Why Rome?

[Dusty52]

Why spend 100 million plus on a building in a predominantly Catholic country where only 0.04% of the population are mormon? there are approximately only 27,000 members, the church has been in that country for 169 years, its not working is it?
Flogging a dead horse comes to mind
They are not interested!
87% of the population classify themselves Catholic (Population of Italy 60.59 million)
It's a no brainer!

[Robin Hood]

... and your point is?

[LukeAir2008]

Why spend 100 million plus on a building in a predominantly Catholic country where only 0.04% of the population are mormon? there are approximately only 27,000 members, the church has been in that country for 169 years, its not working is it?
Flogging a dead horse comes to mind
They are not interested!
87% of the population classify themselves Catholic (Population of Italy 60.59 million)
It's a no brainer!

Look on the brightside, if things don’t work out all they have to do is move Christ and the Twelve Apostles inside the Temple and they can sell it to the Catholics to use as a Cathedral!

[jsk]

What percentage of the population was LDS when the Nauvoo Temple or the SLC Temple was built? I bet many of the members in Italy are extremely faithful because of their small numbers. Why do they not deserve a temple? And how do you know that building a temple there won't lead to a substantial increase in membership? My sister-in-law served her Mission in Italy, and she always speaks highly of the members she encounters as well as the people in general.

[eddie]

That’s a feeling all Church members can share, said Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

“Now they have this exquisite, beautiful, magnificent temple that will be a destination temple, not just for the Italian Saints but European Saints,” he said. “Saints throughout the world are going to come to the Rome Italy Temple.”

[Sunain]

Why spend 100 million plus on a building in a predominantly Catholic country where only 0.04% of the population are mormon? there are approximately only 27,000 members, the church has been in that country for 169 years, its not working is it?
Flogging a dead horse comes to mind
They are not interested!
87% of the population classify themselves Catholic (Population of Italy 60.59 million)
It's a no brainer!

Most of mainland Europe can get to Rome relatively easily, so it will serve more than just the Saints in Italy.

The church has also transitioned back to building larger temples again. The recently dedicated Payson Utah Temple for instance, is over 2x the size of this new Rome Temple.

Payson Utah Temple Total Floor Area: 96,630 square feet
Rome Italy Temple Total Floor Area: 41,010 square feet

[Robin Hood]

Most of mainland Europe can get to Rome relatively easily

Not really.

[cyclOps]

Why spend 100 million plus on a building in a predominantly Catholic country where only 0.04% of the population are mormon? there are approximately only 27,000 members, the church has been in that country for 169 years, its not working is it?
Flogging a dead horse comes to mind
They are not interested!
87% of the population classify themselves Catholic (Population of Italy 60.59 million)
It's a no brainer!

Yes Dusty, with you, flogging a dead horse does come to mind.

[oneClimbs]

Where there is no vision, the people perish.

I think it is kind of funny how we say, “Oh so they made this or that change now? I thought we were supposed to have prophets so why didn’t they do that a long time ago?”

Then when something is done today we hear, “It doesn’t make any sense why they did this now, there doesn’t seem to be a need for it.”

LOL, oh us people, we never learn.

[Robin Hood]

Why spend 100 million plus on a building in a predominantly Catholic country where only 0.04% of the population are mormon? there are approximately only 27,000 members, the church has been in that country for 169 years, its not working is it?
Flogging a dead horse comes to mind
They are not interested!
87% of the population classify themselves Catholic (Population of Italy 60.59 million)
It's a no brainer!

Yes Dusty, with you, flogging a dead horse does come to mind.

This is so short-sighted.
Just because this generation of Italians don't appear to be interested in the restored gospel, who's to say that a future one won't?

[Lexew1899]

I wonder if staffing the temple will be an issue. 26,000 people in the country is pretty low. Consider probably only 1/2 are active. Another 1/4 are children. If the wife has children under 18, she can't serve. This seems to dwindle the amount of temple workers down substantially. Anybody have insight to how a smaller temple like this would be staffed with enough workers? Will it be open for very limited times of the week?

[EmmaLee]

I wonder if staffing the temple will be an issue. 26,000 people in the country is pretty low. Consider probably only 1/2 are active. Another 1/4 are children. If the wife has children under 18, she can't serve. This seems to dwindle the amount of temple workers down substantially. Anybody have insight to how a smaller temple like this would be staffed with enough workers? Will it be open for very limited times of the week?

According to this letter (below) from the First Presidency, mothers with minor children can now serve as ordinance workers in temples, FWIW.

I had the same thoughts about staffing the Rome temple (and all other temples where there are so few members). I know here in the Midwestern U.S. (where there are far more members than in Italy), we have to make appointments/reservations to do temple work, so the workers will know how many staff they will need for any given session, etc. You can't just show up at a temple and attend a session, in other words. And yes, the temples around here are closed for most of the day during the week. Our 'assigned' temple is Winter Quarters in Omaha, and we live 2 1/2 hours away (assuming the roads aren't ice, then it's a 3 1/2+ hour drive) - and several of our friends are workers in that temple and drive out to serve on Saturday's. They have to leave here Friday, spend the night in a motel (at their expense, of course), serve on Saturday, then drive back late Saturday night. They all do this 2-4 weekends every month, which incurs a fair amount of cost between motels, food, and gas money. Other members from other areas in our temple district do the same, as there is no way the temple could be fully staffed and functional just with the members in the Omaha area. I imagine it will be the same for the Rome temple (and all other temples outside the MorCor).

https://www.lds.org/letters?clang=eng&i ... nline=true

Date: March 1, 2019
To: General Authorities; General Auxiliary
Presidencies; Area Seventies; Temple, Stake,
Mission, and District Presidents; Bishops and
Branch Presidents
From: Temple Department (1-801-240-3801)
Subject: Temple Policy Adjustments

The First Presidency has approved adjustments to the following temple related policies. These modifications are to simplify service in the temple and better
meet the needs of members and leaders and are effective immediately.
• Mothers with dependent children and brethren serving in certain callings may
now serve as ordinance workers. Members should review their circumstances
and avoid placing undue burdens on themselves or their families as they
consider these service opportunities.
• There will no longer be a veil worker calling. Accordingly, brethren who were
previously designated to serve solely as veil workers will be released by the
temple presidency. As their circumstances allow, these brethren may be called
and set apart as ordinance workers and given a special assignment to serve at
the veil.
• Cell phones and other electronic devices may be used in the temple office for
printing Family Ordinance Requests and family name cards. Otherwise, cell
phones and other electronic devices should be turned off and placed in a locker
while workers and patrons are in the temple.

These adjustments will provide greater opportunities for members to receive
the blessings of temple service, both as workers and as patrons.

[Robin Hood]

I wonder if staffing the temple will be an issue. 26,000 people in the country is pretty low. Consider probably only 1/2 are active More like 1/3. Another 1/4 are children. If the wife has children under 18, she can't serve This policy changed recently. This seems to dwindle the amount of temple workers down substantially. Anybody have insight to how a smaller temple like this would be staffed with enough workers? Retired couples from elsewhere Will it be open for very limited times of the week?

[Dusty52]

Why spend 100 million plus on a building in a predominantly Catholic country where only 0.04% of the population are mormon? there are approximately only 27,000 members, the church has been in that country for 169 years, its not working is it?
Flogging a dead horse comes to mind
They are not interested!
87% of the population classify themselves Catholic (Population of Italy 60.59 million)
It's a no brainer!

Yes Dusty, with you, flogging a dead horse does come to mind.

This is so short-sighted.
Just because this generation of Italians don't appear to be interested in the restored gospel, who's to say that a future one won't?

169 years says they won't!!

[oneClimbs]

Why spend 100 million plus on a building in a predominantly Catholic country where only 0.04% of the population are mormon? there are approximately only 27,000 members, the church has been in that country for 169 years, its not working is it?
Flogging a dead horse comes to mind
They are not interested!
87% of the population classify themselves Catholic (Population of Italy 60.59 million)
It's a no brainer!

Yes Dusty, with you, flogging a dead horse does come to mind.

This is so short-sighted.
Just because this generation of Italians don't appear to be interested in the restored gospel, who's to say that a future one won't?

169 years says they won't!!

“Now do ye remember, my brethren, that we said unto our brethren in the land of Zarahemla, we go up to the land of Nephi, to preach unto our brethren, the Lamanites, and they laughed us to scorn? For they said unto us: Do ye suppose that ye can bring the Lamanites to the knowledge of the truth? Do ye suppose that ye can convince the Lamanites of the incorrectness of the traditions of their fathers, as stiffnecked a people as they are;”

Alma 26:23-24

[cyclOps]

Why spend 100 million plus on a building in a predominantly Catholic country where only 0.04% of the population are mormon? there are approximately only 27,000 members, the church has been in that country for 169 years, its not working is it?
Flogging a dead horse comes to mind
They are not interested!
87% of the population classify themselves Catholic (Population of Italy 60.59 million)
It's a no brainer!

Yes Dusty, with you, flogging a dead horse does come to mind.

This is so short-sighted.
Just because this generation of Italians don't appear to be interested in the restored gospel, who's to say that a future one won't?

Are you replying to me or Dusty?

[abijah]

only 27,000 members

27,000 souls who could use the blessings and powers of heaven offered by the House of the Lord. Trust me, the Church won’t go bankrupt over offering the ordinances of salvation to these families & individuals.

Not to mention the symbolic significance of building a beautiful House in Rome of all places. Imagine how the early Church leaders would react!

[inho]

I wonder if staffing the temple will be an issue. 26,000 people in the country is pretty low. Consider probably only 1/2 are active. Another 1/4 are children. If the wife has children under 18, she can't serve. This seems to dwindle the amount of temple workers down substantially. Anybody have insight to how a smaller temple like this would be staffed with enough workers? Will it be open for very limited times of the week?

26000 is not low. Finland has less than 5000 members, yet they have a temple. Although people from Russia and from parts of the Baltic countries come there too. Sweden has something like 9000 members and they have a temple. I guess it serves Norwegian saints too (or do they go to Denmark?), but still that is not even close to 26000.

[EmmaLee]

I wonder if staffing the temple will be an issue. 26,000 people in the country is pretty low. Consider probably only 1/2 are active. Another 1/4 are children. If the wife has children under 18, she can't serve. This seems to dwindle the amount of temple workers down substantially. Anybody have insight to how a smaller temple like this would be staffed with enough workers? Will it be open for very limited times of the week?

26000 is not low. Finland has less than 5000 members, yet they have a temple. Although people from Russia and from parts of the Baltic countries come there too. Sweden has something like 9000 members and they have a temple. I guess it serves Norwegian saints too (or do they go to Denmark?), but still that is not even close to 26000.

Interesting. Where I live, in Iowa, we have 30,000 members, yet we do not have a temple in our state. I wonder if the temples in the countries you mention have a hard time staffing them? Or maybe they're just closed and sitting there empty most of the time.

[harakim]

There are some ideas of why they would do it:
1) Inspiration
2) For the members of the area
3) The whore of the earth is based in Rome
4) Destination Temples and/or PR

I think probably all of these things played into it.
1) Obviously, they would say this
2) I have heard members from foreign areas say they were promised a temple if they got X number of full tithe payers in their area. Imagine if you were promised that, hit that goal and then they didn't build.
3) It's like: "Hey, we are a major player too." And since their relationship with the Catholic Church is pretty cozy right now, they don't want to miss this chance (like Paris.) Also, with all the sex scandals, they may be positioned to take in a bunch of disaffected Catholics. Maybe they will even somehow get in with the Gads there.
4) I can pretty much guarantee this thinking went into it, based on what I know of the temple process. It's like how friends of the prophet end up in the top missions, now they have another destination to send faithful members where they can become more cultured.

[Lexew1899]

I wonder if staffing the temple will be an issue. 26,000 people in the country is pretty low. Consider probably only 1/2 are active. Another 1/4 are children. If the wife has children under 18, she can't serve. This seems to dwindle the amount of temple workers down substantially. Anybody have insight to how a smaller temple like this would be staffed with enough workers? Will it be open for very limited times of the week?

According to this letter (below) from the First Presidency, mothers with minor children can now serve as ordinance workers in temples, FWIW.

I had the same thoughts about staffing the Rome temple (and all other temples where there are so few members). I know here in the Midwestern U.S. (where there are far more members than in Italy), we have to make appointments/reservations to do temple work, so the workers will know how many staff they will need for any given session, etc. You can't just show up at a temple and attend a session, in other words. And yes, the temples around here are closed for most of the day during the week. Our 'assigned' temple is Winter Quarters in Omaha, and we live 2 1/2 hours away (assuming the roads aren't ice, then it's a 3 1/2+ hour drive) - and several of our friends are workers in that temple and drive out to serve on Saturday's. They have to leave here Friday, spend the night in a motel (at their expense, of course), serve on Saturday, then drive back late Saturday night. They all do this 2-4 weekends every month, which incurs a fair amount of cost between motels, food, and gas money. Other members from other areas in our temple district do the same, as there is no way the temple could be fully staffed and functional just with the members in the Omaha area. I imagine it will be the same for the Rome temple (and all other temples outside the MorCor).

https://www.lds.org/letters?clang=eng&i ... nline=true

Date: March 1, 2019
To: General Authorities; General Auxiliary
Presidencies; Area Seventies; Temple, Stake,
Mission, and District Presidents; Bishops and
Branch Presidents
From: Temple Department (1-801-240-3801)
Subject: Temple Policy Adjustments

The First Presidency has approved adjustments to the following temple related policies. These modifications are to simplify service in the temple and better
meet the needs of members and leaders and are effective immediately.
• Mothers with dependent children and brethren serving in certain callings may
now serve as ordinance workers. Members should review their circumstances
and avoid placing undue burdens on themselves or their families as they
consider these service opportunities.
• There will no longer be a veil worker calling. Accordingly, brethren who were
previously designated to serve solely as veil workers will be released by the
temple presidency. As their circumstances allow, these brethren may be called
and set apart as ordinance workers and given a special assignment to serve at
the veil.
• Cell phones and other electronic devices may be used in the temple office for
printing Family Ordinance Requests and family name cards. Otherwise, cell
phones and other electronic devices should be turned off and placed in a locker
while workers and patrons are in the temple.

These adjustments will provide greater opportunities for members to receive
the blessings of temple service, both as workers and as patrons.

Wow, I didn't know they changed that rule for Mothers. I thought it was kind of odd where Fathers could serve, with children under 18, but not their wives.

[Tbone]

There are some ideas of why they would do it:
1) Inspiration
2) For the members of the area

A couple of years ago I was speaking with a woman who used to work as a maid at a church leader's residence in Italy. This leader was part of the team trying to get the Rome temple built. At the time the woman was completely inactive, but she witnessed this man and a group of other leaders praying in a circle for inspiration on how to get the project moving forward. She told me the spirit was so powerful and strong from that prayer that she ended up becoming active once again. I can't remember if her husband was also inactive or a non-member at the time, but either way he became a strong, active member, and their son as of two years ago was preparing to serve a mission.

Personally, I don't understand all the hoopla over this temple compared to any other, but I do know based on what this woman told me and despite what some on this forum say, that the Lord wanted this temple built and that it is a wonderful thing for members in Italy such is this good woman and her family.

[Dusty52]

Why spend 100 million plus on a building in a predominantly Catholic country where only 0.04% of the population are mormon? there are approximately only 27,000 members, the church has been in that country for 169 years, its not working is it?
Flogging a dead horse comes to mind
They are not interested!
87% of the population classify themselves Catholic (Population of Italy 60.59 million)
It's a no brainer!

Yes Dusty, with you, flogging a dead horse does come to mind.

This is so short-sighted.
Just because this generation of Italians don't appear to be interested in the restored gospel, who's to say that a future one won't?

Are you replying to me or Dusty?

[Sunain]

Most of mainland Europe can get to Rome relatively easily

Not really.

A friend of mine from Sweden went to the open house, was a full day's drive. Us Canadians are used to also driving farther distances too. People in the UK have no sense of day driving distances. Members in Winnipeg had to travel to Toronto for a temple if they wish to stay in Canada, which is nearly the same distance as Sweden to Rome.

edit: past tense

[Zathura]

I mean, I don't see why someone would have a complaint about a temple in Rome. I do understand why someone would ask why there are SEVENTEEN in Utah though.