Peter Maurin ConferenceSeptember 6-8, 2024
St. Gregory the Great Church Mary, Mother of God Parish, Chicago, IL How can we transcend the pull toward polarization in both our Church and our culture in order to recreate the social order with "a philosophy so old that it looks like new"? |
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The Peter Maurin Conference explored the life and vision of Peter Maurin, co-founder of the Catholic Worker movement. Maurin's pithy "Easy Essays" have been a staple of The Catholic Worker newspaper from its inception. His essays promoted philosophical personalism and economic distributism and a program of renewal based on Catholic Social Tradition. Maurin's program called Catholics to commit to houses of hospitality, voluntary poverty, the works of mercy, agrarianism, and public roundtable discussions.
The conference featured keynote addresses and roundtable discussions on key topics of Maurin's thought and ask how Peter's program can inspire us to "blow the dynamite" of the Gospel to create a world in which it is easier to be good. Please email Mark Franzen with any questions.
The conference featured keynote addresses and roundtable discussions on key topics of Maurin's thought and ask how Peter's program can inspire us to "blow the dynamite" of the Gospel to create a world in which it is easier to be good. Please email Mark Franzen with any questions.
Hosted by Canterbury House and St. Gregory's Hall at Mary, Mother of God Parish in cooperation with the Hank Center for the Catholic Intellectual Heritage at Loyola University Chicago and the Department of Catholic Studies at DePaul University.
This conference was made possible by a grant from the Helen Brach Foundation.
This conference was made possible by a grant from the Helen Brach Foundation.
VIDEOS
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Keynote address by Jon Sozek (Albertus Magnus College) on "Personalism on the Streets: Maurin and Emmanuel Mounier." The talk traces the origins of personalism as an intellectual movement in 20th century France, and connects its various iterations and influences on Maurin and other Catholic figures. The speaker was introduced by Fr. Paddy Gilger, SJ (Loyola University Chicago).
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Keynote address by Lincoln Rice (Casa Maria Catholic Worker) on "Peter Maurin: Systematic Agitator." The talk analyzes the first three years of Peter Maurin's "Easy Essays" published in the Catholic Worker Newspaper, and draws out the coherent vision for the renewal of society amid the various crises of the age. Rice was introduced by William Cavanaugh (DePaul University).
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A panel presentation by Stefan Gigacz (Australian Cardijn Institute) on "Peter Maurin, le Sillon, Cardijn, and the Young Christian Workers." The presentation explores Catholic social action movements that influenced Peter Maurin early in his life.
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A panel presentation by Alex Palma (LaSallian District of Eastern North America) on "A Radical Vocation: Peter Maurin and the De La Salle Christian Brothers." The talk describes Peter Maurin's time as a Christian Brother early in his life, and considers the influences of the La Sallian charism on his work in the Catholic Worker movement.
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OTHER PRESENTATIONS AT THE CONFERENCE
Nicolai Berdyaev and Jacques Maritain: A Friendship Guiding the ‘Third Way’ of Personalism Against Sovereignty
Spencer Hess (John Paul II Catholic Worker Farm, Kansas City)
Martin Tomszak (Valparaiso University)
“Strikes Don’t Strike Me”: In Search of a Personalist Resistance
Jeromiah Taylor (Vulnera Christi Catholic Worker, Wichita)
Brian Terrell (Strangers and Guests Catholic Worker Farm, Iowa)
Peter Maurin’s World and Adjacent Social Movements
Nicholas Groves
Harry Murray (Nazareth College)
“Lady Poverty is a beautiful girl”: Practicing Poverty and Precarity
Dawn McCarty (Casa Juan Diego, Houston)
Abigail Rampone (Fireplace Community, Chicago)
Peter Maurin and the Third Way: Putting Ideas into Action
Geoffrey Gneuhs (Former Chaplain, New York Catholic Worker)
Laurie Johnson (The Maurin Academy)
Spencer Hess (John Paul II Catholic Worker Farm, Kansas City)
Martin Tomszak (Valparaiso University)
“Strikes Don’t Strike Me”: In Search of a Personalist Resistance
Jeromiah Taylor (Vulnera Christi Catholic Worker, Wichita)
Brian Terrell (Strangers and Guests Catholic Worker Farm, Iowa)
Peter Maurin’s World and Adjacent Social Movements
Nicholas Groves
Harry Murray (Nazareth College)
“Lady Poverty is a beautiful girl”: Practicing Poverty and Precarity
Dawn McCarty (Casa Juan Diego, Houston)
Abigail Rampone (Fireplace Community, Chicago)
Peter Maurin and the Third Way: Putting Ideas into Action
Geoffrey Gneuhs (Former Chaplain, New York Catholic Worker)
Laurie Johnson (The Maurin Academy)
