November e-bulletin

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“The Christmas-Epiphany Mystery is the celebration of the transmission of divine light. The liturgical season begins with Advent, a period of intense preparation to understand and accept the three comings of Christ. The first is his historical coming in human weakness and the manifestation of his divinity to the world; the second is his spiritual coming in our inmost being; the third is his final coming at the end of time in his glorified humanity. …

“Through his Incarnation Jesus shares with us his own divine
dignity, empowering us with the capacity to be sons and
daughters of God.”

Thomas Keating, The Mystery of Christ and Manifesting God

Advent begins on Sunday November 30.
https://youtu.be/yxEN5254UFM?si=s9Fr1c1r4JH03eVQ

The Contemplative Outreach YouTube channel offers a treasure of free videos of shorter and longer lengths.

The Contemplative Outreach YouTube channel offers a treasure of free videos of shorter and longer lengths.

Recently posted:
Fr. Bill Sheehan talks about Jesus’ words in Matthew 6:6 in the newly released two-part video “Centering Prayer & the Mystery of the Inner Room” from the 2014 Miami conference. The playlist is here.

Beginning November 30, for each Sunday in Advent, video excerpts from Fr. Thomas’ talk, “Mary, Mother of God,” invite us to reflect and ponder the season. Adapted from a complete Advent online course available here. The first video is found here.

You can find the complete e-bulletin here  https://mailchi.mp/coutreach/2025-nov-e-bulletin?e=9aa0837e74

October e-bulletin

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The spiral galaxy NGC 3285B, a member of the Hydra I cluster of galaxies. ESA/Hubble & NASA, R. J. Foley (UC Santa Cruz)

“We are dealing with the God whom we can know in some degree through
creation, through grace, and through sound teaching. That knowledge always
implies that we must develop practices that help human nature to heal its wounds, such as practices that are proposed by almost every religious tradition. This evolutionary healing process teaches, in effect, that creation was not a one-time event. Furthermore, it’s not only continuous, but going someplace – towards a divine relationship that involves the whole human family and not just the great mystics, in a movement into the Unknowable.

“The idea that this process is continuing, or maybe has just begun, is fascinating because there is no telling where it might go. The end is fairly clear in the words of the Bible which affirm that “God will be all in all.” Or, in the language of St. Paul, “Christ will be everything in everyone.” What does that mean?”

Thomas Keating, God is All in All: The Evolution of the Contemplative Christian Spiritual Journey

 

 

 

Q: I thought Centering Prayer was just for Christians. When reviewing your website, it seems that Buddhist, Sufi and others can use it to get close to God. But isn’t it only through Christ you can get that connection? Just wondering.

A: Read Lindsay’s response here.

 

You can read the complete bulletin at   https://mailchi.mp/coutreach/2025-oct-e-bulletin?e=9aa0837e74

September e-bullitin

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“Prayer and activity are not enemies. We ascend the ladder of consciousness beyond rational consciousness to intuitive and unitive levels, and then, when they become stabilized, action and contemplation become the same thing because God is present in everything. You see God in everything, and you see God intentionally working with circumstances outside of you and inside of you to teach you something new.”

Thomas Keating, God is All in All: The Evolution of the Contemplative Christian Spiritual Journey

The 2025 July issue of CO NEWS is available online here, along with a full archive of previous issues.

You’ll find these articles:

  • Telephone Conversations Between Thomas Keating & Isabel Castellanos, April 7, 2015 – October 31, 2018
  • Zen in a Christian Monastery – Fertile Ground, Open Mind, by Ron Barnett pg 7
  • Letters from Thomas Keating – correspondence shared by Nancy Cord-Baran pg 9
  • The First Consent: Our Basic Core of Goodness, by a practitioner of the prayer currently experiencing incarceration in California  pg 10
  • Trusting in the Slow Work of God, by Patricia Hutchinson pg 11
  • Eyes of Faith, by Walter Martinez, pg 13
  • Resources & more pg 14

For the complete e-bulletin  go to       https://mailchi.mp/coutreach/2025-sept-e-bulletin?e=9aa0837e74

August e-bulletin

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February 21, 2018
Long conversation with TK. He is still in pain, but it is less constant than before. All the medications for pain make him very sick. He knows his vocation now is to suffer identified with the Passion of Christ and he is happy (his word) to live that vocation. His voice was strong.

March 1, 2018
TK’s request to me (and he was totally serious): “Pray for my conversion.” At that I laughed and replied that his conversion had taken place a long time ago. His answer: “Pray for my conversion that I may grow into deeper levels of faith and union.”

Telephone Conversations Between Thomas Keating & Isabel Castellanos
April 7, 2015 – October 31, 2018
See the full article in the July 2025 issue of the CO NEWS

 

The 2025 July issue of CO NEWS is now available online here, along with a full archive of previous issues.

In addition to the article mentioned above, you’ll find:

  • Zen in a Christian Monastery – Fertile Ground, Open Mind, by Ron Barnett pg 7
  • Letters from Thomas Keating – correspondence shared by Nancy Cord-Baran pg 9
  • The First Consent: Our Basic Core of Goodness, by a practitioner of the prayer currently experiencing incarceration in California  pg 10
  • Trusting in the Slow Work of God, by Patricia Hutchinson pg 11
  • Eyes of Faith, by Walter Martinez, pg 13
  • Resources & more pg 14

 

For the Complete E-bulletin go to    https://mailchi.mp/coutreach/2025-august-e-bulletin?e=9aa0837e74

July e -bulletin

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Odilon Redon, Decorative Panel, 1902

“In the no-self situation, there is only the doing what has to be done without sefl-reflection. This is non-duality … This is heaven on earth. At the same time, it is extremely simple and ordinary. … It consists of leading ordinary life from this extraordinary perspective of allowing God to manifest in us rather than for us to act from ego and the false self. … In other words, the ‘me’ that tends to get stamped on every human experience is erased and replaced by a direct communication with God in which God does all the doing and we do all the receiving.”

Thomas Keating
God is Love: The Heart of All Creation

 

Q: I’d like to start a Centering Prayer group and would appreciate guidance on how to do this.

A: Read the Facilitator Support Service Team’s response here.

 

Read the complete e-bulletin at        https://mailchi.mp/coutreach/2025-july-e-bulletin?e=9aa0837e74

June E-bulletin

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image courtesy of Ron Barnett

“Our ordinary preoccupations involve unconscious value systems. Some thoughts are attractive to us because we have an attachment to them springing from the emotional programming of early childhood. When such thoughts go by, all our lights start flashing because of our heavy emotional investment in the values that they stimulate or threaten. Be training ourselves to let go of every thought, we gradually develop freedom from our attachments and compulsions.”

Thomas Keating
Open Minds, Open Hearts

In addition to Centering Prayer, the Welcoming Prayer is a useful practice for attachments, compulsions and the ordinary challenges of every day life. This video playlist is helpful to support your practice of the 24/7 “consent on the go.”

Q: … I have understood that whenever I get carried away by a sequence of thoughts I should return to the sacred word. When I begin the Centering Prayer, what should be my anchor during the prayer period? … When I simply remain silent I am easily taken over by thoughts. To avoid this I end up simply repeating the sacred word.

A: Read the full question and Leslee’s response here.

 

You can read the full bulletin at            https://mailchi.mp/coutreach/2025-june-e-bulletin?e=9aa0837e74

Centering Prayer Introductory Retreat At The New Kylemore Abbey. August 15 – 17, 2025

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               Centering Prayer Introductory Retreat

     At The New Kylemore Abbey

    August 15 – 17, 2025

 

In 1984, a Trappist Monk, Fr. Thomas Keating OCSO, founded

Contemplative Outreach, an organization dedicated to sharing the fruits of contemplative prayer. Centering Prayer is a method of prayer that strives to develop a relationship with God, beyond words, thoughts and emotion. Through this silent prayer, retreatants will strive to consent to God’s presence and action in their lives.

This silent Introductory retreat will present four conferences,

Prayer as a Relationship 

Method of Centering Prayer and Practice

Thoughts and Use of the Sacred Word

Deepening the Relationship with God

 

An enhancement to the retreat will be opportunities to pray the Office with the Benedictine Nuns in the new Kylemore Abbey and to  participate in the Eucharist.

 

Participants have options for accomadation

please inquire from Sr. Josephine OSB

 

The retreat will be presented by

Sr. Fionnuala Quinn, a commissioned presenter by Contemplative Outreach Ltd and team.

 

Please register with Fiona at Kylemore Abbey.

 

Contact Information:

RETREATS@KYLEMOREABBEY.IE

 

PHONE: + 353 9552098

 

Kylemore Abbey Retreat Center

Centering Prayer Retreat

     August, 15 – 17, 2025

 

Friday, August 15

03:00pm Check in opens at Kylemore Abbey Retreat Center (Reception)

06:00pm Vespers in Benedictine Community Chapel:

06:30pm Dinner with conversation

07:30pm Welcome–Retreat Opening- Prayer as Relationship (Conference Hall)

(Grand Silence commences until lunch on Sunday)

 

Saturday, August 16

Breakfast on your own

08:00am Morning Prayer in Benedictine Community Chapel (optional)

09:30am The Method of Centering Prayer (Conference Hall)

10:00am Centering Prayer (Conference Hall)

10:30am Coffee/ Tea Break

11:15am Thoughts and Use of the Sacred Word (Conference Hall)

12:15pm Mass in Benedictine Community Chapel

01:00pm Lunch

02:00pm Silent Walk / Reflection / Rest

                 Coffee / Tea Break on your own

04:30pm Centering Prayer (Conference Hall)

04:50pm Deepening Our Relationship with God (Conference Hall)

06:00pm Vespers in Benedictine Community Chapel

06:30pm Supper

07:45pm Compline in Benedictine Community Chapel

 

Sunday, August 17

Breakfast on your own

08:00am Centering Prayer – (Board Room)

08:30am Morning Prayer (Lauds) in Benedictine Community Chapel

09:15 am DVD – Theological Principles for Centering Prayer (Board Room)

10: 00 am  Coffee break

10:30 –11:15      Surrendering to Love (DVD of Thomas Keating)

Closing reflections of the retreat (Board Room)

12:15 am Mass in Benedictine Community Chapel

01:00pm Lunch followed by Departure

Contact Information:

RETREATS@KYLEMOREABBEY.IE

 

May e-bulletin

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heart cells; stock.adobe.com

“What to do with this revelation of a Reality that is beyond reality? A Reality that is beyond being and nonbeing. A Reality that just is, and which has chosen to invite us to IS too. By just being, by just having been born, here we are automatically in relationship to That Which Is. Relationship and being are the same. Being is relationship. You can’t be without being together with everything else that is. …

“This God is awesome but incredibly tender, close, loving, intimate, fatherly, motherly, sisterly, brotherly, friendly, engaged, soul friend, partner, companion, beloved, spouse, and the ultimate unity. We’re never separate from God. We just think so. … When you do Centering Prayer or something similar that cultivates silence, you’re really cultivating intimacy with God, whoever that is. …”

Thomas Keating
excerpted from “Falling Into the Hands of the Living God” video, filmed in 2013

 

Q: I am a long-time traveler on the contemplative and eco-spirituality path. I recently was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease and find the tremors to be disruptive to Centering Prayer. Have you any resources to offer?

 

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A: Read Lindsay’s response here.

 

You can read the complete e-bulletin here      https://mailchi.mp/coutreach/2025-may-e-bulletin?e=9aa0837e74

February e-bulletin

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Christina Bernazzani, know thyself

“The absolutely certain help you can give to someone else is to work on yourself — that is, by loving more, becoming more humble, by trusting more. You do not usually have to do anythjing else, and that will save you a lot of useless trouble. Yes, God will inspire you to particular things, but you do not worry about the results or the success or lack of it. It is love that is doing the work, and as it becomes purified, it becomes the immaculate love.”

Thomas Keating
God is All in All: The Evolution of the Contemplative Christian Spiritual Journey

 

 

Q: I have been practicing Centering Prayer for more than 20 years, but I have never experienced “evacuation” of emotions during the prayer as Fr. Thomas describes. … [I]s it a negative sign that I am still not able to surrender enough for it to happen during the prayer!? I rarely “go deep,” even after all these years. …

A: Read the full question and Leslee’s response here.

 

 

You can read the complete bulletin at    https://mailchi.mp/coutreach/2025-feb-e-bulletin?e=9aa0837e74

January e-bulletin

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“The divine action in daily life and prayer is working with incredible wisdom. It provides us with the same situations over and over again, until we are completely detached all the way down to the soles of our feet. We can postpone this process by disregarding it, but the vocation we have and which we are trying to transmit to others is a desire for a state of mind that does not get discouraged by difficulties. It allows the Spirit to join us in our difficulties.”

Thomas Keating
Illuminations of Love: Words of Thomas Keating, O.C.S.O
illustrations by Meridith Schifsky

Q: I facilitate a contemplation group and there is a challenging man who clearly has anger issues and likes to argue about whatever has been read. How should I deal with this? I find it quite upsetting and disturbing.

A: Read Josie’s response here.

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You can read the complete bulletin at     https://mailchi.mp/coutreach/2025-jan-e-bulletin?e=9aa0837e74