St. Bonaventure University will be hosting a conference June 19-22 entitled "Coming home and going forth: Merton as mirror and model," with the focus on the life of Catholic contemplative, poet and Trappist monk Thomas Merton.
The conference will celebrate the relationship between Bonaventure, located in St. Bonaventure, N.Y., and Merton in anticipation of Merton's 100th birthday in 2015.
Speakers at the conference include Franciscan Fr. Dan Horan, America magazine columnist; Christine Bochen, William H. Shannon Chair in Catholic Studies at Nazareth College; and Michael Higgins, professor of religious studies and vice president for mission and Catholic identity at Sacred Heart University.
"Merton's spiritual home was the Abbey of Gethsemani, the bells of which called him to pursue monastic life. We echo that call with this conference invitation to gather current and future Merton enthusiasts to continue to learn from and build upon the tremendous spiritual and intellectual gifts he gave the world," said conference coordinator Julianne Wallace in a press release, the director of faith formation, worship and ministry at St. Bonaventure.
To register or for more information, visit this website, and follow conference preparations and the latest news on Twitter.
