Drawing on our Jesuit, Catholic heritage, Boston College has been committed to the flourishing of the arts and humanities since its founding 1863. As the host of the next beloved gathering of the biennial Catholic Literary Imagination Conference, our keynotes and sessions will reflect that rich tradition — from highlighting our rich literary collections of British Catholic authors and deep ties to Irish letters, to engaging philosophical and theological reflection on the Catholic intellectual tradition’s relationship to the arts, this year’s biennial conference will explore the Catholic imagination with its “Here Comes Everybody” spirit — inclusive of the full range of Catholic experience and imagination rooted in the past and continuing to flourish today.
We're honored to welcome three extraordinary keynote speakers: novelist Alice McDermott, poet and biographer Paul Mariani, and novelist and critic Christopher Beha. The conference is organized by Mark Massa, S.J., Christian Dupont, and Mary Elliot, with generous support from the Office of the Provost; the Boisi Center for Religion and American Public Life; the Lonergan Institute; and the John J. Burns Library.
This conference will have a limited registration of 200 participants in order to encourage deeper conversation and community among participants. More information regarding registration, scholarships, and logistics will be available soon.