The second Gethsemani Encounter took place at Gethsemani Abbey, Kentucky from April 13 to April 18, 2002. The dialogue was over 30 scheduled hours, with 22 presentations from Buddhists and Catholics.

The content of the conference was published under the title Transforming Suffering: Reflections on Finding Peace In Troubled Times, Mitchell, Donald and James Wiseman, OSB, eds. New York: Doubleday, 2003. Copies are available through www.MonasteryGreetings.com

Each day featured speakers who spoke on a particular theme concerning suffering. Thomas Keating and Henepola Gunaratana opened the conference, followed, on Sunday, by Joseph Goldstein, Columba Stewart, Mary Margaret Funk, and Blanche Hartman discussing suffering caused by a sense of unworthiness and alienation. On Monday, Geshe Lobsang Tenzin read a text from His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Kathy Lyzotte, Thubten Chodron, and James Wiseman discussed suffering caused by greed and consumerism. On Tuesday, Geshe Lobsang Tenzin, Dan Ward, Stephanie Kaza, and Mary Collins discussed suffering caused by personal and structural violence. On Wednesday, John Daido Loori, Margaret Michaud, Thai word for 'teacher'; often used as the title of the senior monk or monks at a monastery. Sundara, and Donald Grabner discussed suffering caused by sickness and aging. On Thursday, Norman Fischer and Leo Lefebure summed up what had happened over the course of the conference.