By Justin Roberts
News Editor, ‘10

In a small ceremony on Friday, March 27, poet Ned O’Gorman presented Fr. Michael Braden, S.J. with two feathers taken from peacocks owned by Flannery O’Connor. The event, organized by Dr. Anna Brown, was followed by a lecture and a brief recitation of several poems by Mr. O’Gorman.
“I had originally tried to sell the feathers on EBay, but no was willing to buy them,”  O’Gorman said,  “Then I realized I could give them to Anna (Dr. Brown).”
O’Gorman, born in 1929, has written six books of poetry, taught at Brooklyn College, the New School and Manhattan College and is the recipient of two Guggenheim fellowships and a Rothko Chapel Award for Commitment to Truth and Freedom.  He counts among his friends many major authors, including Miss O’Connor, Fr. Dan Berrigan and Julian Green.
“O’Connor was great because she never flinched from the ugly side of life.  Her writing was completely dark.  But light follows the dark, meaning that the dark has light in it.  That’s how she was able to stare into the abyss without surrendering hope,” O’Gorman said.
O’Gorman also discussed his literary career and Catholic faith, paying particular attention to his experience writing for the Catholic magazine Jubilee.  “We had an amazing amount of freedom.  I would write articles about abortion, birth control, anything,” remembered O’Gorman.
When asked if another magazine of Jubilee’s quality, his answer was blunt. “No.  Back then we had enthusiasm.  I worked for $35 an article in the ‘60s but it did not matter.  We had the freedom to do whatever we wanted.  Back then, questions of the clergy marrying or how best to worship God were still on the table.  I saw no contradiction in being a gay man and a devout Catholic.  Today, though, the Church has closed itself off.”
While showing no hesitation to criticize the Church, O’Gorman had no doubt about his faith.  “I say my prayers every day.  I have no problem reciting the Creed.  I really do not understand people who do.”
The students in attendance were captivated by O’Gorman’s reminiscence.  “Its almost hard to understand what he was saying, “ Jonathan Carrillo, a senior political science major said.  “The speaker was clearly from a different era where political correctness took a backseat to intellectual quality.”
Dr. Brown added, “O’ Gorman is a brilliant mind.  During his lecture, he mentioned a number of books and authors off the top of his head.  I know a lot of the students did not get his references, but I hope this will serve as the introduction to a new way of thinking for them.”
Anyone interested in seeing the peacock feathers can go the King-Kairos Social Justice House at 125 Glenwood Avenue.  “We have one more piece of history at Saint Peter’s,” Dr. Brown said.  “Hopefully, more events like this can reinvigorate the intellectual life of our student body.”