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While recently visiting seminarians in
Rome, Bishop Michael F. Burbidge was able to see Arlington priest Father Paul
F. deLadurantaye, who has worked at the English section of the Vatican Secretariat
of State since last September.
Fr. Paul F. deLadurantaye, a priest of the Diocese of
Arlington and official at the Vatican Secretariat of State, introduces
English-speaking pilgrims as Pope Francis leads his general audience in Paul VI
hall at the Vatican Feb. 20. COURTESY
Father deLadurantaye said he has been
adjusting to life and work in Rome. “Getting to know the other priests from the
United States who work in the service of the Holy See has been a very good
experience,” he said. Father deLadurantaye has interacted with diocesan
seminarians of the Diocese of Arlington at events at the Pontifical North
American College.
“Outside of my work, I have mostly been
revisiting places I knew when I was a student at the college and that I have
not seen in a long time,” he said.
When asked what his favorite gelato
flavor was, he had a shocking answer: “I have actually not had gelato since I
arrived,” he said. “When the warmer months come, I will have to remedy that.”
One of Father deLadurantaye’s duties is
announcing English-speaking pilgrims, as he did at the pope’s weekly audience
Feb. 20. Continuing his series of talks on the Our Father, the pope reflected
on the first verse of the Lord’s Prayer. Praying to God in heaven, he said, is
the first step of every Christian prayer to enter the “mystery of God’s
fatherhood.”
Catholic News Service contributed to this article.
