By Heather Walker
ROME — Just back from their winter break, Lay Centre residents quickly organized for the monthly food collection for our local parish, Santa Maria in Domnica.
Gabriele Calista from Pescara, Italy, is among a number of Lay Centre scholars who has thrown himself into the project, taking solidarity very seriously. However, it was Gabriele’s last time helping out with the food collection, as he will complete his studies in the coming months and head off to start his career.
Gabriele is finishing up his studies for his licentiate in social sciences at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum). His thesis is titled, “The Role of the Manager: Between Ethics and Competitivity.” He believes his studies have prepared him to contribute to the family business in the wine industry in Belgium.
Although Gabriele will work in the private sector, he recognizes that the extended knowledge of Catholic social teaching he gained in Rome has given him a humanized view of leadership, business and economics, which will stand him in good stead in the future.
Living at The Lay Centre also gave him “the opportunity to get to know people from around the world, the chance to broaden my horizons and learn about different cultures,” said Gabriele. “If you want to work in a globalized environment and be part of an international team, the more you know about other people the better.”
He also perfected his English while living at The Lay Centre and studied Chinese. Two more languages to add to his fluent French and native Italian.
We wish Gabriele well as he starts a new phase in his life.
Photos courtesy Lay Centre Scholars (soccer group photo dates back to pre-COVID days)