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"I will give you rest" (Matt 11:28)
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Recreation means re-creation
Recreation is a vital element in any holistic formation. It is not to be dismissed as mere self-indulgence but it ables us to re-create ourselves as fully rounded human beings.
A balance between work, prayer and recreation is essential for healthy human formation.At the Beda, Thursday is the weekly free day. In addition, breaks between semesters and within semesters give the opportunity for those who wish to travel further afield in Italy or elsewhere.
(The most ambitious we've come across is two students who found cheap flights to Athens, leaving early Thursday morning, spending six hours round the sites, and returning to Rome the same evening!)
Some of the ways students find rest and relaxation both within the college and outside are given below.
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The restful Beda garden
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Recreation inside and outside the college
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Within the CollegeThe facilities at the Beda include:
- A restful garden and orchard
- A small gym
- A tennis court and five-a-side football pitch
- Student common room with TV and bar
- Table tennis, Pool table
- Seasonal events such as the barbecue and quiz nights
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Saint Bede's Day Reception
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The terrapins find it restful, too!
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Beyond college walls
Living in a major European capital city means that many resources for relaxation and recreation are available.
For those who enjoy art and culture, the city's galleries and museums are well worth exploring.
Opera and classical concerts can be expensive but there are many free musical events, including weekly concerts and recitals in St Paul's Basilica.
For those with more sporting interests, there are two football teams, Roma and Lazio, in the Italian Serie A; matches in the Six Nations Rugby Competition are played in Rome; there is a major international ATP tennis tournament in May and for participants or spectators, the Rome Marathon passes the college door in April.
Many students take the opportunity to visit interesting places within and outside Rome on their Thursday free day, to churches, ancient Roman archeological sites, museums and galleries, or just to wander through the streets of Rome with a meal in a local trattoria - all provide a restful day.
A walk by the sea at Ostia, just a short Metro journey away, can help to clear the mind. A short train journey further away, the seaside towns of Anzio and Nettuno are also worth a visit.
Further afield, Florence and Naples are within reasonable reach, even for a day trip, and places such a Orvieto, Tivoli, Frascati, Assisi and Siena are easily reached by pubic transport.
During longer breaks, students sometimes take the opportunity to get to know more of Italy by making visits to such places as Venice, Padua, the Amalfi Coast and other major centres. -
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