Lay Centre Alumna, Betul Avci, recently completed her doctorate at the Gregorian University, which was entitled "Contemporary Turkish of Christianity."
Betul recently shared with us her experience of studying in Rome and living at the Lay Centre:
I stayed at the Lay Centre for almost four years in total between 2000-2003. While I was there I was a full time student at the Gregorian University and took some courses at the Angelicum. As a non-Christian student, I tried to learn as much as possible about fundamental issues of Christian theology. I finished my Licenciate at the Gregorian with a thesis entitled "Idea of Revelation in Christianity: Revelation as Progressive." My doctoral dissertation is entitled "Contemporary Turkish Study of Christianity." At the moment, I am waiting to be appointed at a faculty position in Turkey. I will teach religious studies focusing on Christianity.
The Lay Centre was not just a place to stay for me. It was rather a place to learn by living together with Catholic people who are serious about their faith traditions. Here I felt at home where I did not have to be "politically correct" all the time. I was free to ask silly questions. Because the people around me were my housemates, they were my Roman family. Moreover, I could share my Muslim experience with them also.