Hello!

My name is Paul Kearney, a native of Worcester, Massachusetts, and currently the house volunteer at the General House of the Assumptionists in Rome. How did I end up here? I've been asking myself that question lately. This past February, during my senior year at the University of Notre Dame, I received an email from Fr. John Franck asking if I would be interested in volunteering in their community for a year after graduation. Fr. John and I knew each other from back home when he was stationed at Assumption College - where my family attends Mass at the campus chapel- and I met up with him again a few times at the community here in Rome in the Fall of 2013 when I was spent a semester abroad here at John Cabot University. He knew how much I loved Rome and my burning desire to return some day. I just never knew that day would be so soon!

Since hopping on this wonderful opportunity back in April, I haven't looked back. I spent the summer back home in Worcester preparing mentally (studying Italian), physically (practicing Italian hand gestures), and even monetarily (saving up some money landscaping while I prepared for a year of service).

I arrived in Rome in early October and after settling in, I was on the move again, this time to Florence. At the Scuola Toscana in the heart of Dante's city, I studied intensive Italian for four weeks while living in community at our house at Borgo Pinti, not too far from the Duomo. After falling in love with that city, it was a bittersweet moment to return to Rome. Now I have found myself acclimating to the community life here while getting to know Rome on more intimate level every day. When I'm not answering the door, answering phone calls (all in Italian- though I actually hear more French around the house than Italian), or delivering mail to the Vatican, I am walking around the Eternal City, feeling right at home.

The community here has been very supportive of me and I am grateful for the Assumptionists for taking me and allowing me to enjoy such an amazing experience. I love working for them every day to help out any way I can.

Looking back at the routes I could have taken for immediate post-grad employment, I think I made the right decision. I guess you just can't pass up on Rome, can you?

Ciao for now,
Paul