|
|
|
|
|
Spring/Summer 2001 Newsletter Updates
(Editor's Note: Because of limited space, we aren't able to include one-day activities and workshops in the Calendar of Events. The Updates section is a great place to let the readers know of the one-day opportunities that your chapter has to offer.)
The Alta Retreat Center is growing along with Contemplative Outreach. Our newly formed Board of Trustees now includes Sr. Catherine Bazaar, Fr. Martin O'Loghlen and Rev. Eugene Sutton. We look forward to expanding our contemplative prayer programs, and are thrilled with the enthusiastic responses to our 30-Day Retreat coming up this summer. It's hard for us to be impartial about this spectacular place we call home, Teton Valley. We hope and pray that you will choose to come see for yourself to experience the solitude and sabbath our quiet mountain retreat offers. Peace in Christ, Rev. Sandy Casey-Martus,
Denver, CO Record enrollment in classes and special events at our Center for Contemplative Living reflects the growing number of people who desire a spiritual presence in their busy lives. In January, 56 people attended the Basic Introductory Workshop and 40+ people attended the Basic Centering Prayer Course. Fr. Thomas Keating will be the keynote speaker for our 8th Annual Contemplative Conference on March 24. Fr. Vince Hovley, SJ and Sr. Eleanor Sheehan, CSJ of Sacred Heart Retreat House, and Kathy Hendricks, Interim Parish Director of Pax Christi, will host conference workshops on aspects of developing a spiritual outlook on life. Spring 2001 marks the beginning of our "two-tier" approach to meeting the needs of those beginning a Centering Prayer practice as well as those of the more seasoned practitioner. In addition to the Spiritual Journey Series, our curriculum includes a "False Self Film Festival", workshops on the Welcoming Practice and Prayer of Forgiveness, and a Centering Prayer immersion experience. In April, David Frenette, a former Chrysalis House staff member, will present a five-day retreat with a three-week follow-up course on the Christian Heritage. The second session of the Nine-Month Course will finish in May and plans for the Fall group are in the making. Our activities continue into the summer with our St. Malo Weekend Intensive Retreat in June. July 15-21, local leaders and I will present Formation and Training of Presenters for the Introduction Workshop on Centering Prayer. As we near maximum use of our facility and volunteer staff, we are ever mindful of our vision and our common search for spirituality in the 21st century. Sr. Bernadette Teasdale, (303) 698-7729
Long Island/Queens, NY In response to the question, "What are we doing next year?" from participants at the closing of The Living Flame II Program, grew our Enrichment Program - a series of four monthly presentations including the Welcoming Prayer, Lectio Divina, the Forgiveness Prayer and the Power of Silence. Introductory Workshops are scheduled in Suffolk County, a newly developing Centering Prayer area for Long Island. In the Fall of 2001, we will be offering the Formation for Contemplative Outreach Service using the model that was so successful in New York City - meeting one Sunday a month for six months. Coming to Long Island in the Fall of 2002 is the "on the road" team of Cathy McCarthy and Joanne O'Neill to present the Nine-Month Course: The Practice of Contemplative Living at Our Lady of Grace Center in Manhasset. The Long Island/Queens Chapter has made its pledge to the Contemplative Outreach Fundraising Campaign in addition to tithing twice a year to the International Office. Long Island Steering Committee
Northwest The relationship with God keeps stimulating Contemplative Outreach Northwest to stretch ourselves with more workshops and more kinds of workshops by our presenters (16 between January and July) more people (1200) receiving the newsletter, and more people visiting our website (www.conw.org). Cynthia Bourgeault will give a five-day workshop in Seattle in July, and Bill Sheehan and Susan Komis are coming to give weekend or longer workshops this year. We have 30 Centering Prayer groups. Many share the work, giving the coordinator time to volunteer to Monroe Penitentiary, co-teach a workshop for the assistants at the L'Arche community here, co-present Centering Prayer to clergy and lay people at an organized Annual Ministry Resource Day in March, and give an 11th Step workshop at a national 12-Step convention in June. Thus the prayer feeds our lives. Barbara Huston (206) 282-9076
Raleigh, Durham and Chapel
Hill, NC We are officially Contemplative Outreach of the Triangle, but outside of our neighboring states, we are probably better known geographically by the three cities above. However you know us, we are experiencing wonderful growth in Centering Prayer. Our Core Team of Flo Hartye, Betty Stoddard, John Kelsey and I meet the first Saturday of every month for administrative and planning purposes. We have been doing that for over a year. We are into our second year of Quarterly Days of Prayer - with dates set for June, September and January, 2002. A different Church hosts each Quarter. We expect to have Centering Prayer retreats and Formation Training in our area in 2002. There are currently 20 Centering Prayer groups meeting on a regular basis. They represent Episcopal, Presbyterian, United Church of Christ, Roman Catholic (plus Newman Center), and Lutheran faith traditions. We are all greatly looking forward to Fr. Thomas' appearance here on Saturday, September 8. He will be speaking on Transformation and Centering Prayer - a topic already generating a lot of interest. We have a separate Planning Team already in place, doing an outstanding job. We anticipate a great turnout and a boost that will take our burgeoning activity and interest to greater heights...and depths. Jim Biggins (919) 969-9604 jbiggins@mindspring.com
Tampa, FL There has been a lot of resistance to writing a paragraph for the newsletter in the past because of the assumption only those areas doing "great and wonderful" things would be of interest until this thought came: There must be many other areas where progress is being made slowly in this great work with which we are charged. And so, the resistance was overcome in order to encourage smaller groups. Thus, we are writing to let readers know our area is growing steadily and slowly. The number of prayer groups has grown to 10 over the last several years. In addition to four or five Introductory Workshops yearly, we sponsor the United in Prayer Day each March, and, for the first time, will have two sites - one in Crystal River and one in St. Petersburg. In the Fall we added an "Uncovering Your Hidden Motivation" workshop, and in the last two winters, offered the "Welcoming Prayer Workshop". Another highlight was a weekend retreat on Centering Prayer and Enneagram presented by Fr. Bill Sheehan and Jean Jolly of Tampa. While in the area, Fr. Bill presented an evening for the community at large on Lectio Divina that enriched us greatly. We seem to add events as the needs arise. With both of us retired as of the summer of 2000, it seems the pace is picking up a little…more Introductory Workshops, more events at which to present the Centering Prayer concept. Other leaders seem to be emerging, and that gives us hope for even more to be accomplished as we slowly move forward - hopefully, always under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. John & Marge Rafftery,
Walden, NY In June St. Andrew's Retreat House will be hosting the first 21-Day Centering Prayer Immersion Retreat with Fr. Thomas Keating, Fr. Carl Arico and David Frenette. The response from the last Newsletter was so overwhelming that we added one January 12-Feb 1 and June 1-21, 2002. We are presenting three One-Day Introductory Workshops per Quarter, and now need to begin focusing on Days of Prayer, supporting Centering Prayer Groups and other one-day Workshops. The "Living the Welcoming Prayer in Daily Life" with David Frenette was incredible, and we have scheduled another this December. A new Contemplative Living Community formed from the last Nine-Month Course and is meeting monthly at the Butler, NJ office. We tithe 2.5% of our gross income each month to the Int'l Office, and have made our pledge for the next five years. We continue to be in awe of God's great goodness and generosity in our ministry at St. Andrew's and are especially grateful to Contemplative Outreach for their continued support. Cathy McCarthy 845-778-2102 or
Other Spring/Summer 2001 News Articles Fr. Keating's Commentary | President's Letter | Spanish Corner | A Poem | Book Reviews | Updates |
Home |
Front Page | Weekly
Article | Outreach |
Our Future Contact Information
|
