On Sunday, February 17th, 2013, the Assumptionist community in Rome welcomed the first class of Assumption College (Worcester, Massachusetts, USA) students to their Rome campus on the grounds of the general house.
One year ago the superior general of the Assumptionists, Very Rev. Benoît Grière, A.A., and the president of Assumption College, Dr. Francesco Cesareo, signed a memo of understanding paving the way for the establishment of the campus. In record-breaking time the former archives building on the grounds, constructed in the 1950s, was transformed into a residence for college students and faculty, complete with a modern, technologically equipped classroom, dining hall, state-of-the-art kitchen, common room, well-furnished and wired bedrooms, and a complete director's apartment. The new residence will be known as Villino Dufault from now on in memory of Fr. Wilfrid Dufault, a former president of Assumption College and the superior general who oversaw the acquisition of the current general house property.
The day's events began with Mass, presided by Fr. John Franck, assistant general of the Assumptionists and chaplain of the Rome campus students this semester, followed by a blessing of the new residence, and a festive meal prepared by the Oblate Sisters. In addition to the Assumptionist community, the students, their director, Prof. Richard Bonanno, and his family, and several faculty members, the project's architect, Mr. Boudewijn Kaijser was on hand with his family as was Dr. Frank Lazarus, the provost and Academic Vice-president of the College. These last three deserve enormous credit for their vision, energy, enthusiasm, and patience; without their tireless efforts, this project would never have been completed on time nor in such remarkable shape.
Students in the program were happy to get into their own rooms after having spent the first two weeks of their semester in Florence. With little time to relax, they were scheduled to continue their class work bright and early Monday morning.
