Contemplative Outreach, Ltd.

11th-Step Retreat
2025-03-14 17:30 - 2025-03-16 11:00 UTC | Bethany Retreat Center, 1031 Germania Rd, Frenchville, PA, 16836, United States
Nancy Cord Baran and Michael Gidlewski invite you to join us in this weekend retreat. It is for people who participate in any 12-step program of recovery and have the intention to improve their meditation practice and enlarge their spiritual life.
Please see the link below to register.

Zoom Silent Saturday with Fr. Bill Sheehan
2025-03-15 08:30 - 14:30 (America/New_York) | Internet – Online
Virtual Silent Saturday with Fr. Bill Sheehan
Finding the Place of the Heart March 15
Contemplative Outreach of Columbus is offering a Silent Saturday. A Silent Saturday provides a few hours that are set aside for Centering Prayer, Lectio Divina, spiritual teaching and reflection. “Come rest awhile with the Lord” in preparation for Holy Week.
Fr Bill will discuss “Finding the Place of the Heart…Encouragement to go Deeper” so that we may listen to the Spirit praying in us, enlivening, enlightening and guiding us. How can we deepen our awareness that we are all mystics? God has pitched a tent on the fertile soil of our hearts.
Fr. Bill is a priest and member of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate. He was present at the original Lama retreat in 1983 convened by Fr. Thomas Keating OCSO which founded Contemplative Outreach. He has led countless Centering Prayer workshops and retreats. He also admits to being a follower of the Red Sox and Patriots, but he is first all a disciple of Jesus Christ.
Expect that the day will begin at 8:30am and last until 2:30pm. Eastern (New York) Time. Register by sending an email to Bob Gorman at rbrtgorman@protonmail.com and a zoom link will be sent to you a few days in advance.
The event is free. Nondeductible donations to Contemplative Outreach of Columbus to cover costs are welcome. They can be sent to the care of Tom Davis at 844 Franklin Ave, Columbus, OH 43205.

Blessed Are the Clean of Heart: Living With Spiritual Integrity in an Age of Fragmentation - in person and online
2025-03-15 08:30 - 16:30 UTC | Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center, 303 Tunxis Road, West Hartford, CT, 6107, United States
We will explore Jesus’ invitation to live from an undivided heart and strategies to live in the world with deeper spiritual integrity in an age of fragmentation. We’ll look at the challenge and promise of living fully in God, and the wisdom to be gleaned from countercultural Christian movements, including the early Church, the Desert Fathers and Mothers, the Franciscan movement, and the first Jesuits. Mark will draw from his experience living at Metanoia of Vermont, a lay contemplative homestead in the Benedictine tradition.
This program will be offered both in-person and online via Zoom. Information on how to access the program on Zoom will be sent to participants in advance.
This program will include a morning and an afternoon session of Centering Prayer.
Please see the link below to register.

Grounding to Bloom
2025-03-15 09:00 - 16:00 UTC | Westminster Presbyterian Church (Iowa), 1301 Kimball Ave, Waterloo, IA, 50702, United States
Would you like to “Bloom” –
– In love, joy and peace?
– In patience, kindness and generosity in relationships?
– In gentleness, faithfulness and even self-control?
– In compassion with justice for others?
You Are Invited – to Pause….to Rest…into Stillness…into Quiet
You may deepen your Grounding in Divine Presence in order to Bloom via
* Quiet Stillness;
* Herbs for overall health;
* Walking with a Labyrinth or in the sanctuary;
* Gentle Yoga;
* Conversing with another about your journey;
* Reading of Scripture quietly while Listening to the Spirit;
* Sung Prayer.
Note: Several of the above items are free time options.
Register by email to coneiowa@gmail.com. Include name and phone, on or before Monday, March 10.
A Registration fee of $25 will be received on March 15.
Westminster Presbyterian Church is at 1301 Kimball Ave, Waterloo, IA, USA.
FAQs – Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: Will there be food provided?
A: Yes, there will be light snacks and drinks (coffee and tea) available all day. You may wish to bring any other preferred beverage and/or water bottle. A noon lunch will be served, with the option to accommodate people with special dietary needs.
Q2: Will silence be a part of the day?
A: Yes, part of the day will be embraced by internal and external silence. However, there will also be ample time for conversation with other retreatants.
Q3: Can I attend only part of the day?
A: Yes. We encourage people to attend the whole event; however, if you can only come for the morning or afternoon, you are welcome to do so.
Q4: Will I be expected to share many details of my life?
A: No. There will be time for introductions with other group members, but not extensive sharing. If extended sharing is desired, there will be opportunities to meet one-on-one with one of the leaders.
Q5: Is Westminster handicap accessible?
A: Yes. While there are several levels withing the building, each can be accessed by an elevator in addition to the stairs. However, most of our activities will be on the main level.
Q6: Is there anything else I might want to know about Westminster?
A: Yes. Indoors, stained glass surrounds the sanctuary, and could provide a quiet time of reflection on the beauty of its art. Outdoors, the tree-lined grounds surround a space to commune in nature…weather permitting.
Image by Steffen Wachsmuth from Pixabay

9-Day Intensive, Post Intensive Retreat
2025-03-19 - 2025-03-27 | Mercy Center Auburn, 535 Sacramento Street, Auburn, CA, 95603, United States
This retreat offers three tracks simultaneously: Intensive I, Intensive II and Post Intensive. For everyone, there will be 3 sets of two 30 minute periods of Centering Prayer daily. Intensive I and Intensive II will watch video talks from Fr. Thomas Keating’s Spiritual Journey. Intensive I focuses on “The Human Condition and the Spiritual Journey”. Intensive II focuses on “Divine Love: The Heart of the Christian Spiritual Journey”. The Post Intensive has no videos and an additional hour of Centering Prayer each day. You choose the track that works best for you. Any of the tracks may be repeated multiple times. If this is your first Centering Prayer retreat of this length, we suggest you choose Intensive I. We recommend attending Intensive I before Intensive II.
Lectio Divina and a contemplative Eucharist will be offered daily, as well as optional soul-friending with the staff. Throughout the retreat, we will be in silence.
Pre-requisite: A daily practice of Centering Prayer for 6 months or longer.
The retreat begins Wednesday, March 19 with registration from 3:00 to 5:00, an opening session at 5:00pm, and dinner at 6:00pm. We end on Thursday, March 27 at 11:00am (lunch optional).
The retreat will be facilitated by experienced Contemplative Outreach staff. For more information, contact Marty Badgett at (650) 862-5451 or email him at mbadgettexas@gmail.com.
If you are traveling by air, the Contemplative Outreach staff can arrange transportation to and from the Sacramento airport to the Mercy Center. Please book your arrival on the beginning day for 1:30pm or earlier and your departure on the ending day for 1:30pm or later. Let us know your flight information. A contribution of $25 per ride (cash, check or Venmo) sustains this for us.
Limited scholarship money is available to assist those who would otherwise be unable to attend. All of the scholarship money has been donated by former retreatants.

Holy Breath - Centering Prayer & Ecstacy
2025-03-28 09:00 - 2025-03-30 16:00 (America/Denver) | Internet – Online
“The eye through which I see God is the same eye through which God sees me; my eye and God’s eye are one eye, one seeing, one knowing, one love.”​
― Meister Eckhart
Centering Prayer and meditation are age-old methods to put us in touch with what Jesus called ruha in Aramaic, the holy breath, a living and animating field that gives birth to psyche, to seed, storm and stellar nebulae. But what if there were an entire terrain of spiritual perception, a fluid and liminal continuum mapped by mystics, saints and shamans, inviting us to experience a living world that perceives us, a realm that invites us into our deepest longing?​
Cynthia Bourgeault writes, “The imaginal is that quality of aliveness moving through this realm, interpenetrating, cohering, filling things with the fragrance of implicit meaning whose lines do not converge in this world alone but at a point beyond.” During this three day online intensive we will explore practices and group work that will help us deepen into different Centering Prayer practices inviting us to explore what Islamic scholar Henri Corbin called the Imaginal World. From the perspective of the neurobiology of the human body to wild landscapes and the more than human world, from ancient myths to the archetypal images found in scripture, trance states are common doorways of perception shared across time and place.
This introductory program will meet you wherever you are at in your own practice and hopefully expand and deepen your own journey offering practical seedings and practices you can further develop. Through consciousness-shifting practices and guided invitations we will deeply reconnect with the land and wonder together how deep eco-mysticism can help heal our relationship with Earth and one another.
Centering Prayer & Ecstasy includes:
– A three-day intensive including two guided online days, 9 hours total, with the cohort (Friday and Sunday) and one asynchronous day for solo-wandering on the land and practices on your own)
– Access to pre-recorded & downloadable teaching & practices.
– Recommended readings for further study
– An optional one-on-one follow-up mentoring session with your guide after the intensive.
Practices we will explore:
– Dreamwork in the morning sessions
– Meditation, Centering Prayer
– Imaginal Journeys
– Sacred Art, Poetry & Journaling
– Authentic Movement & Embodiment Practices
– Wanders On the Land
– The art of singing & re-enchantment
– Guided group processes including Council and Mirroring (adapted from Animas Valley Institute).
More info and registration:
https://www.mythicchrist.com/holy-breath

CENTERING PRAYER PRESENTER FORMATION RETREAT
2025-03-28 10:00 - 2025-03-30 14:30 (America/Chicago) | Benet House Retreat Center, 2208 88th Avenue W, Rock Island, IL, 61201, United States
Central Illinois Contemplative Outreach provides this retreat to offer participants the opportunity to become commissioned presenters of the Centering Prayer Introductory Workshop. Working with a notebook of materials, each participant will have ample opportunity to learn the content of the Introductory Workshop and to practice presenting the content to others, with supportive feedback and guidance.
All participants must complete an application prior to registration for this event. To receive an application please email Anne Colloton, acolloto@gmail.com.
Those approved applications will receive a link to the Benet House Retreat Center for registration.
Registration is $300.00, which includes lodging, all meals and materials. The retreat is offered from 10am on March 28, 2025 until 2:30pm on March 30.

Quiet Day with Centering Prayer and Lectio Divina – in German language – via Zoom
2025-03-29 09:00 - 12:30 (Europe/Berlin) | Internet – Online
Centering Prayer Berlin lädt ein:
An diesem Tag gönnen wir uns, einmal für ein paar Stunden scheinbar nichts zu machen, wir lassen einfach geschehen. Wir legen die Handys beiseite (falls wir es nicht zum Teilnehmen am Zoom Meeting benötigen), lassen den Alltag hinter uns und verbringen die Zeit weitgehend schweigend miteinander. Wir habe Zeit für stille Meditation (Centering Prayer oder eine andere Form des stillen Gebets), Meditation mit einem Text (Lectio Divina) und vielleicht auch eine Zeit abseits des Computers in der Natur oder der Umgebung, in der wir leben.
Es sind keine Vorkenntnisse erforderlich, es erfolgt allerdings keine Einführung in die stille Meditation.
Der gemeinsame Tag beginnt um 9:00 Uhr und endet gegen 12:30 Uhr CET.
Registrierung erforderlich bis 12:00 Uhr einen Tag vor dem Event.
All times in CET

Retraite silencieuse - Prière de Consentement - 3 et 6 jours
2025-04-01 17:00 - 2025-04-06 15:00 (Europe/Paris) | Abbaye Ste-Lioba, Simiane-Collongue, Provence, France
Nous vous proposons un temps de retraite de 6 jours pour vivre profondément votre pratique de la Prière de Consentement. Des possibilités de retraite sur 3 jours sont envisageables.
Cette retraite est une retraite silencieuse, rythmée par 3 temps de pratique journalière sous la forme de 3 fois 20’ par temps de prière et, pour celles et ceux qui le souhaitent, la participation aux temps liturgiques des offices avec la communauté.
Cette retraite est organisée selon les pratiques développées par Contemplative Outreach Ltd, organisation fondée par le Père Keating unissant les personnes et groupes pratiquant la Prière de Consentement.
Cette retraite est une démarche spirituelle dans la perspective de Contemplative Outreach Ltd. Il ne s’agit pas d’une thérapie au sens de thérapie psychologique ou de groupe. Le facilitateur, Pierre-Emmanuel Maubert, accompagne au besoin les personnes, mais selon l’approche en lien avec la méthode de la prière de consentement.
Il est recommandé d’avoir une pratique quotidienne de la prière de consentement préalable, d’avoir lu Prier dans le secret du Père Keating (et de l’apporter à la retraite) et une certaine expérience de temps de silence. Un entretien préalable avec le facilitateur sera organisé afin de finaliser votre inscription.
Journée type:
6h30-7h45 : Première session de 3x 20’ de Prière de Consentement
7h45 : petit-déjeuner
8h30 Laudes – Eucharistie
11h-12h15 : Deuxième session de session de 3x 20’ de Prière de Consentement
12h45 Sexte
13h Déjeuner
16h-17h15 : Troisième session de 3x 20’ de Prière de Consentement
18h00 Oraison
18h15 Vêpres
19h Diner
20h15 Complies

Weekend Silent Centering Prayer Retreat
2025-04-04 16:00 - 2025-04-06 13:30 UTC | Saint Benedict Center, 1123 Road I, Schuyler, NE, 68661, United States
Contemplative retreats are one of the most wonderful ways to experience time with God in the present moment. Retreats give you time to spend being aware of God and enjoying his presence.
You are invited to gather with us for our spring retreat giving time to be present in the beauty of nature, prayer and solitude, and to be in a restorative community of silence and stillness.
We begin Friday, April 4th at dinner time and conclude Sunday after the noon meal.
Registration includes: 2 nights in a private room, all meals, and programming.
Cost $340.00. Registration closes March 20th, 2025.
Saint Benedict Center is a beautiful location (5 miles north of Schuyler Nebraska) that provides walking paths, Stations of the Cross, a labyrinth, hotel-like accommodations and delicious food service. Everything is provided so all you need to do is come with the intention to sit with God and our community and let God do the healing work within.
Registration:
~Paying through PayPal: Submit payment and send an email to cathy.c@cox.net with the following information: name, address, phone, and email.
~Paying by check: Send a check to Nebraska Contemplative Outreach. In care of: Cathy Mann Christiansen 8415 North 52nd Ave, Omaha NE 68152. Email Cathy when check is sent, include information listed above. Payment must be received by March 20th, 2025.

The Wisdom Way of Christian Spirituality - in person and online
2025-04-05 08:30 - 16:30 UTC | Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center, 303 Tunxis Road, West Hartford, CT, 6107, United States
Wisdom is at the contemplative headwaters of every major religious tradition, including Christianity. Wisdom takes many shapes and focuses on human transformation more than on a set of beliefs. The Christian Wisdom path is about learning to listen to the Divine within – attending to our interconnectedness with a larger whole. This kind of listening requires that we know ourselves deeply. This retreat will explore the core tenets of the Christian Wisdom Tradition and Jesus as our Wisdom Teacher through the lineage of Cynthia Bourgeault.
This program will be offered both in-person and online via Zoom. Information on how to access the program on Zoom will be sent to participants in advance.
This program will include a morning and an afternoon session of Centering Prayer.
Please see the link below.

Good Friday-Holy Saturday Silent Vigil
2025-04-18 15:00 - 2025-04-19 15:00 (Asia/Karachi) | Internet – Online
You are invited to participate in an online silent prayer vigil for Good Friday and Holy Saturday, offered and hosted by Extensión Contemplativa Internacional, the Spanish and Portuguese-speaking community of Contemplative Outreach. As the vigil is completely silent and online, language and location do not matter. You may come and leave at any time, as much as you would like.
The vigil begins Friday, April 18, at 3pm Eastern (New York) time (8pm London UTC+1) and goes on until Saturday, April 19 at 3pm Eastern (New York) time. The Zoom ID is 305-673-6206, passcode [REDACTED].

Centering Prayer Introductory Workshop (ONLINE)
2025-04-26 12:30 - 15:30 (Europe/Amsterdam) | Internet – Online
Are you seeking a path to explore or strengthen your inner connection with God at the centre of your being?
Centering Prayer is a practice that leads to contemplation by opening oneself to God’s love, healing, and inner goodness; moreover, it nurtures the soul’s desire to grow in kindness and compassion towards all.
The online workshop offers a glimpse into this practice through short inputs on the method of Centering Prayer, along with times of silent practice together.
You are most welcome, whether you are a beginner or simply desire to refresh your practice.
The event is 12:30-3:30pm CEST (6:30am Eastern Daylight Time, 11:30am London UTC +1)
Please see the link below to register.

Centering Prayer Presenter Enrichment Gathering - via Zoom
2025-04-26 13:00 - 14:30 (America/Halifax) | Internet – Online
This Zoom gathering of Centering Prayer Presenters will include prayer/reflection, updates and opportunities for sharing.

Contemplative Outreach of Northern Nevada Silent Retreat 2025
2025-04-27 - 2025-05-02 | Zephry Point Presbyterian Conference Center, 660 US-50 Box 289, NV, 89448, United States
A 5-day silent retreat hosted by Contemplative Outreach of Northern Nevada
at Zephyr Point, Lake Tahoe Nevada.
The retreat begins Sunday April 27 and ends Friday May 2, 2025. Zephyr Point offers private rooms with individual in suite bathrooms. Meals are provided.
The silent retreat includes daily Centering Prayer sits and Lectio Divina practice. There is ample time for personal prayer, reflection, and reading.
The Zephyr Point web address is: https://zephyrpoint.org/

5-Day Intensive Prayer Retreat
2025-04-28 14:00 - 2025-05-02 11:00 UTC | Prince of Peace Abbey, 650 Benet Hill Rd., CA, 92058, United States
This five-day Centering Prayer intensive retreat provides an opportunity to deepen the practice of Centering Prayer in an atmosphere of silence and community support. This retreat follows the Contemplative Outreach guidelines for an intensive retreat including five 30-minute Centering Prayer periods on most days. An established practice of Centering Prayer for at least six months is recommended but not pre-requisite to attend.
The retreat begins Monday with check-in from 2:00 to 5:00 pm and concludes the following Friday morning. The retreat fee of $450 includes a single room (with private bath) and meals. We are limiting the number of registrations to 25 including retreat leaders so each has their own room for solitude. The cost of this retreat has been lowered by $200 per participant due to a grant from the Contemplative Outreach Divine Economy Fund. The fund is dedicated to making Fr. Thomas Keating’s teachings in retreats accessible to Centering Prayer practitioners.
Prince of Peace Benedictine Monastery encompasses 126 acres atop a hill approximately two miles east of the Pacific Ocean. Located in Oceanside, California, the monastery offers a serene haven for contemplation and spiritual growth. The grounds include walking paths, Stations of the Cross, and prayer chapel.
The monastery will be serving three meals a day but does not provide special meals. If you have dietary restrictions or preferences you may bring own food to supplement what is served. There is a refrigerator and microwave in the dining room.
Please see the link below to register.

Centering Prayer in the Treatment of Mental Illnesses - via Zoom
2025-04-29 15:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | Internet – Online
3-4pm Eastern Daylight Time (New York); 7pm GMT, 2pm Central, Noon Pacific Time
Free
No need to register. The Zoom link is here.

Dr. Bob Hesse will report the results of neuroscientific studies on improvement in quality of life using Centering Prayer in the treatment of: PTSD, Bipolar Disorder, Parkinson’s Disease, and excessive fear of death (NDE). He will discuss using the results of these studies to establish ministries in medical treatment facilities.
The studies were published in scientific journals and summarized in Dr. Hesse’s book: Faith and Science: A Journey into God’s Mystical Love.
Dr. Hesse will review these findings and then there will be time to submit questions via the chat.
No need to register. The Zoom link is here.
About Robert J. Hesse, Ph.D.
Robert Hesse is a permanent Catholic deacon in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. In 2011 at the encouragement of Fr. Thomas Keating, he co-founded Contemplative Network (CN) and is its Chairman. CN is dedicated to interfaith contemplative prayer, medical research, and establishment of ministries based on the research. He is a practicing contemplative in the Trappist Christian tradition. During a retreat at Gethsemani monastery, Trappist Monk Thomas Merton was an inspiration in Hesse’s contemplative prayer practice. Hesse was appointed by Fr. Thomas Keating, commissioned presenter and co-coordinator for Contemplative Outreach Ltd. (COL) in Houston. In response to an invitation by The Dalai Lama to Keating, Hesse was Keating’s emissary to the first COL dialogue with the Mind & Life (M&L) Institute for research on contemplatives.
Hesse is retired board Vice Chairman and faculty of the interfaith Institute for Spirituality and Health (ISH), which serves the Texas Medical Center (TMC), the largest in the world; Adjunct Faculty at the University of St. Thomas (UST); faculty member of the Spitzer Magis Center and Spiritual Direction Institute at the Emmaus Spirituality Center; and instructor at the Pontifical University Regina Apostolorum in Rome. He served: on the Deacon Spiritual and Community Life Committees of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston; as a retreat team member at Holy Name Retreat Center; and on numerous ACTS and prison Kolbe prison retreats. He is a founding advisor of The WorkFaith Connection™ and cofounder of the first regularly scheduled Faith and Science Conference in Rome.

Centering Prayer Presenter Formation Retreat
2025-04-29 17:00 - 2025-05-02 12:00 UTC | Sophia Center, Atchinson KS, 751 S 8th St, Atchison,KS, KS, United States
This retreat, facilitated by the Contemplative Outreach Presenter Formation Service Team, will offer participants an opportunity to be formed as Commissioned Presenters of the Centering Prayer Introductory Workshop. Working with a notebook of materials, each participant will have ample opportunity to learn the content of the Introductory Workshop and to practice presenting the content to others, with supportive feedback and guidance.
All participants must complete an application prior to registration for this event. To receive an application please contact Rob Carr robcarr924@gmail.com.
Those individuals with approved applications will receive a link to the Sophia Center for registration.
Registration is $400.00 which includes three nights lodging, all meals and materials.
Space is limited.

An Ancient Flowing Stream – via Zoom
2025-05-03 10:00 - 13:00 (America/Chicago) | Internet – Online
This workshop presents how African origins, heritage, culture and music power the Christian contemplative spirit. Combining the wisdom and talents of the Very Reverend Michael Battle, Ph.D. and Julian Davis Reid, M.Div., this creative workshop will use storytelling, music, art, and poetry to bring alive the many contributions to contemplative life that flow from Africa and the Black experience.
Please see the link below to register.

6-Day Intensive and Post-Intensive Centering Prayer Retreat
2025-05-04 - 2025-05-09 | Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center, 303 Tunxis Road, West Hartford, CT, 6107, United States
This retreat offers two tracks simultaneously: intensive and post-intensive. Everyone attending will share three sets of two 30-minute periods of Centering Prayer, daily. The intensive retreat will watch and discuss video talks from Fr. Thomas Keating’s The Spiritual Journey. Instead of videos, the post-intensive retreat includes an additional hour of Centering Prayer each day. You choose the track that works best for you. Lectio Divina will be offered daily, as well as optional soul-friending with the staff. Silence is maintained throughout the retreat.
Retreat led by: Fr. Bill Sheehan, O.M.I., and Susan Turpin
Please see the link below to register.

Seven-Day Centering Prayer Dual Track Intensive/Post Intensive Retreat
2025-05-13 14:00 - 2025-05-19 10:00 (America/New_York) | Holy Cross Monastery – New York, 1615 Route 9W, West Park, NY, 12493, United States
The seven-day Centering Prayer dual-track intensive/post intensive retreat offered from Monday, May 13 to Sunday, May 19, 2025, provides an opportunity to deepen the practice of Centering Prayer in an atmosphere of profound silence and community support. The intensive track will follow the Contemplative Outreach guidelines for an intensive retreat including six 30-minute Centering Prayer periods daily plus viewing and faith sharing on Thomas Keating’s human condition teachings. The post intensive track provides an additional 30 minutes of Centering Prayer with time for daily solitude.
Retreat leaders: Leslee Anne Terpay and Br. Bernard Delcourt are available for soul-friending. During the retreat, one will experience integrating as one wishes contemplation and action through silence, solitude, community and the rhythm of this Episcopal Benedictine monastic community’s worship and prayer life including daily Holy Eucharist. An established practice of Centering Prayer for at least 6-months is highly recommended.
Tuesday check-in is from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Supper is at 5:45 pm. Orientation begins at 6:45 pm. The retreat concludes with breakfast on the last day with optional attendance at Holy Eucharist.
Cost for the retreat is $990. The retreat fee includes a single room and all meals. Shared single occupancy bathrooms in the hallways.
If you have questions about the retreat content or which track is best for you, please contact retreat leader: Leslee Terpay at co-leslee@comcast.net.
Leslee Anne Terpay: As a Contemplative Outreach commissioned presenter of Centering Prayer and Lectio Divina, Leslee shares Fr. Thomas Keating’s teachings on the Christian spiritual journey in workshop and retreat settings. She is part of the service team that stewards Fr. Thomas’s teaching for serving Centering Prayer retreats. She is a spiritual director in Lone Tree, Colorado and a graduate of The Center for Action and Contemplation Living School.
Br. Bernard Delcourt is the Director of Associates of the monastery. Br. Bernard is a Contemplative Outreach commissioned presenter. He has been a monk since 2004. Before becoming a monk, he was an investment banker and then a life and business skills coach. He is also a spiritual director and regularly visits seminarians in New Haven to offer them spiritual direction.
To register, please contact the Guesthouse Office by phone at 845-384-6660, ext. 3002 or email guesthouse@hcmnet.org.
This retreat is full. You can be added to the wait list by contacting the Guesthouse Office.

The Enneagram and Eco-Spirituality: Self-Awareness and Contemplation Through a Nature-Based Lens - in person and online
2025-05-17 08:30 - 16:30 UTC | Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center, 303 Tunxis Road, West Hartford, CT, 6107, United States
This workshop focuses on the integration of the Enneagram and Eco-Spirituality. Eco-Spirituality recognizes the sacredness of all life on Earth, as well as the inherent “wildness” of the human soul. The Enneagram is a set of teachings that show us how to be present to our life and free ourselves from self-defeating habits and patterns. The intersection of the two helps us stop “self-defeating” when it comes to our relationship with the Earth and embrace our potential as a truly life-enhancing force on this planet.
This program will be offered both in-person and online via Zoom. Information on how to access the program on Zoom will be sent to participants in advance.
This program will include a morning and an afternoon session of Centering Prayer.
Please see the link below to register.

The Transformative Practice of Humility
2025-05-24 09:00 - 12:00 (America/Halifax) | Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle, 1725 Rhode Island Ave NW, Washington, D.C., 20036
“When there is no more sense of an “I” (ego), the great I AM takes over our lives.”
– Fr. Thomas Keating, Reflections on the Unknowable
What is humility? And how do we practice it? What role does humility play in Centering Prayer and transformation?
With Fr. Thomas Keatings’ Reflections on the Unknowable and Philippians 2 as our guides, together we will explore the transformative practice of humility.
Through Centering Prayer, Lectio Divina, and faith-sharing, we will reflect on humility as a practice. This workshop will challenge common misconceptions about humility and expand our awareness of humility as a pathway to transforming union with God.
Meet Colleen Thomas
A spiritual director and long-time practitioner of Centering Prayer, Colleen Thomas delights in companioning others on their spiritual journey. Trained in the monastic arts of discernment, spiritual companionship, and retreat leadership, she leads contemplative prayer groups, workshops, and retreats. She serves as the Diversity Outreach Coordinator for Contemplative Outreach and as a Program Director for Stillpoint: A Center for Christian Spirituality. Her particular passion is aimed at expanding contemplative practice and teaching younger and BIPOC communities.
Colleen earned her MA in Theology and Art from Fuller Theological Seminary. She worked in television in Los Angeles for 15 years before relocating to her hometown of Washington D.C., where she continues to explore her creative passions while enjoying the close companionship of her family. You can hear her in conversation about Centering Prayer and the contemplative life on the Opening Minds, Opening Hearts podcast.
Please register using the link below.

6-Day Contemplative Retreat
2025-05-26 17:00 - 2025-06-01 14:00 (Europe/Amsterdam) | Sacred Heart Monastery, Missiezusters Klooster, 20, Steyl, Venlo, 5935 BX, Netherlands
“So, I came to the graced realization that I could, in the midst of my life in the world, cultivate a contemplative culture in my heart by renewing my fidelity to a daily quiet time in which I could learn from God how to love and be loved by God.”
– James Finley
Through the practice of Centering Prayer, one embraces the process of transformation in oneself and in others. By persisting in this practice, a compassionate way of seeing and acting has space to emerge, and the soul’s innate sense of awe and wonder at creation can be nurtured.
The retreat includes input sessions (twice daily) on silence and contemplation, Centering Prayer method, and the path of transformation; several periods of guided Centering Prayer daily; soul companionship if desired; personal time for reflection and journaling.
Requirement: To have attended at least one weekend retreat in silence and have a regular practice of Centering Prayer.
Please see the link below to register.

Directed Silent Retreat
2025-05-27 17:30 - 2025-06-03 12:00 UTC | Bethany Retreat Center, 1031 Germania Rd, Frenchville, PA, 16836, United States
with the topic Heartfulness Transformation in Christ – with Thomas Keating and Betty Sue Flowers.
Spiritual direction or spiritual companionship is a process guided by the Holy Spirit in which two people enter into a unique conversation. The spiritual director or guide is trained to listen in a particular way to hear where God is present and acting in the life of another. This “holy listening” approaches each person’s life and story as sacred.
Facilitated by David Roncolato, Mary Ann Nicholls and Sr. Ruth Ann Madera .
For more information about the facilitators and the retreat, go here.

Welcoming Prayer Workshop - via Zoom
2025-05-30 19:00 - 2025-05-31 12:00 (America/Chicago) | Internet – Online
The Welcoming Prayer is an incarnational method of consenting to God’s presence and action in our physical and emotional reactions to people and events in daily life. This “consent-on-the-go” embodied practice deepens our relationship with God as we move through the ordinary activities of our day, helping us to stay in the presence of God and the present moment.
This online workshop will cover the human condition and the basics of the practice. There will be guided practice sessions as well as time in Centering Prayer.
This enrichment will be held online Friday from 7:00-8:30pm Central Daylight Time (CDT), resuming Saturday from 9:00am-noon CDT. It will be led by Pamela Begeman and LeAnn Billups.
Please see the link below to register and receive the Zoom link.

Eight Day Centering Prayer Retreat
2025-06-06 17:00 - 2025-06-13 11:00 UTC | St. Mary’s Sewanee: The Ayres Center for Spiritual Development, 770 St. Mary's Lane, TN, 37375, United States
During this eight days of sacred silence, guests are invited to participate as either “intensive” (first time attending in a long retreat) or “post-intensive” (experienced in attending long retreats).
Guests can participate in daily sits, Holy Eucharist services, Meditation in Motion classes, and BodyWork sessions (acupressure). Fresh nutritious meals and daily snacks are provided throughout the week. Opportunities to enjoy the labyrinth, the meditation garden, the Turkey Hollow Trail, or a simple walk down St. Mary’s Lane, all while experiencing the gifts of holy silence.
Please see the link below for more information and to register.

“God Is All In All” Silent Saturday with Fr. Bill Sheehan
2025-06-07 08:30 - 14:00 UTC | Shepherd of the Hills United Methodist Church, 26001 Muirlands Blvd, Mission Viejo, CA, 92691, United States
Join us June 7, 2025 8:45 a.m. to 2:00 pm for a quiet time of cultivating interior silence with prayer, reflection and Christian meditation.
The day will reflect on Fr. Thomas Keating’s book, God Is All In All. Included are conferences by Fr. Bill, Q/A, Centering Prayer and plenty of free time for you to breathe in the Living Spirit of God for journaling, walking the labyrinth, visiting the prayer room, prayer garden or gazing at Saddleback Mountain. Time to “be” in the Presence.
All outside areas are ours to further experience the theme of God Is All In All.
Reservations are required. $35.00 per person, includes continental breakfast and lunch.
Registration Link: https://sothumc.ccbchurch.com/goto/forms/350/responses/new

Spiritual Radicals: Interspiritual Wisdom from Franciscan and Buddhist Spirituality - in person and online
2025-06-07 08:30 - 16:30 UTC | Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center, 303 Tunxis Road, West Hartford, CT, 6107, United States
The parallel teachings of Christ and the Buddha find a home in the spacious minds and inclusive hearts of Franciscan and Buddhist spirituality. During this contemplative day, we’ll explore how Christian saints Francis and Clare of Assisi, and Buddhist Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh, invite you into the interspiritual sense that love and compassion, lifelong learning and growing, peace and social justice, and a belief that the transformation of the world begins with our own transformation, and is at the heart of all contemplative paths. Off
This program will be offered both in-person and online via Zoom. Information on how to access the program on Zoom will be sent to participants in advance.
This program will include a morning and an afternoon session of Centering Prayer.
Please see the link below to register.

10-Day Contemplative Listening Retreat (“Post Post”)
2025-06-10 14:00 - 2025-06-19 10:30 UTC | Mercy Center Auburn, 535 Sacramento Street, Auburn, CA, 95603, United States
This is a retreat for those who have attended multiple Intensive and post-intensive 8-10 day retreats and find themselves desiring yet longer sessions of Centering Prayer in community. We will begin our day at 6:00am with three 30- minute periods of Centering Prayer. Mid-morning and mid-afternoon there will be an additional session of three 30-minute periods of Centering Prayer. Once a day, we will watch a brief (about five minute) segment of the film “From the Mind To the Heart”, a conversation with Thomas Keating, which he created for this retreat..
We will let the silence deepen in this retreat. There will be no scheduled soul friending, though staff will be available for a conversation if requested. There will be no reading at meals and no verbal prayer at the beginning of the Centering Prayer sessions. Lectio Divina and a contemplative Eucharist will be offered daily.
Pre-requisite: Two or more post-intensive Centering Prayer retreats given by Contemplative Outreach. This is a guideline, not a rule. Please speak with us if you have questions.
The retreat will be facilitated by Contemplative Outreach staff
The Retreat begins Tuesday, June 10 with registration from 2:00 to 4:00, an opening session at 4:15pm, and dinner at 5:15pm. We end on Thursday, June 19 at 10:30am (lunch optional).
For more information, contact Susan Turpin at 541-324-1207; slturpin@me.com.
If you are traveling by air, the Contemplative Outreach staff can arrange transportation to and from the Sacramento airport to the Mercy Center. Please book your arrival on the beginning day for 2:00pm or earlier and your departure on the ending day for 1:00pm or later. Let us know your flight information. A contribution of $25 per ride (cash, check or Venmo) sustains this for us.
Limited scholarship money is available to assist those who would otherwise be unable to attend. All of the scholarship money has been donated by former retreatants.
Rooms are single with a sink in the room; bathrooms are shared.
