Application
Process for The Lay Centre
The
Lay Centre accepts
applications throughout the year, but we advise interested parties
to complete and submit all of the requirements for application as
early as possible because we review applications on a first-come,
first-served basis, and there are only a limited number of spaces
for new residents. The majority of students are accepted fro
a two semester (nine month) commitment, but occasionally students
are accepted for one semester.
To ensure that this application is complete, please review the following
information carefully.
Eligibility
Applicants must be lay persons
enrolled full-time in one of Rome's pontifical universities,
athenae or institutes.
A basic knowledge of Italian and
English is necessary, and should be acquired prior to arrival at
The Lay Centre.
Program Offerings
The Lay Centre offers its
residents membership in a community of people involved in
serious theological
study who seek to integrate faith with everyday life.
Full academic year
residents are provided with:
opportunities for
spiritual formation, including:
-
community prayer
and liturgy (including weekly Mass)
-
an annual retreat
-
referral to
possible spiritual directors / confessors in Rome
opportunities for
pastoral formation, including:
-
referral to
possible sites in the city to be involved as a volunteer in
charitable works (parishes, social outreach programs, etc.)
opportunities for
intellectual formation, including:
-
several annual
lectures with prominent theologians or other scholars
-
opportunities to
attend formation evenings provided by staff and invited speakers
opportunities for
human formation, including:
- living in a Christian community
-
an introduction
to many prominent guests who visit the Lay Centre
a private, single
room (or a shared, doubled room, if preferred and available)
continental
breakfast daily, a light luncheon (featuring salad, sandwiches
and/or soup) and family style dinners seven days per week (except
during the Christmas and Easter holidays)
access to common
rooms of the house, including: a chapel, laundry facilities,
kitchen, dining room, student sitting room, conference room, and
common bathrooms with showers and bathtubs
an orientation
program to life in Rome and at the Lay Centre that combines prayer,
site visits to significant places in the city, and theological
presentations, with practical advice about navigating the city,
including how to apply for the residence permit and complete
university registration
Responsibilities
As a member of this community, you have
responsibilities in relationship to both the administration and your
fellow community members.
Payment of annual room and board. You are encouraged to pay the
total of these fees in advance, or at the beginning of the
semester, as your situation permits. These fees cover a portion
(about half) of the cost of your room and board. The difference
between this amount and the true cost of food and housing is covered
by a fund provided by the Lay Centres benefactors.
A commitment to stay for the period you are accepted into the community
A commitment to participation in the
weekly Wednesday community
evening.
Participation in all official Lay Centre
events (generally six special events
per academic year).
A commitment to a limited amount of
community activities, including a
house chore and providing hospitality for the many guests who visit
during
the course of the year.
A basic willingness to live in community,
with all the patience, love, and
work that that requires.
Required Documents
To submit a complete application, please include
the following:
a sheet which lists:
- full
name
- current
address, with city, postal code, and country
- email
address
- telephone
numbers (landline/mobile)
- the
name, address, and phone number of a person to contact in case of
emergency
- information
about any medical conditions: including food allergies, other
allergies, medication, and any medical conditions of which The Lay
Centre should be aware in case of emergency
- the
degree to be pursued and specialization
- the
number of years you expect to be in Rome
an essay which answers the following
questions:
-
Why do you want to study in Rome?
-
How does this period of studies relate to future
plans?
-
What involvement in community, parish and
diocesan activities
have you had up to now?
-
a photocopy
of your current passport
-
a copy of the
acceptance letter from the university
-
three letters of recommendation, from:
-
your local bishop
- your
local pastor
- a
professor familiar with your academic work
-
a copy
of your current CV (curriculum vitae)
While we need all of the above before we can
issue a formal acceptance, in order to begin the application
process, it is best to send us all the information that you can,
including the copy of your CV. Please send all information:
The Lay Centre at Foyer Unitas
Tel: +39 06 772 676 1
Fax: +39 06 772 676 235
Email:
info@laycentre.org
Other Required Documents
After Acceptance
While not required for application, the following
should be sent to us if you have been accepted into the Lay Centre:
-
a photocopy of the student visa
(students MUST obtain a student visa from the Italian government
through an embassy or consulate before arriving in Italy contact
the website of the nearest one to find out more information)
-
a photocopy of all health insurance
cards or forms (all students MUST have health insurance acceptable
in Italy if purchased in another country, a copy of the portion
of the policy which states its applicability in Italy must be
presented)
-
a photocopy of the Permesso di
Soggiorno which must be applied for within ten days after
arrival in Italy
Preparing for Studies in Rome
In preparation for living and studying in Italy,
the following is strongly advised:
-
Get started early in obtaining the
student visa. Be sure to apply for a long-term student visa
(Student Visa "D"). Without this visa, it is not possible to live
legally in Italy, and therefore impossible to join the Lay Centre
community. If you arrive in Rome without the visa, you will be
asked to return home until you obtain one. It is NOT possible
to get a visa once you are in Rome.
-
If possible, bring a laptop computer,
as the universities expect students to have a computer for their
academic work. If need be, setting up an email account is not
difficult to arrange after your arrival in Italy; and each room at
the Lay Centre is equipped with high-speed internet connection.
-
The estimated costs for one year of
studies, or two semesters (including tuition, room, board, and books) total
approximately 12.000. This figure does not include eating out,
travel, entertainment, etc. perhaps 20.000 is a good estimate.
You are expected to arrive at the Lay Centre on
the date to which you have agreed with at least a basic knowledge of Italian. The
ideal situation would be to come to Italy one or two months early
and take an intensive course in one of the smaller Italian towns.
Some Suggestions for Studying
Italian in Italy
Centro Studi Italiani
Via F. Ugolini, 1517, 61049 URBANIA (Pesaro e
Urbino)
tel: (39) 0722.318.950 or (39) 0722.317.375 fax:
(39) 0722.317.286
Located near the Adriatic Sea, this excellent
school offers intensive courses in Italian language and culture,
especially for theology students. Classes are small. Though lodging
is not included in the price, the organizers can arrange for
accommodation either in a furnished apartment or with a host family.
Many of our students have taken this course and were extremely happy
and satisfied with it.
Universitΰ Italiana per Stranieri
Palazzo Gallenga, Piazza Fortebraccio, 4, 06100
PERUGIA
tel: (39) 075.574.6211, fax: (39) 075.5746.213
Located near Assisi, this is one of the
better-known centers for Italian language study. The disadvantage is
that there are so many foreign students gathered that one often ends
up speaking his or her own language. The organizers can suggest
possibilities for lodging.
Questions? Please contact us:
info@laycentre.org
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