Monthly Series

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MONDAYS WITH MERTON

     5 Mondays 1:00 – 2:30 PM

     January 4       February 1       March 15       April 19       May 17

Thomas Merton will be our guide to the contemplative way of life. In this series, we will use several of his booklets, Bridges to Contemplative Living. Time will also be given to experience Lectio Divina and contemplative prayer. Donation: $75, please purchase your booklets.

NO PERSON IS AN ISLAND

     5 Mondays 9:30 – 11:00 AM 

     January 11       February 8       March 8       April 12       May 10

By being attentive to God’s gifts in each moment, we live from a contemplative stance of connectedness, abundance and wholeness, not scarcity. We will practice contemplative prayer and use The Rebirthing of God by John Newell to open ourselves to God by reconnecting with the Earth and its elements, with light, with compassion, with the unconscious and with love. Donation: $75, please purchase your book.

CLASSICS ON CONTEMPLATIVE PRAYER

     5 Tuesdays   6:30 – 8:30 PM

     January 5       February 2       March 2       April 13       May 11

Grow in the practice of contemplative prayer by coming to these monthly sessions. The evenings include two 20-minute contemplative prayer periods, with Lectio Divina between. We will view a DVD series by Fr. Thomas Keating and read Thomas Merton on Prayer by John Higgins, SJ between sessions. Donation: $100.

FRIENDS OF ST. TERESA OF AVILA

     5 Wednesdays 9:30 – 11:30 AM

     January 6       February 3       March 3       April 14       May 12

St. Teresa has the great gift of writing about her relationship with God in such a way that helps us know that intimacy with God is an invitation and gift to us all. Come join us as Teresa leads us on our journey to full union with God. This journey is for all of us. Each session includes 20 minutes of Centering Prayer and a brief tape by Keith Egan. This year we will read Carmelite John Welch’s Spiritual Pilgrims for our reading between sessions. Donation: $100. 

THE CLOUD OF UNKNOWING

     5 Wednesdays 1:00 – 2:30 PM

     January 6       February 3       March 3       April 14       May 12

I want to introduce you to the Cloud!  Without a doubt, The Cloud of Unknowing is the classic on contemplative prayer. It gets to the heart of your desire for God, and more importantly, God’s desire for you. It speaks of “naked intent toward God,” and God’s overwhelming attraction to you.  It’s user-friendly, not so esoteric that you can’t understand. If you’ve never read it, perhaps now is the time.  Follow the call of God!  Why not? Donation: $75.

DISCERNMENT COURSE 

WHY DID GOD MAKE ME?

     5 Wednesdays  3:30 – 5:00 PM

     January 6       February 3        March 3        April 14        May 12

How can we become truly the person God wants us to be with our own unique call and purpose? St. Ignatius teaches us well how to hear the voice of God and discern the Spirits.  We will review his Rules for Discernment and use Why Did God Make Me? Finding Your Life’s Purpose, Discernment in an Evolutionary World by Louis Savory. Donation: $75. 

THE SPIRITUALITY OF THE 12 STEPS FOR EVERYONE

     5 Thursdays   8:45 – 10:15 AM

     January 7       February 4       March 11        April 8       May 6

The 12 Steps are for all of us, as we all have attachments and addictions and desire freedom from them. This Program will take us through the traditional 12 Steps that teach us to rely on God as our Liberator. We will use Gerald May’s Addiction and Grace and review Keating’s Divine Therapy & Addiction for further support between sessions and view a short video when possible. Whether you are new to the 12 Steps or are very familiar with them, you are welcome. Led by Mary DeJoseph and Deacon Bill Wilson. Donation: Love Offering, purchase your own books. 

THE ARTIST’S WAY
DISCOVERING & RECOVERING YOUR CREATIVITY

     6 Thursdays 1:30 – 3:00 PM

     January 7       February 4         March 11      April 8      May 6       June 10

The spiritual path to higher creativity is an exciting journey for those who desire to cooperate with God’s liberation of their creative energies. Come to know the great dynamic of creativity that is God’s gift to you through our study of Julia Cameron’s classic on creative living, The Artist’s Way. Donation: $100.

FRIDAY MORNING RETREAT
BRIDGES TO CONTEMPLATIVE LIVING

      5 Fridays  9:15 AM – Noon

     January 8       February 5       March 5       April 9       May 7

This year we will use Bridges to Contemplative Living with Thomas Merton for the content of our Friday morning retreat. Each month we will focus on one of the 5 booklets in the series as a means of understanding and experiencing your intimate life with God.   The morning will also include two 20-minute sessions of contemplative prayer. We will read The Essential Writings of Thomas Merton between sessions. Donation: $125.

TEILHARD READING GROUP

     5 Fridays 1:00 – 2:30 PM

     January 8      February 5      March 5      April 9      May 7

Our study of Teilhard continues this year with the reading of Louis Savory’s Teilhard de Chardin on the Gospels, The Message of Jesus for an Evolutionary World. Please join our lively discussions about Teilhard’s vision of God’s plan for the ongoing growth and evolution of all creation into full union with God in Christ. Donation: $100.

SPIRITUAL READING GROUP

     5 Fridays   6:30 – 8:30 PM

     January 8     February 5      March 5     April 9    May 7

Good spiritual reading is a must for spiritual growth. Companions on the journey help with the practice of this spiritual exercise. This will be fun as well as fruitful. Can you devote one Friday night a month to this pursuit? As usual, we will feast on a variety of spiritual gems.  Donation: $100.

     The Drawing of This Love........... Julian of Norwich

     Essential Writings.........................James Martin, SJ

     Upstream...................................... Mary Oliver

LIVING CONTEMPLATIVELY

     5 Saturdays 9:15 AM – 3:30 PM

     January 9        February 6       March 6        April 10       May 8

This program calls out to those who desire to live more contemplatively in the world, to grow in union with God and others, and to become more aware, intentional, and free. God liberates us and heals us through the practice of contemplative prayer. Wonderful spiritual reading will support our contemplative prayer throughout the year. It’s worth a day a month and an hour a day. Bring a bag lunch. Donation: $200.

MONTHLY BIBLE STUDY

     5 Mondays 9:30 – 11:30 AM

     January 11       February 8       March 8       April 12       May 10

We will study and pray with St. Paul’s Letter to the Romans during these five monthly sessions.  What a privilege! Please bring your Bible.  Led by S. Pat Mensing, SSJ. Donation: $100.

THE DIVINE DANCE  WITH RICHARD ROHR

     6 Mondays 1:00 – 2:30 PM  

     January 11       February 8       March 8       April 12       May 10       June 7

Richard Rohr, OFM helps us to notice how God invites and beckons us into relationship and community through the love of the Trinity. We will use Rohr’s book, The Divine Dance, as our guide in prayer and discussion this year. Each session will include some time in contemplative prayer. Donation: $75.

HONORING YOUR CONTEMPLATIVE SOUL
THE BEST OF THOMAS KEATING 

     5 Thursdays 9:30 – 11:30 AM

     January 14     February 11    March 18     April 15    May 13

During this 2-hour session each month, we will study the teachings of Trappist Fr. Thomas Keating as he presents contemplation as Divine Therapy for the healing of our souls. We will conclude each session with 20 minutes of contemplative prayer.  This program is particularly for those who desire to deepen their practice of contemplative prayer, or centering prayer as we sometimes call it.  Donation: $100. If you can, make a day of it by attending the St. John of the Cross series at 1:00 PM.

STUDY OF ST. JOHN OF THE CROSS

     5 Thursdays 1:00 – 3:00 PM

     January 14      February 11     March 18      April 15     May 13

John is all about God and God’s insatiable desire and pursuit of us. He is about love and union with God, not asceticism or annihilation as popularly believed. We continue our study of St. John this year by focusing on John’s The Dark Night. We end with 20 minutes of Centering Prayer. Donation: $100.  If you can, make a day of it by attending the Thomas Keating series  from 9:30–11:30 AM.

THE MATURING OF YOUR SOUL
PILGRIMAGE INTO THE LAST THIRD OF LIFE

     4 Fridays 9:30 AM – 1:00 PM

     February 12      March 12        April 16      May 14  

To age is to transition into the last period of growth. The invitation from God in the final years of life is to deeper intimacy, and to living more courageously, consciously and contemplatively from your soul as you prepare for your eventual transition into new life. This 4-part series meets monthly for the 65+ in this most graced season of life. We will use Thomas Keating’s videos on The Gift of Life and Life Eternal and read Winter’s Graces by Susan Stewart between sessions. Donation: $100. 

ZOOM ONLY

LENTEN SERIES LET’S LISTEN TO POPE FRANCIS

     4 Tuesdays 7:00 – 8:00 PM        March 9, 16, 23, and 30

Are you looking for some good Lenten Reading? Let’s read the Pope’s new encyclical, Fratelli Tutti, On Fraternity and Social Friendship. We will take the challenge and read it together, about 40 pages a week. We can do it! Anybody in? Please order your own copy.  Led by Sister Marcy.  Lenten Offering for Francis House: $50. Thank you!  

IN-PERSON OR ZOOM

LENTEN SERIES

 A WRITING RETREAT

     4 Tuesdays 1:00 – 2:30 PM         March 9, 16, 23, and 30

How is my life a revelation of God? Enjoy this 4-part Lenten series which will incorporate prayer, individual time with writing prompts and group time to share and motivate each other in how to express with the written word what lies within each person’s sacred story. Please order your own copy of Writing the Sacred Journey by Elizabeth Jarrett Andrew. Led by: Jill Snyder. Donation: $60.