The Catholic Studies Writing Fellows at Boston College Libraries program, consisting of more than 40 scholars from six countries, gathers remotely each month for a discussion of a pre-circulated work in progress. Each year, as a capstone to the discussions, the CHRI hosts interested fellows for a one-day, in-person workshop. For further information, please email at chri.libraries@bc.edu.
Current Fellows
Alyssa Maldonado-Estrada, Kalamazoo College
Brian Clites, Case Western Reserve University
Camilla Russell, Archivum Romanum Societatis Iesu
Catherine O'Donnell, Arizona State University
Claudio Ferlan, Fondazione Bruno Kessler
Daisy Vargas, Arizona University
Daniel Gustafson, SJ, Boston College
Darby Ratliff, Missouri Historical Society
David Roach, Campbellsville University
Ella Hadacek, University of Notre Dame
Elsa Mendoza, Middlebury College
Francisco Malta Romeiras, Universidade de Lisboa
Gabrielle Guillerm, Sorbonne Université
Jack Downey, University of Rochester
Jeff Wheatley, Iowa State University
Jim McCartin, Fordham University
Kate Dugan, Springfield College
Katie Holscher, University of New Mexico
Kathy Cummings, University of Notre Dame
Kyle Roberts, Congregational Library and Archives
Laura Masur, Catholic University of America
Lauren Tassone, Harvard University
Maria Mazzenga, Catholic University of America
Markus Friedrich, Universität Hamburg
Mary Dunn, St. Louis University
Mary Beth Connolly, Purdue University Northwest
Matthew Cressler, Independent Scholar
Max Pingeon, Sierra College
Mike Graziano, University of Northern Iowa
Mike Pasquier, Louisiana State University
Monica Mercado, Colgate University
Peter Cajka, University of Notre Dame
Phil Chivily, Baylor University
Piotr Kosicki, University of Maryland
Seth Meehan, Boston College
Stephen Koeth, C.S.C, University of Notre Dame
Steve Schloesser, SJ, Loyola University Chicago
Susanna De Stradis, Mississippi State University
Tim Dulle, Scranton University
Tim O'Brien, SJ, Boston College
Tricia Pyne, Associated Archives at St. Mary’s Seminary & University
Tom Rzeznik, Seton Hall University
Valentina Ciciliot, l'Università Ca' Foscari di Venezia
Fall 2026
Wednesday, September 18
Presenter: Maria Mazzenga, Catholic University of America
“Sacred Records: A History of Religious Archives in the United States”
Commentators: James O’Toole, Boston College; Kyle Roberts, Congregational Library and Archives
Guest: Thomas Lester, Catholic Religious Archives at Boston College
Wednesday, October 21
Presenter: Markus Friedrich, Universität Hamburg
“Modernizing Catholic Missions after World War I: Debates over non-Western ‘Sacred Art,’” in Navigating Modern Jesuit History: Local Contexts and Global Entanglements (forthcoming)
Commentators: Steve Schloesser, SJ, Loyola University Chicago; Susanna De Stradis, Mississippi State University
Guest: Simon Ditchfield, University of York
Wednesday, November 18
Presenter: Gabrielle Guillerm, Sorbonne Université
Book proposal/chapter
Commentators: TBA
Guest: TBA
Wednesday, December 16
Presenter: Katie Holscher, University of New Mexico
Work in progress
Commentators: TBA
Guest: TBA
Spring 2026
Thursday, January 29
Presenter: David Roach, Campbellsville University
“‘Purer and More Spiritual Doctrines:’ The Embrace of Romanticism by Southern Catholic Writers”
Commentators: Catherine O’Donnell, Arizona State University; Daniel Gustafson, SJ, Boston College
Guest: Michael Pasquier, Louisiana State University
Tuesday, February 17
Presenter: Ella Hadacek, University of Notre Dame
“‘So unpopular a Cross as Catholicity:’ The Costs of Conversion Under Coverture”
Commentators: Monica Mercado, Colgate University; Mary Beth Connolly, Purdue University Northwest
Guest: Kyle B. Roberts, Congregational Library & Archives
Thursday, March 19
Presenter: Tim Dulle, University of Scranton
“‘To Really See,’ Meeting Corita Kent”
Commentators: Tom Rzeznik, Seton Hall University; Monica Mercado, Colgate University
Guest: Mark Massa, SJ, Boston College
Tuesday, April 14
Presenter: Elsa Mendoza, Middlebury College
“Mothers, Parishioners, and Patrons: Slaveholding Women and the Growth of Jesuit Education”
Commentators: Katie Holscher, University of New Mexico; Markus Friedrich, University of Hamburg; Claudio Ferlan, Fondazione Bruno Kessler
Guest: Camilla Russell, Institutum Historicum Societatis Iesu
Fall 2025
Tuesday, September 30
Presenter: Seth Meehan, Boston College
Introductions; Introduction to the Catholic Historical Research Initiative at Boston College Libraries
Thursday, October 23
Presenter: Brian Clites, Case Western University
Surviving Soul Murder
Commentators: Catherine O’Donnell, Arizona State University; Kathy Cummings, University of Notre Dame
Guest: Jennifer Graber, University of Texas
Tuesday, November 18
Presenter: Matthew Cressler, Independent Scholar
Catholics and the Making of MAGA: How an Immigrant Church Became America’s Law and Order Faith (under contract with HarperCollins)
Commentators: Gabrielle Guillerm, Sorbonne Université; Kate Dugan, Springfield College
Guest: Charlie Gallagher, SJ, Boston College
Thursday, December 18
Presenter: Laura Masur, Catholic University of America
“‘Members of Jesus Christ’: The African foundations of manor house Catholicism”
Commentators: Tricia Pyne, Associated Archives at St. Mary’s Seminary & University; Elsa Mendoza, Middlebury College
Guest: Maura Jane Farrelly, Brandeis University