The Center for Law and the Human Person at Catholic Law recently hosted its final Tolle et Lege lecture of the year, featuring Professor Mary Graw Leary as the keynote speaker. Professor Elizabeth Kirk, co-director of the Center, opened the event by reflecting on the transformative power of text, drawing inspiration from St. Augustine’s conversion and the works of Flannery O’Connor. Kirk highlighted O’Connor’s unique perspective on the human body as both a site of suffering and revelation, a theme that aligns with the challenges faced by those who advocate for the vulnerable. This set the stage for Professor Graw Leary’s lecture, which explored the connections between O’Connor’s use of violence in her stories and the role of the law in addressing injustice.

In her talk, Professor Graw Leary shared insights from her career as a federal prosecutor and connected them to O’Connor’s writing. She discussed how O’Connor’s works often reflect the failures of the legal system to protect the marginalized and how these stories can inspire lawyers to approach their work with greater purpose. Using O’Connor’s story The Partridge Festival as an example, she illustrated how the author used real-life events to highlight systemic issues and provoke reflection. Graw Leary encouraged lawyers to see their profession as a vocation, emphasizing the importance of persistence, integrity, and a commitment to justice, even in the face of resistance or indifference.

A recording of the event can be seen below.