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Contemplative Outreach Newsletter · Spring/Summer 2004 Newsletter
Navigation Chapter UpdatesAustralia I am pleased to send you this report from the growing Centering Prayer community in Australia. Since the formation of the core group in December 2002, we have seen the community flourish in 2003. The four-person committee has the shared vision of offering Centering Prayer to the wider community. There are now four Centering Prayer support groups gathering weekly, or fortnightly, in different parishes around Melbourne. Two members of the core group who gave a number of Introductory talks in the parishes formed the groups. The core group is planning to document these Introductory Programs so they can be used in the future. There have also been a number of retreats offered by members of the core group with excellent attendance. Christina Fox ran a weekend workshop titled “Opening the Heart - The Path of centering Prayer,” for 15 people. Fr. Michael Mifsud ran a weekend retreat for 50 people from a charismatic community on the theme of contemplative prayer and taught them Centering Prayer. I also ran a one-day Introductory Workshop attended by 30 people. During the year the core group met for a weekend Intensive to deepen their won practice. We then planned a support day for the Centering Prayer community in Victoria and gave the day in November to over 30 people. It was very encouraging that the group asked for four more support days in 2004. There will also be a number of retreat days and weekends offered by members of the core group in 2004. In November we received the generous gift of the Spiritual Journey videotape series. We hope and pray to continue to support people in their journey, and these tapes will provide us a base from which to do this. We also pray that a member of Contemplative Outreach may be able to come to Australia to give us some further formation. The core group will plan at least one Intensive Retreat together during 2004. Lastly, my thesis topic has been approved. During 2004 I hope to write a thesis based on the teaching of Thomas Keating, including a number of programs aimed at offering Centering Prayer in different settings, and nourishing contemplative living for “lay people.” Chris Morris, Melbourne, Australia Australia
As part of a Servant Leadership Retreat in February,2003, it was determined that several new chapters needed to be formed to better serve the densely populated area of Southern California. Contemplative Outreach of North Orange County is one of these chapters. Bob Blair is serving as Coordinator. Our leadership team includes Bob, Christina Dunlap, Jean Cauchon and Audrey Urbany. Our first chapter-wide event took place on March 20 as we participated in the International Day of Prayer. We will be offering the Introductory Program beginning on May 29. Special thanks to Marie Howard and Sr. Linda Snow for their helpful input and warm encouragement Bob Blair, Coordinator, CONOC
When you visit our Center for Contemplative Living it is very likely that you will hear at least once, “Folks, this is how the Spirit works!” Evidence of the Holy in Spirit in action abounds. Thanks to the efforts of many, an expansion of classroom space allows us to welcome and serve record numbers of people attending the Spiritual Journey series, special class offerings and events. The staff and students have enjoyed the Divine Love and the Centering Prayer Renewal series. Our Center is more than a great facility: it is about building relationships with God and each other from the foundation of Centering Prayer. For example, last summer six of our volunteer staff attended the Contemplative Outreach Servant- Leadership Formation Workshop at St. Meinrad Retreat Center. With their leadership, we are now in the process of implementing a servant team model for Center operations. Fr. Thomas Keating was the keynote speaker for our 11th Annual Conference, March 20. With Christianity as the focus, Fr. Keating will presented “The Night of the Spirit: A Commentary on the Teaching of St. John of the Cross.” Our examination of other faith traditions will continue with Rabbi Rami Shapiro at our 12th Annual Conference on March 12, 2005. This spring our featured retreat is Seven Mansions of the Interior Castle (May 14-16, 2004) presented by Susan Kamas which explores the spiritual journey of Teresa of Avila. Presentations and small group experiences will enhance our reflections on the mystery of the “Interior Castle” in our personal journeys. June 11-13, 2004 our summer weekend Intensive gathers at S. Milo Retreat Center. Sr. Bernadette Teasdale, 303-596-7729 Australia
Contemplative Outreach of Northern Kentucky is a brand new chapter which serves the local area surrounding Cincinnati. Over the past several years Centering Prayer groups have been developing in this area. A team has emerged and Introductory Workshops and retreats have been presented. Sr. Viola (Micki) Martin, CDP has been named the coordinator of this new chapter. The team is contacting Centering Prayer group facilitators and doing needs assessment in the area to determine future program offerings. This summer we are sponsoring an Eight-Day Intensive/Post Intensive Retreat with Fr. Carl Arico, July 18-25, at the Moye Spiritual Life Center in Melbourne, KY. Because of the commitment of the Moye Spiritual Life Center to Centering prayer we are also able to offer three day-retreats and workshops. The Center is located just 15 minutes from Cincinnati. Your prayerful support is gratefully appreciated as we serve individuals in the network as a newly formed chapter.
Greetings. We are a small five-year old faith community. In 2003- 2004 we started a series of five mini-retreat days to become acquainted with our Christian Contemplative heritage. Besides the weekly prayer communities, “A visit to the Origins of Centering Prayer” has brought us together one Saturday every second month for four periods of Centering Prayer, two half hours of input and sharing. We had a visit with The Desert Fathers, John Cassian, Benedict, and The Cloud of Unknowing. A second part of “A visit to the Origins of Centering Prayer” is scheduled for 2004-2005. We plan to continue retrieving, reclaiming and reappropriating the Inspirations of Centering Prayer in our Christian contemplative tradition. You are invited to join us. Monica Freeman, 225-924-3812
Contemplative Outreach is alive and well in Lake Charles. Our group meets on the third Tuesday of every month for a full day of prayer at St. Charles Retreat Center. We begin our day with Lectio Divina, intercessory prayer and then Centering Prayer. Then we are blessed to attend mass with Fr. Don Piraro, Director of St. Charles Retreat Center. After a wonderful lunch prepared by the cooking staff at the Retreat Center, we reconvene to watch one of Fr. Thomas Keating’s videos from The Spiritual Journey series, and then another sitting of Centering Prayer. We now have about fifteen people who regularly attend the monthly meetings which are led by Barbara Tomme. Barbara also offers Centering Prayer Introductory Workshops at least twice a year at the Retreat Center. In September of this year, Fr. Keating will be coming to St. Charles Retreat Center to give a four-day Centering Prayer Retreat. The retreat is already full and has a waiting list. A core committee has been meeting each first Tuesday of the month to prepare and pray for this wonderful event. We feel so blessed are all very excited about having Fr. Keating come down to be with us. Charlotte Hine Australia
From Contemplative Outreach, New Orleans: A record crowd of 72 people came to Fr. Carl Arico’s workshop on “The Night of the Spirit” on January 31. We were particularly pleased that we were joined by a number of the Sisters of St. Joseph in whose Provincial House the workshop was held. The workshop evaluations were universally enthusiastic and appreciative of Fr. Carl’s words. We are all very thankful for the inspiration we receive from the teaching faculty of Contemplative Outreach. Members of Contemplative Outreach New Orleans now look forward to our Intensive/Advanced Intensive Retreat this summer (July 23-August 1). The Advanced Intensive will build on Fr. Carl’s workshop with further study of Fr. Keating’s tapes on “The Night of Sense”, “The Night of Spirit”, and “The Beatitudes”. Vivien Michals
Contemplative Outreach is growing in Michigan. In 2003 three new groups were formed as a result of Introductory Workshops. An enriching event was the Welcoming Prayer Workshop conducted by Mary Dwyer, October 31 to November 1 at the Dominican Center in Grand Rapids. Group Facilitators received a weekend of training conducted by Bonnie Shimizu, Nov. 7 to 9, at the De Sales Center in Brooklyn, Michigan. Four-day Retreats were held at the De Sales Center in March and November. A weekend retreat was offered at Queen of Angels Retreat in Saginaw in May. In 2004 we have more workshops and retreats planned. October 7 to 14 we expect to host a Formation for Contemplative Service Week led by Anne Mazza at the De Sales Center. J. David Muyskens, 616-452-2234, jdavidmuyskens@cs.com Australia
It’s hard to believe the Minnesota Contemplative Outreach organization is already three years old. It’s even harder to believe how much we’ve accomplished since our last report to you 18 months ago. While our core board consists of 20 members, we are also supported by about 75 leaders spread throughout the state. Thanks to their dedication, we now have 18 active Centering Prayer groups meeting on a regular basis in 13 cities. We are also blessed with 18 certified teachers and numerous facilitators who donate their time and energy spreading the good news about Centering Prayer. As a result, we’ve been able to offer dozens of enrichment opportunities in the past 18 months. In addition, we are reaching out to some unique groups that have come to realize the value of a meditation practice. Over a three-week period, for example, our teachers presented Introductory Centering Prayer to 40 inmates at S. Cloud State Penitentiary. Since 2002, volunteers have been holding weekly Centering Prayer sessions with young offenders in a Juvenile detention facility, and, most recently, with inmates at a women’s prison in St. Paul. Every month, volunteers put on a one-hour workshop at a world-famous rehabilitation center, showing how Centering Prayer supports the 12 Step program. And two Minnesota teachers have been offering Intensive Retreats at a Trappist monastery in Dubuque, Iowa. Last summer, Minnesota was also blessed with the presence of Fr. Carl Arico, who walked us through “The Cloud of Unknowing” at a one-day seminar in Duluth; and Gail Fitzpatrick-Hopler, who certified nine new teachers (representing four states) at a seven-day Formation Retreat in Maplewood. Right now, we’re gearing up for a major fundraising event planned for April 9-10, 2005. At that time, Fr. Keating and other members of the staff will be offering enrichment opportunities to support Minnesota’s growing membership. In the meantime, we continue to ensure communication and build community through our newsletter, which has almost 600 readers. And we continue to offer thanks for the gift of Centering Prayer, which is transforming our hearts and enhancing our lives. Kathleen Lindstrom, klindstrom@outtech.com
Our hearts are overflowing with gratitude in this New Year! COSTL is celebrating 15 years of Centering Prayer service and community. We plan to rejoice in this spirit of appreciation throughout our calendar year of 2004. We are also very grateful for the new leadership that the Spirit has called forth to serve our community. We are honored to announce that Jim McElroy has consented to serve as our new Assistant Coordinator for 2004 and in 2005; Jim will assume the role of Coordinator with Marsha Hatfield Baker coming on board as Co-Coordinator. This past year has been a very full one for COSTL. We have presented the Centering Prayer Introductory Program to 16 communities, teaching over 300 new people to surrender into the Heart of Love. We have worked diligently to create a simple, effective process of offering our Introductory Program and follow-up support to the local parish/church communities. This provides both the opportunity for our volunteers and presenters to be of service and for COSTL to answer the call. At the same time, we are trying to remain faithful with our support of those members who have begun the Spiritual Journey, providing a second and even third tier of programming to offer encouragement, support and community sharing. After attending our Introductory Program and Follow-up Series, our new members are invited to form a prayer support group and are then encouraged to attend our Formation Series; The Spiritual Journey Videos, followed by The Living Flame. And of course, we continue to offer our various annual CP Weekend, 12 Step and Intensive/Post Intensive Retreats. This coming year we also plan to focus our efforts in sustaining the more senior members of COSTL with programs that offer ongoing community support and dialogue. With a grateful spirit, we congratulate CO, Lt on 20 extraordinary years of inspired leadership and dedication to the vision of Fr. Thomas. Matthew Flatley, Coordinator COSTL Australia
(Myanmar is not currently a Chapter. This update is from Theresa Ee-Chooi who accompanied Fr. O’Loglen to Myanmar and lives in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) Archbishop Matthias U Shwe had a dream for the people of Burma. That a group of contemplatives could come together to reach out to change the hearts of the men and women there. He searched for many years, but found what Fr. Thomas Keating has described, that there has been no common teaching in our time as to how one moves from discursive meditation to resting in God. That until only recently this type of teaching was not accessible to lay persons or even to those in the active ministry, not to mention busy monks and nuns in cloisters. Burma’s present population is approximately 49 million. Of these only one million are Christian. Hence, Archbishop U Shwe’s motto for his archdiocese is evangelization. He sends his priests and nuns, in particular the Zetaman Sisters, deep into the jungles to evangelize the people. There are no fewer than 67 indigenous racial groups in Myanmar and as many as 242 languages and dialects spoken. In March, Fr. Martin O’Loglen, presently serving in the Philippines, presented Centering Prayer to 69 priests, religious sisters and seminarians in St. Joseph’s Cathedral in Taunggyi, the Southern Shan State of Myanmar. “Christian meditation is very important for our Christian life,” insisted Archbishop U Shwe. “We didn’t know how to do this. But now, with Centering Prayer, we know we can achieve this when we open ourselves to God’s presence and action. Thank you for bringing Centering Prayer to us. With this I now know that I can achieve my dream.” There were many questions relating to the methodology of Centering Prayer. Myanmar being the home of Buddhists, participants wanted to clarify the distinctiveness of Christian meditation from that of Buddhist meditation. “I had thought of going to a Buddhist monastery to learn meditation because I did not know that we also have Christian meditation”, said one participant. Another religious sister confided, “ I was attracted to silent prayer but I did not know how to pray in silence. There were always so many distracting thoughts. So Centering Prayer is just what I needed.” Archbishop U Shwe is already planning for a follow-up in November and the possiblity of sending some priests to other countries in Asia to learn more about Centering Prayer. Myanmar seems to be truly thirsting for Christian meditation. Three other bishops in Myanmar have also expressed the desire to have Centering Prayer in their dioceses. Theresa Ee-Chooi
July 15th to 18th Summer Conference, “The Eternal Now—and How To Be There!” with Fr. Thomas Keating and Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM. The weekend will include contemplative practice as a group, related workshops, prayer services and a closing liturgy. For information contact The Center for Action and Contemplation, 505-242-9588; website www.cacradicalgrace.org.*
Australia
October 9-November 17, 2003, 15 people gathered at St. Andrew’s Retreat House for a 40-Day Live-In Experience: Transformation for Everyday Life. David Frenette and Cathy McCarthy were the ongoing facilitators with the generous support of Gail Fitzpatrick-Hopler and Fr. Carl Arico. There are no words yet to adequately describe what this experience was for all who participated. We are planning another in the fall of 2005. In the middle of the 40-Day, Carl gave a hugely successful Parish Mission to over 200 people at Our Lady of the Lake Church - 60 people signed up for the 6-week follow-up, and we now have a Centering Prayer group that meets once a week at St. Andrew’s. What a blessing!! Our Nine Month Courses continue, and One Day Workshops and Centering Prayer Retreats have been added to our schedule. We have a new Contemplative Living Community from the Nine Month Course on Long Island. We continue offering leadership training at St. Andrew’s in the Nine Month Courses, Formation for Contemplative Outreach Service, the Welcoming Prayer, Introduction to Centering Prayer Workshops and facilitators for Centering Prayer Groups. My deepest gratitude to God for this wonderful ministry, and to all those who come to St. Andrew’s...witnessing your deepening relationship with God encourages my own commitment...to love God and serve others. Cathy McCarthy, 845-778-2102, cathymc@frontiernet.net
We were well represented in New York at our region’s all-day conference last October 18th. Tom Skinner spoke on “Remembering Mary Mrozowski” and we prepared over 500 complimentary copies of Mary’s “Forgiveness Tape for the attendees. If you would like a complimentary tape (while supplies last), please call Tom Skinner at 914-328-0420. The new year brought new life to Westchester in the form of five Introductory Workshops! The sites for the workshops were St. Barnabus in Irivinton, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in Shrub Oak, St James the Less in Scarsdale, Graymoor Spiritual Life Center in Garrison and Taconic Correctional Facility in Bedford Hills. We were grateful to God for the opportunity to teach this prayer which has transformed our lives. We are excited about our new contemplative members and look forward to supporting them in their growth. In the fall of 2004, we plan on sponsoring a Centering Prayer Retreat at Graymoor. Thomas Skinner, Coordinator, 914-328-0420 Australia
In the past 3 years Oregon Contemplative Outreach (OCO) has seen an explosion of interest in Centering Prayer, and in the retreats and programs that support the journey. Our mailing list has tripled to 1,000. Using the banquet analogy, the leadership team last year sorted out the menus, grouped the chefs and servers, and were able to offer a full smorgasbord of nearly every program Contemplative Outreach has developed. The spirit is at work! In 2003 our 13 commissioned presenters held 9 Introductory Workshops. The retreat team held 6 retreats. Nearly every retreat and workshop had full attendance. The prison ministry goes into 6 correctional facilities. Our Living Flame program far exceeded our expectations with 49 participants. Throughout the state our facilitators, the very heart and soul of our OCO network, hold a sacred space for 48 on-going Centering Prayer groups. However, the greatest growth has not been in the numbers of programs and participants, but in providing opportunities for our people to experience prayer as relationship to God. As more people support the service teams, attend the formation programs, and share in the vision of Contemplative Outreach as set out by Fr. Keating, our understanding of the contemplative life matures. In 2004 the leadership team will maintain the current programs. Our intention is to further develop the service team concept so that the team leaders have the needed support, and so that more practitioners are able to grow through service. We all serve in capacities that support our prayer practice, and we all intend to open our eyes to see that it is the God in us that serves the God in others. That’s a tall order, but as with Centering Prayer, it is our intention to consent that makes it prayer. Gini Graham, Coordinator OCO
Contemplative Outreach San Antonio (COSA) got off to a beautiful beginning this year with a Lectio Divina Retreat given by the beloved Fr. Carl Arico with 60 participants attending. After this retreat Carl stayed over to officiate the Blessing Ceremony of our new COSA Prayer Center and anoint for service our leadership team and facilitators. A joyful reception followed with a delicious homemade Mexican lunch and cake and miles and miles of smiles. Currently we are in the process of restructuring our leadership and establishing a COSA webpage. In cooperation with the Omega Retreat Center and the supportive Boerne Benedictine sisters, our 2004 Calendar of Events include: Centering Prayer Retreats, Introductory Workshops and Lectio Divina. Serving the needs of our area, many of these events are offered in Spanish, English and bilingual presentations. Ya'll come see us real soon, you hear! Timothy Koock, Contemplative Outreach Liaison, office@coutreach.org Australia
In 1992, five years after CONW began here in Seattle, the vision for our contemplative community embraced the possibility that someday this community might require buildings and a staff to support it. We therefore planned for this development by incorporating CONW into a 501c.3. However, as the vision was lived out, it developed differently than predicted: instead of becoming an intense concentration around a single small group of contemplatives, growth has spread out horizontally forming a large canvass of prayers all over the state. So this year, after extensive research and reflection, we are in the process of dissolving our 501c.3 and becoming an unincorporated chapter of Contemplative Outreach (CO). The only change in our relationship with CO will be that once dissolved we’ll be under national insurance instead of our own. This lateral growth is currently seen in three new contact people we’ve added: one across the USA border in British Columbia, one midway down the state in our capital city of Olympia and one close by the Oregon border. In May we’re hosting the Pacific Northwest cluster meeting; fifteen people from Washington, Oregon, Hawaii and Alaska will be invited to gather together Friday night and Saturday to network and support each other. Our small October cluster meeting was so beneficial to those of who attended (a very experience coordinator, a brand-new presenter who now is a contact person herself and myself, a brand-new coordinator who is serving a one-year term) that we wanted to include as many people as possible in the May one. We all experienced firsthand how extremely helpful it is to have an extended period of time to exchange information, brainstorm ideas and coordinate events and resources with other CO leaders in our region. Our present CONW vision is to be part of this active cluster area by utilizing the training, experience and resources of each of the different chapters. Through this collaboration CONW can offer to our won smaller area a more extensive and in-depth Centering Prayer program. Laurie Basile, Coordinator of CONW
We are very excited about our program schedule this year. In July, author and teacher Brother Wayne Teasdale will join Rev. Jim Clark and myself on the 21-Day Immersion Retreat. Jim Clark’s excellent guidance with Lectio Divina last year immersed us into a profound experience of scripture. Brother Teasdale has written dozens of articles on mysticism and religion. He writes, “Each of us is called to be a mystic. To be a human being means that we are invited into the possibility of transcendental life and experience.” We invite you to visit our web site a www.altaretreatcenter.org and explore the many links to Brother Teasdale, as well as the practice of Lectio Divina. Just click on the “Retreats” button. Secondly, we are hosting two Contemplative Outreach Rendezvous this summer; in early June we have the 11th Step Rendezvous and later in the month we host the Prison Ministry Rendezvous. Again, please visit our website to learn more about these programs. In addition, we are coupling Centering Prayer and running in Roger Joslyn’s “Running the Spiritual Path” Retreat in August. Imagine praying and running in the beautiful setting of the Teton Mountains! Finally, we are hosting and Icon Writing Workshop in October facilitated by Teresa Harrison. Again, or web site has links to information a photos of the types of Icons participants will be writing during the week. As if that isn’t enough, we have published a children's book, Exactly Like Me. You can click on the illustration of the child on our homepage to view sample pages from the book and learn how the book spontaneously leapt into being by one of our participants on a Post Intensive. Rev. Sandra Casey-Martus, 307-353-8100, info@altaretreatcenter.org Australia
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