Gianluca Avanzato, MDiv ’24

“I came to Harvard Divinity School trusting that this path would lead me to greater alignment with what I am here to do, and that is, in part, helping people connect to themselves, to their communities, to each other, and to their understanding of the universe or the sacred or God through writing.”

Gianluca Avanzato (he/him/his) is a writer, poet, and polyglot from Upstate New York. At HDS, he is exploring the intersections of writing, healing, and storytelling. Gianluca values the vibrancy of the Roman Catholic tradition and strives for renewal in the Church. He is the producer and host of Interfaith Passages, a podcast dedicated to the way words and stories impact our spiritual and ethical lives.

Connecting with the Universe

I am Italian-American from Oneonta, New York. I was raised Roman Catholic, but my connection to that tradition didn’t resonate much with me while growing up. What I was really interested in was connecting with the universe. A lot of that came through being with the land in upstate New York, being around trees, and interacting with other people. 

I eventually began to take my interest in religion seriously and decided to study it in college. I went to Bahá’í Fireside meetings and local Hindu temples. I sat and meditated with Buddhists. These experiences drew me to learn more about religious traditions experientially and academically. 

My Spiritual Process in Finding Self 

Fellowships and scholarships have changed the trajectory of my life by exposing me to opportunities I never knew existed, having grown up in a small rural community. I have applied to several fellowships and scholarships and no matter whether I have been accepted or not, the process of applying has been rewarding and spiritual. Applying requires you to look inward and to find ways to express your volition and explain who you are and what you’re seeking. 

Through Interfaith Youth Core (now known as Interfaith America), I won an Interfaith Leadership Fund grant for a podcast project that combines my love of literature, spirituality, and religion. My goal for the podcast has been to create a contemplative, meditative experience where you listen to a person speak about their life as oriented around a poem, story, or quote, with me guiding the listener through the experience. I won a second grant through them and have the support to continue with the podcast. 

The Russell Berrie Fellowship came at a very interesting moment. I moved to Arizona after I had come back from my Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship in Berlin. I was a little aimless, so I went to Arizona to live in the desert for a while. I didn’t have much to tether me, so I decided to take a chance and apply for the Russell Berrie Fellowship to study interreligious dialogue in Rome, and I won it.

I managed to get a visa during COVID and moved to Rome. I quarantined for two weeks in an apartment alone and my landlady brought me groceries. It was an interesting beginning to an experience that was isolating, and really rewarding. In Rome at the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas, I studied interreligious dialogue and ecumenism. We looked at Islam, Judaism, and different kinds of Christianity. It was a hybrid program since not everyone was able to make it to Rome. I was one of the lucky ones, and I spent much of my time walking around this city that was largely empty, relatively speaking. It was a special experience. 

While in Rome I was in community with Catholic laypeople, with priests, and with religious women from around the world. I lived near the Vatican and walked by Saint Peter’s Square every day. When something would happen related to Catholicism, or something that the Vatican had taken a stance on that I didn’t agree with, passing by St. Peters filled me with a rage that I did not know I had. 

Similarly, when I would pass through sacred places or have a profound revelation about my relationship to the Catholic tradition, I was filled with newfound reverence. I felt like I was stepping into a spiritual home that I had been seeking. This experience in the heart of Rome helped me expand my perception of Catholicism and offered me greater nuance into the tradition, a greater appreciation. And it also angered me even more deeply. I began to ask myself: How can I be in this tradition and embody it without it being limiting, but instead expansive? 

Those same questions followed me to HDS where I have found the most amazing Catholic community, and where my relationship to my tradition has deepened in really fulfilling ways. I have noticed that the people in my MDiv cohort have a sensibility and sensitivity that I find admirable, refreshing, and exciting. It makes me feel a sense of belonging. I have a new sense of importance in being actively engaged in my Catholic tradition.

Pursuit in Sacred Labor through HDS

HDS has allowed me to find a space where I can combine my passions, my interests, my skills, and my pursuit of what I refer to as my sacred labor. I came to Harvard Divinity School trusting that this path would lead me to greater alignment with what I am here to do, and that is, in part, helping people connect to themselves, to their communities, to each other, and to their understanding of the universe, the sacred, or God through writing. This summer I led small virtual Sacred Writing Circles, which are gatherings of writers and people interested in combining contemplative, spiritual, meditative, and creative writing practices. We did centering activities, reflections, prayers, and created a sheltering space from which and in which we write. It’s so wonderful to see what emerges. 

Encouragement and a Sense of Belonging at HDS 

I would encourage incoming students to enjoy all that HDS has to offer inside and outside of classes. Outside of classes I recommend joining in on the community meals—they are wonderful. There are amazing clubs and student organizations, and we have a beautiful campus. It’s such a blessing to be able to go to a green space amidst a city and be able to walk the labyrinth, sit on the grass, and be around beautiful architecture. I would encourage other fellow students to feel a sense of wonder and delight and take the time and diligence to connect with this wonderful community. 

Gianluca’s podcast, Interfaith Passages, can be found on iHeart Radio, on Spotify, and on Apple Podcasts. Instagram page @interfaith.passages—An immersive, spiritual, meditative experience with music by Gus Tomizuka. You can also check out Gianluca’s website https://www.gianluca-avanzato.com/. 

Interview conducted and edited by Denise Penizzotto; photos courtesy of Gianluca Avanzato