ITMS 18TH General Meeting
June 22 - 25, 2023
St. Mary's College, Notre Dame, IN
“Now the Wisdom of God, Sophia, comes forth, reaching
from ‘end to end mightily’.”
Thomas Merton, Hagia Sophia
In his poem Hagia Sophia and other writings, Thomas Merton wrote of divine wisdom, often personified as Sophia. Representing both the Holy Spirit and the mystical idea of divine wisdom, the figure of Sophia played an important role in Thomas Merton’s spirituality and writing. This mystical image represents the divine in active terms, reaching into our souls and challenging us to new ways of living, of loving our neighbors, of standing for justice. Moreover, in Sophia Merton recognized an experience of God rendered in a feminine face. The significance of the divine feminine in Merton’s life and work connects aptly to the location of our gathering in 2023. Saint Mary’s College, a Catholic women’s liberal arts college, has long been a pioneering institution in women’s higher education, and intersected with Merton’s life in important ways. Merton corresponded with members of the Saint Mary’s community, including then-President Sr. Madeleva Wolff, and it was Saint Mary’s that first published Merton’s 1948 book What is Contemplation? More generally, Merton was shaped in important ways by women in his life — from his mother to the Baronness Catherine de Hueck Doherty to his longtime literary agent Naomi Burton Stone — and through his writings and correspondence engaged in extensive dialogue with women writers.
| Conference Highlights |  Registration Information |
Conference Timetable | Student Scholarships |
| Maria Clara Bingemer | Simone Campbell | Sophia Park | Shannen Dee Williams |
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| Women Who Helped Us Know Merton | ||||
| Christine M. Bochen | Kathleen Deignan | Lynn Szabo | Bonnie Thurston | Monica Weis |
| Moderated by Emma McDonald | ||||
| Presidential Address: Christopher Pramuk |
Opening Sessions:
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First-Timers' Session |
Merton Scholarship | Emerging Scholars |
| David Golemboski / Patrick F. O'Connell / Paul M. Pearson | Laurin Ernst / Oliver Mesmer / Ethan Strouse |
Concurrent Sessions:
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Humanity and the Human Condition |
Merton at the Redwoods |
Merton’s Prophetic Monasticism |
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Literary Explorations |
Merton and Flannery O'Connor |
"Hagia Sophia" and the Spiritual Journey |
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Merton's Influence on His Readers |
Merton, Drugs, and Counterculture |
Merton, Poetry, and Photography |
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Self-Discovery, Sanctity, and Mystical Mutuality |
Healing Divisions |
The Contemplative Lens |
Details of Concurrent Sessions
Workshops, Guided Prayer & Special Presentations:
| Paul Quenon & Judith Valente | Paul Pynkoski | Bernice Marie-Daly |
| Jeff Kiernan | Doug Hertler | Vincent Pizzuto |
| Brian Harnetty | Robert Ellsberg | Jennifer Trently |
| William McNichols, John Dadosky, & Christopher Pramuk | Zvony Nagy | Carol Lenox |
| Paul Dekar | Robert Hesse |
Details of Concurrent Sessions
Morning Prayer:
| Paul Dekar Praying in the Way of the Madonna House Apostolate |
Robert Hesse Centering Prayer's Healing Effects: Interfaith Prayer Practicum, Medical Research, and Resulting Ministries |
Registration Fees: (including conference registration and meals)
ITMS Member - $265.00 ($315 after April 15)
Non-Member - $315.00 - ($365 after April 15) (Join the ITMS)
Student/Returning Daggy Scholar - $135.00
ITMS Single Day Registration - $110.00
Click Here to Register
A mail-in registration form may be requested by contacting itms2023@merton.org, or the Thomas Merton Center at 502-272-8177.
The Daggy Scholarship program provides generous scholarships for younger/student registrants applying for the first time. Additionally, a limited number of partial scholarships are available on a first-come, first-serve basis for general applicants with financial need. Contact the conference Program Chair at itms2023@merton.org to inquire about availability.
Housing:
On-campus housing: (Booked through the Registration link)
On-campus housing for conference participants will be available in two Saint Mary’s residence halls.
Le Mans Hall offers dormitory-style rooms with community bathrooms. Registrants may request a single room or can request a roommate if desired. Opens Thursday, June 22 at 3pm and closes Sunday, June 25 at 3pm. Costs are as follows:
1 night: $78 | 2 nights: $128 | 3 nights: $178 (prices are per person)
Opus Hall offers apartment-style accommodations, each including 2-4 bedrooms and 1-2 bathrooms, along with kitchen space (including fridge and microwave, but not pots/pans, plates, utensils, etc.). Opens Wednesday, June 22 at 3pm and closes Sunday, June 25 at 3pm. Costs are as follows:
1 night: $96 | 2 nights: $146 | 3 nights: $196 | 4 nights: $246 (prices are per person)
Both residence halls are air-conditioned, and cost includes 1 set of linens (1 pillow, 1 pillow case, 2 sheets, 1 blanket, 1 bath towel, 1 hand towel, and 1 trash bag).
Hotel Accommodation: (Booked directly with hotel)
Additionally, there are two hotels located on the Saint Mary’s College campus. A discounted rate of $164/night plus tax is available through May 20, 2023 (or as long as rooms remain available), but must be booked through the hotels directly. Any individual room cancellations within 72 hours from the date of arrival will be billed for one (1) night's room and tax.
Contact the hotels directly to book a room:
The Inn at Saint Mary's (Group Code: SMC Strategic Office)
53993 Indiana St. Route 933
South Bend, IN 46637
574-323-2184 or 574-232-4000
reservations@innatsaintmarys.com
The Hilton Garden Inn South Bend (Group Code: SMC Strategic Office)
53995 Indiana St. Route 933
South Bend, IN 46637
574-232-7700
Saint Mary’s College is located in South Bend, Indiana. Located in northern Indiana, South Bend is served by the South Bend International Airport (airport code: SBN) as well as Amtrak passenger rail, and is accessible to a number of major metropolitan areas within a few hours by car.
For more detailed guidance on travel to the Saint Mary’s Campus, visit the following website: https://www.saintmarys.edu/admission-aid/visit-campus/maps-directions
ITMS Daggy Scholarships
Daggy Youth/Student Scholarships enable young seekers and emerging scholars to participate in an International Thomas Merton Society Conference by covering the costs of registration, meals and accommodation. For further information about Daggy Scholarships and an application form go to the Daggy Scholarship Web Page.
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Program Committee:
Daniel Horan, O.F.M., Notre Dame, IN (Site Coordinator) Jessica Coblentz, Notre Dame, IN Emma McDonald, Towson, MD Mark Meade, Jeffersonville, IN David Orberson, New Albany, IN Christopher Pramuk, Denver, CO Kathleen Tarr, Anchorage, AK Judith Valente, Normal, IL Monica Weis, S.S.J., Rochester, NY |