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As part of the official opening of the 2023 synod, Pope Francis reminded those present that every encounter calls for openness and a willingness to let ourselves be challenged by the presence and stories of others. In response to this invitation, on Friday, October 20, 2023 and Saturday, October 21, 2023, the Boisi Center co-hosted a conference titled, The Art of Encounter: Catholic Writers from the Margins. The event was also sponsored by Boston College鈥檚 The Institute for the Liberal Arts, the Lonergan Institute, Burns Library, Irish Studies, as well as Fordham University鈥檚 Curran Center for American Catholic Studies. The conference offered various perspectives from Catholics who identify as existing on the margins of the Church and discussed ways to move forward to create a more inclusive community.听

The conference began on Friday evening with a keynote address from P谩draig 脫 Tuama, an acclaimed Irish poet and theologian and host of the well-known podcast, 鈥淧oetry Unbound.鈥� His talk, entitled 鈥淚 Pray God Rid Me of God,鈥� explored how his experiences growing up as a gay Catholic influenced his relationship with God and his theology. He shared painful stories about how priests tried to exorcize him as a teenager. 脫 Tuama responded by turning his rage about these experiences into art, reflecting that 鈥淚 made something from that which wanted to destroy me.鈥� 脫 Tuama explained how art and poetry can be devices that help us process and metabolize unjust pain, which provided a meaningful context for the remainder of the conference.听听

The conference continued on Saturday morning with an opening talk from Angela Alaimo O鈥橠onnell, the associate director of Fordham鈥檚 Curran Center and professor of literature at the university. Her talk was titled 鈥淭he Out-cast & the Dis-understood: Poetry & the Practice of Love.鈥� She read a number of her poems, many of which dealt with the complexities of her and her mother鈥檚 experiences with Catholicism. Recounting an experience of her mother鈥檚 marginalization in her parish because of her divorce, O鈥橠onnell emphasized the importance of resisting those who draw boundaries around Catholic belonging, and she identified Catholicism as a religion for all.听

Following O鈥橠onnell鈥檚 address, the conference transitioned to a poetry workshop, titled 鈥淭he Devil鈥檚 in the Details: Literature and Language as a Way to Salvation.鈥� 脫 Tuama, the workshop leader, shared his own poems that grappled with the idea that 鈥渢he devil is in thyself.鈥� The session invited attendees to confront and reflect on their inner lives and channel these discoveries into poetry. 脫 Tuama provided a series of prompts to inspire this activity, and the session culminated in attendees鈥� sharing lines of their creations.听

After the workshop and a shared meal, the conference moved into a panel discussion with R/B Mertz, a poet and teacher of writing at Sheridan College; Kim Garcia, a poet and creative writing professor at Boston College; and Allison Adair, a poet and creative writing professor of the practice at Boston College.听The panel, 鈥淚dentity and the Catholic Imagination,鈥� began with a presentation from Mertz and then Garcia and Adair engaged Mertz in a Q&A.听Mertz discussed their experiences growing up in a fundamentalist Catholic family, being听 homeschooled, and identifying as trans/non-binary. In light of this experience, they now advocate for people on the margins to reveal their true selves and join together to create a stronger coalition of support for marginalized Catholics. Mertz also encouraged attendees to look to people on the margins of gender expression within the Catholic tradition, such as Saint Joan of Arc. The panel was followed by a book signing, which allowed for further discussion between the presenters and attendees.听

The conference then transitioned to a keynote presentation by Alice McDermott. McDermott was the Richard A. Macksey Professor of the Humanities at Johns Hopkins University prior to her retirement in 2019. Her novel, Charming Billy, received the National Book Award for fiction, and her other works have been finalists for the Pulitzer Prize, the National Book Award, and the PEN/Faulkner Award. Her keynote address, entitled 鈥淧ardon and Peace: Encountering Absolution,鈥� discussed the themes of her recently published book, Absolution. She explained how literature can serve as a way to encounter experiences other than our own and discussed the importance of pardon and peace in the journey toward true absolution. Her comments were a powerful and insightful conclusion to the speaking sessions of the conference, helping to show how literature can enrich the texture of our relationships.听The conference concluded with Mass in St. Mary鈥檚 Chapel presided by Mark Massa, S.J. The Mass was a meaningful way to wrap up the gathering, as it allowed the attendees to come together and pray for one another as well for those who feel on the margins of the church. It also featured the music of pioneering Black priest and liturgist, Reverend Clarence Joseph Rivers. The service reflected the conference鈥檚 overall aim to offer hope, promote encounter, and embody Pope Francis鈥� call to 鈥渨iden the tent鈥� and create a more inclusive church.