Contemplative Outreach News Articles

The Annual Conference

by Marie Howard
Special Events Coordinator for C.O. Ltd.

Our conference this year, September 24-28, will be held at the Shelter Pointe Hotel and Marina in San Diego, California. The beautiful, casual setting of this resort hotel offers many diverse activities on site. We will have time for Centering Prayer, educational input, our annual business meeting and opportunities for sharing with one another.

This year, the educational/formational focus, suggested by many, is entitled: “Back to the Basics: Presenting the Introductory Program on Centering Prayer.” Attendees will receive the latest updated materials and have the opportunity to review helpful resources. All voting members and commissioned presenters are encouraged to attend.

The keynote speakers for the Day of Enrichment are Father Thomas Keating and Brother Wayne Teasdale. The day will include an informal dialogue between Fr. Thomas and Br. Wayne which will be moderated by Gail Fitzpatrick-Hopler. We are expecting a large turnout from the Southern California area for this special day.

Our local host, Fr. Justin Langille, has the San Diego teams in place. They are eager to share their beautiful city with you. Anne Mazza and the members of the Faculty Introductory Program Service Team are hard at work securing presenters for the “Back to Basics” Day.

We encourage you to make your hotel and conference registrations early as there are other groups who have scheduled conferences in the area during this time. You won’t want to miss this enriching opportunity. Looking forward to seeing you in San Diego!

In its third year of service, the Coordinator Communication Committee (CCC) continues to discern effective ways and means of providing support to Contemplative Outreach Chapters and to Coordinators who serve those chapters. As a communication “arm” of the international office, the primary purpose of the CCC is to network with and facilitate channels of open communication with Coordinators and Contact Persons. In addition, the services of the CCC have grown to include on-site visits to chapters by CCC members, a servant-leader formation program, and a mentoring program. The on-site chapter visits are an opportunity to spend quality time with the chapter leadership or core team, to listen to their issues and concerns, to present workshops on team building and collaborative leadership, and facilitate a visioning process for their future growth and development.

The Faculty Service Teams and Outreaches have been very active in their respective areas. The Introductory/Formation Team is part of the planning process for this year’s Annual Conference in San Diego. The Lectio Team is working on the criteria for commissioning Lectio presenters and are also developing a bibliography. The Retreats Team is working on updating the list for qualified staff persons for the various retreats. The three Extended Experiences Teams are at various stages with their offerings. And the Twelve Step Outreach continues to refine Centering Prayer offerings designed to meet the needs of the 12 Step recovering communities. The new faculty structure seems to be refining itself as we move into this second full year of its existence. We welcome any comments, questions or suggestions anyone may have. They can be directed to Mary Dwyer (Faculty Chairperson) at sycamore@velocity.net or 814-838-6460 or to the Team/Outreach Leaders:

The spiritual journey is an invitation into the unknown — an adventure in faith. It is a process of continual transformation toward union with God which ultimately encourages transformation of the world. While spiritual progress is dependent primarily upon grace, it also depends on our response to this gift through the practice of various spiritual disciplines, such as Centering Prayer.

Both grace and personal response are active components in the process of moderating the instinctual drives stimulated by the false self. It is the false self which lies at the root of much of human unhappiness. The regular practice of Centering Prayer encourages the letting go of the afflictive emotions arising in daily life and promotes the loving acceptance of other people. As a result of an ongoing commitment to the prayer, our behavior becomes more and more motivated by divine love which is totally self-giving, detached from selfishness. Extended prayer periods wear away our opposition to grace and restore our willingness to give ourselves completely to God, and to share our life and gifts with others—especially those with whom we live and work.

When one desires to grow in their contemplative experience by responding to God’s call to enter into a deeper relationship, it is most advisable to participate in an Intensive Centering Prayer Retreat. In an attitude of openness we say "yes" to Christ who calls to us: "Come to me all you who labor and are burdened and I will give you rest." A primary function of the retreat is to strengthen and increase our willingness to continue responding to the grace of a pilgrimage into the unknown. It is not important to know where you are on this journey, for wherever you are it is an immense gift of God—and there are more places to go. The mutual support of others traveling a similar journey is an enriching experience and an invaluable aid in the daily abandonment of self to God.

In an Intensive Retreat setting, the length of the periods of Centering Prayer are extended. Multiple periods of Centering Prayer can help to deepen the experience of interior silence and open us to the possibility of greater intimacy with God. Extended prayer periods may also accelerate the process of unloading the unconscious, thereby reducing our self-centered programs for happiness.

Reprinted from the Contemplative Outreach of South Florida Newsletter, Summer 2001

I have just completed an Intensive Centering Prayer Retreat at St. Andrew’s Retreat House in Walden, New York. This morning I had a very powerful lesson delivered through three little birds, a winter storm, and a brand new birdseed bell. Our family has been feeding birds by placing loose seed on our deck railing. This morning the birds returned to their usual spot for food. However, the snow had covered the seed, so they feverishly fluttered their little wings and scratched at the snow-covered surface.

It came to me that perhaps it would be more advantageous for them if I were to put out a new solid birdseed bell. It would not blow away and would be far more visible. I felt so happy that I could provide this food for these beautiful creatures at this stormy time. Then I observed myself expecting the birds to immediately flock to this new source of nourishment! God’s lesson became apparent through observing myself through these three little birds, The Holy Trinity! First, no attachments to the outcome, no expectations and no judgments. My purpose is to allow God’s bell to ring through me, but it is not up to me how or when others hear it resonating within them.

The birds persisted in pecking and scratching at the same old spot. This familiar source seemingly blinded them to the solid core of bountiful nourishment right in their midst. I thought, "Oh if they could only see, they would no longer experience the feeling of scarcity!" Then another thought came. Perhaps I should unwrap the bell. I wanted them to see! Then this loving lesson came. "In their own time they will see. You do not have to unwrap the gift you give. When you extend a gift, it is not up to you to determine when or how the individual should unwrap it."

Peace enveloped me as I recognized the profound truth of this message. Humble and grateful, I recognized the reflection of my individual spiritual journey in my brother and sister birds! I recognized that all creation’s spiritual lessons are so highly individualized that only arrogance could profess to know what the lessons are or how and when they are delivered! Salvation is inevitable. So with profound peace, faith and fellowship, I watch these beautiful creatures peck and scrape for seed as the falling snow covers the bell.

One of the monks of Snowmass was preaching. He referred to a sermon a few days earlier by Fr. Theophane: "Baptismal garments should not be frilly, lacy, delicate white things. They should be sweatshirts."

I looked at my red sweatshirt. It had been handed down to me from the son of one of my wife’s friends. It was red. 

After mass I went over to Fr. Theophane in the bookstore and asked him to bless my sweatshirt. I was expecting a sentence or two. Maybe even a whole paragraph. All I got was one word.

Disappointed, I began to walk back to the guest compound. Then I began to giggle. The giggles turned into laughter. I was dizzy with it. I fell down in the snow and guffawed heartily for at least five minutes. My gut heaved. My sides ached.

The word from Fr. Theophane?

Joy.

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