The Catholic Weekly 9 August 2020

catholicweekly.com.au 6 9, August, 2020 THE INTERVIEW With Pope Francis in the background, Joanne proclaims a reading during Mass in St Peter’s Basilica. PHOTOS: COURTESY JOANNE BERGAMIN FROMPAGE 1 AFTER A private audience with Pope Francis in his mod- est residence last week, Joanne and husband Dominic are now preparing to return to a life in Australia and as she has before, is entrusting her future to the Lord. “I am truly most thankful for the gift of faith, even at a later age,” she beams. “I embraced the Catholic faith and it gave me a job, a husband and a home so I feel like I have a lot to give back. “It still brings a big smile to my face when I think of our love story and how God brought us together. “During my time here I’ve learnt that God has a plan for me, an amazing one and if the past few years are anything to go by I will just have to keep listening and see what’s next.” Joanne started her career in Brisbane, working in public relations for the mining and energy sector. However, her life took a twist when she decided to book a one-way ticket to Rome to learn Italian – a city she had remembered fondly from childhood family holidays. “At the age of 30 my parents thought I was crazy to leave a great job in Australia and fly half way around the world for the unknown but I really thought ‘it’s now or never,’” she says. “A greater force had a hand in it, gently encouraging me. “I booked a bed in a convent guesthouse down the street from the Pantheon for my first two months which looking back now is quite ironic as I wasn’t even Catholic then. “I’d saved enough to take a year off studying Italian but of course, I was bored within two months and landed a dream job with Prada on the island of Capri! “It was a fantastic way to build up my shoe and hand- bag collection although I’d only allowed myself five pairs of shoes when I moved, and that would never do if I wanted to lose my tourist look. “I then worked for a large winery based in Piedmont, at the foot of the Alps, as their Ex- port Manager, which involved me travelling all over Europe, the States and Canada with the Italian winery owner and all I had to do was translate for him so another dream job. “Then by chance I met someone who worked at the Pope’s newspaper, L’Osser- vatore Romano , who need- ed someone with my writing background and the rest is his- tory.” Her conversion to Catholi- cism wasn’t something she set out to do but, given her envi- ronment, she said it was almost Marriage made in ‘heaven’ Australian JoanneBergamin’s got a story like no other: travelling theworld, living in theVatican, entering theChurch andmeeting themanof her dreams impossible not to at least give some thought. “I found myself drawn to St Peter’s and all that beauty just grabbed hold of me,” she re- calls. “I began studying theolo- gy to keep up my student visa and remain in Italy and joined a Christian art class trip to Florence led by a Maltese friar and professor, Father Marius Zerafa. “He took us to the Museo di San Marco which is filled with frescoes by Fra Angelico and showed us the famed fresco of the Annunciation and spoke of Mary’s big ‘yes’ to God and at that moment I realised it was alsomy time. “I came back to Rome and completed the RCIA course as well as my theology studies. “Cardinal George Pell re- ceived me into the Church in St Peter’s Basilica, it was just beautiful.” It waswhile shewasworking on L’Osservatore Romano , that she found her husband - or rather he found her. A match made in heaven - or about as close to it as you can get. Traditionally aloof and rath- er publicity shy, she noticed one of the soldiers in the Re- naissance-inspired red, gold and blue gala uniforms smile each time she walked by to work. Responsible for the safety of the Pope and armed only with Rosaries - what they call their “most powerful weapon,” - Dominic left a marked impres- sion on her, which blossomed into a real Rome-mance. As all Swiss Guards come from religious Catholic fam- ilies, they tend to consider their service to the Holy Father a great honour rather than a for-profit profession, which Joanne knows first-hand. “When I would come through the gate to work every day, I would see Dom and of course he was very charming and very sweet,” she said. “He used to do lots of nice little things for me and I just thought, ‘Oh, he’s so nice’ not to mention tickets for papal events.” However, it wasn’t un- til Joanne beganworking as the first female non-Swiss secre- tary for the commander of the Swiss Guard that they actually got to know each other and en- joyed their first date. “And just like that, we came closer,” she said. “We had an old-style, text- book Catholic romance, like “I came back to Rome and completed the RCIA course as well as my theol- ogy studies. Cardinal Pell received me into the Church in St Peter’s Basilica, it was just beautiful.” Joanne Bergamin Pope Benedict XVI gives Joanne a personal blessing during his own reign as supreme pastor of the Church. Debbie Cramsie