off.

We passed the Trevi Fountain on our walk. I don't think we're 

going to get to throw coins in it.

After lunch we had a meeting with the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. It and the Congregation  for the Evangelization of Peoples are the two oldest institutions of the Curia, unless you include the courts in an unbroken chain (though they were modified more).  That was also good, though we didn't get to see their ever so impressive archives. Then we had dinner with Monsignor Callaghan. Tomorrow we are attending the Wednesday audience with Pope Francis!

It is nice to be back in Rome