After the “Sunday with a thousand names” (Divine Mercy Sunday, Low Sunday, Dominica in Albis, etc.) there begins another octave, local to Rome…

NAC Week. Also known as “America Week.”

The NAC (North American College) is the American seminary in Rome. The Rector’s Dinner is an annual event for friends and especially *very large* benefactors of the seminary. It started out years and years ago as a small and rather informal gathering. Now it is “the event” for American Catholics with money, sometimes having a 4,000+ person waitlist. It’s a “who’s who” of American Catholic life.

Obviously, if that sort of group is in town, they will make a week out of it, with their own events. Thus, NAC Week.

I used to be fascinated by the “Professional Catholics” and the big checkwriters. Well, I’ve seen inside a bit over the past few years, and I can’t say it’s all that interesting. There are good people in the mix (for real), and there is some good stuff going on, but there is just a certain vibe. A lot of performing and pettiness and puffery. A lot of manipulation. A lot of wasted time and energy.

So I am not exactly pining for the rooftop parties anymore. I would rather be in the field, getting real work done, with people who aren’t constantly sizing me up while trying to outdo each other.

If that resonates with you, then let’s get it done together… So much to share, right around the corner. Stay tuned…