A Call for Essays on the Fruits of Centering Prayer: How Centering Prayer is Changing the World

 

Centering Prayer changes lives, as many of us have experienced first-hand. Sometimes mountains move in the silent stillness when we consent to God’s presence and action within and, over time, we see the fruits of the prayer manifest in ways we never imagined. For many of us, inviting God’s transforming love to do what only it can do has become the story of our lives. And as we move through life, we see how inner transformation leads to outer change.

Indeed, Centering Prayer changes the world. Old, worn-out claims that the contemplative life is passive and therefore of little outward impact have been replaced with clear evidence that, together, contemplation and action catalyze change on both the personal and collective level—sometimes truly radical transformation with significant local and global ramifications.

Inspired by longtime member of the Contemplative Outreach community George Gerardi, whose life story is a personal testimony to Centering Prayer’s impact on three continents, we’re eager to know how you’ve witnessed or participated in Centering Prayer’s transformative impact on the world. George began practicing Centering Prayer in the early 1980’s and, as a result, became actively engaged in development work among some of the world’s most impoverished people. His story is not only inspiring, it’s a living example of Centering Prayer’s impact on the world.

We would like to invite committed Centering Prayer practitioners to consider sharing your stories of how you’ve experienced Centering Prayer changing the world.* Please send a completed essay of approximately 1000 words to katesheehanroach@gmail.com by April 30thth. We will notify authors of selected essays (and offer editorial support as needed) by June 30th and will begin publishing them in the Contemplative Outreach newsletter in the summer of 2022.

Thank you for prayerfully considering becoming part of this essay series. If you have any questions, please contact Kate at katesheehanroach@gmail.com.

Blessings,
George Gerardi, Fr. Carl Arico, Kate Sheehan Roach

*Stay tuned for further conversation about a book project on this same theme!

**You may be interested in this previously published article by George Gerardi here.