Against the Current: Father Tom Oddo and the New American Catholic

Annotated Chapter Overview Prologue Set on October 29, 1989, the Prologue recounts the fatal accident that claimed Tom Oddo's life and the immediate impact on the University of Portland community.

Part One: Hail Mary, Full of Grace Covers Tom's early life in Queens, his education at Notre Dame, and his spiritual formation in the wake of Vatican II. Traces his deepening commitment to social justice, his work with Dignity (a Catholic LGBTQ+ support group), and his evolving theology, culminating in his doctoral work that compares the priesthoods of Thomas Merton and Daniel Berrigan.

Part Two: The Bluff Focuses on Tom's transformative presidency at the University of Portland during the 1980s. From his innovative fundraising strategies and support for co-ed housing to the construction of the Chiles Center and Chapel of Christ the Teacher, Tom's leadership reshaped the campus. Highlights include his encounter with Ronald Reagan, activism on AIDS awareness, and a growing national profile.

Part Three: Camelot These chapters reflect on the cultural and moral climate of the 1980s and Tom's navigation of political and theological tensions, including apartheid divestment and rising tuition costs. His leadership drew comparisons to that of JFK, and his legacy was marked by both admiration and institutional challenges.

Part Four: This is Death The final section explores the aftermath of Tom's sudden death: the grief and memorials that followed, contested memories, and ongoing reflections on his life's work. The book closes with a first-ever conversation between the father and son involved in the accident that took Tom's life, underscoring the far-reaching impact of his loss.

--Tyler Bieber