Sharing Christian Contemplative Community events and resources with you to mark the fading of winter, the beginning of Lent and the coming of spring.
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"But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you."
Matthew 6:6
As the days continue getting longer and the sun gets stronger and higher in the sky, there's a certain sense that spring is emerging. As we enter Lent, a time of self-examination and preparation for the Hope and Joy of Easter, the crisis in Ukraine weighs heavy on our hearts and minds.
In this month's update In Via Lumen would like to bring your attention to some opportunities to learn, reflect and prepare while winter still provides the opportunity to do so. In addition, there are additional resources I hope you'll find useful.
We're also beginning to look ahead to offering fall Contemplative programs. I invite you to browse the initial list of programs and click on the survey to indicate those you might be interested in. We'll use that interest to develop programs that best serve the needs of our Christian Contemplative Community.
I hope you'll find this update informative and that it provides you with ways to deepen and grow during this time.
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Upcoming CCE workshops (online, hybrid and in-person):
- Saturday, March 19, 2022, 9:00 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. - Raimon Panikkar’s Christophany: A Day of Engagement, Reflection, and Contemplation, Rickey Cotton, Ed.D.
- Saturday, April 9, 2022, 9:00 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. - Contemplation and Caring for Creation, Christina Leaño
- Saturday, April 30, 2022, 8:30 a.m.- 12:30 p.m. - Centering Prayer Introductory Workshop, Mike Smoolca or Nancy Stimac
- Saturday, May 14, 2022, 9:00 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time - All Parts of You Are Welcome Here, Jenna Riemersma,
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Rev. Matthew Wright is coming to share our June 11, 2022 Contemplative Day of Reflection with us. Matthew is an Episcopal priest, writer, and leader working to renew the Christian Wisdom tradition within a wider inter-spiritual framework. He is a senior student of Cynthia Bourgeault. Alongside his practice of Christianity, Matthew has studied and practiced within the Islamic Sufi and Vedanta lineages.
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You can find further information about the Contemplative Day of Reflection here:
If you haven't yet heard Matthew teach, I invite you to listen to his sermons available on SoundCloud. Here is a recent sermon that demonstrates the Wisdom that he shares: https://soundcloud.com/stgregoryssermons/into-deep-water
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As part of CCE, a weekly Christian Contemplative Prayer group is offered each Thursday evening which meets online or in-person as conditions allow. For more information on how to join us, please contact Mike Smoolca at cce@holyfamilyretreat.org or msmoolca@hotmail.com
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Partnership programs - Special arrangements with leading teachers and organizations are being made through In Via Lumen, LLC to offer programs of unique interests to the Christian Contemplative community.
This first series of programs has featured Peter Fritsch, an Episcopal priest, spiritual director, writer, and a vigorous proponent of the inner life and listening to one’s intuition. He writes and teaches in the fields of Jungian/Christian Dialogue, dreamwork, healing prayer, and the life of the soul.
There is one program left in this series. We are working on developing further partnerships for the fall and will share details as they develop.
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Body Presence and Contemplative Awareness - Our bodies are warehouses of our life experiences, and they connect us directly to the rest of Creation and to God. Getting in touch with how our bodies react to our daily experiences leads to integration and healing while also opening us up to a direct connection to Creation and God "In whom we live and move and have our Being" (Acts 17:28).
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Upcoming Body Presence (BioSpiritual Focusing) events:
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Spiritual Direction and Companioning
If you're a Christian Contemplative seeker in need of deep listening and a caring spiritual presence, In Via Lumen offers Spiritual Direction and Companioning specifically focused on serving Christian Contemplatives.
If you would like to explore these options further, please use the contact form on these pages or email Mike Smoolca at: msmoolca@invialumen.org.
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Contemplative Outreach of CT - The Connecticut Chapter's mission is to support, grow and share the Contemplative Outreach Prayer Practices as well as to foster and enhance the Christian Contemplative Community in the Connecticut and Southwestern New England area.
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Among various things, our Chapter offers Introductory workshops in Centering Prayer, Lectio Divina and Welcoming Prayer by Contemplative Outreach Commissioned Presenters as well as online training to become a Contemplative Outreach Commissioned Presenter of Centering Prayer.
We are considering offering another Centering Prayer Presenter training class this year. If you're interested in finding out more about becoming a Commissioned Presenter of Centering Prayer and expressing your interest please visit: https://www.co-ct.org/co-ctpresentertraining.html
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Our Spring 2022 Quarterly Chapter Meeting will be held on Friday, March 18, 2022 at 2:30 p.m. online over Zoom.
We will share the time live online with Brother Paul Quenon, OSCO from the Trappist Abbey at Gethsemani, KY and Judith Valente, Author and Journalist. Brother Paul was one of Thomas Merton's novices. He and Judith recently published a book together entitled How to Be.
Members of the North-Central CT Merton Chapter email list will receive an email with a Zoom link for this event. If you're not already a member our Chapter's email list, you can sign up at the bottom of our web page: https://www.invialumen.org/northctitms.html
If folks can't attend in person, this session will be recorded and posted to our past events page. You may view our past events here: https://www.invialumen.org/north-central-itms-past-meetings.html
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In Via Lumen line up of some potential Fall 2022 Contemplative programs.
One of In Via Lumen's focus areas is offering facilitated Contemplative sharing groups. Such groups develop into communities of intimate sharing that tap into the workings of the Spirit. Currently, four such programs are being considered for this coming fall.
Please review these and express interest in those you feel drawn to. Expressing your interest will help to ensure that energy will be going into developing the programs that will best support the needs of the Christian Contemplative Community.
You're invited to express your interest in these programs here: https://www.invialumen.org/Fall2022preferences.html
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Gospel of Thomas and the themes of Christian Non-duality - A two-year Gospel of Thomas study group and insights from other sources, has suggested that the Logia (sayings) comprising this Gospel can be categorized into themes expressing Christian Non-duality. This program will review these Christian Non-dual themes. Each meeting will include a facilitated, Lectio-style unpacking of selected Logia related to these themes.
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The Bridges of Contemplative Living with Thomas Merton series is a way of growing together as an intimate contemplative community of friendship while also deepening each participant's capacity for Contemplative Living. We envision a new group starting in Book 1 this fall.
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Richard Rohr's Falling Upward is wonderful book covering the movement into the Second Half of Life. We envision the possibility of either a Contemplative Men's or mixed group using Falling Upward as a guide to Contemplative Sharing on the themes and transition discussed in Falling Upward.
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BioSpiritual Focusing - Exploration and Experience. This will be a modified version of the online Intensive Beginner's introduction to the Process and Experience of BioSpiritual Focusing that's been developed and offered by BioSpiritual.org. We'll focus on the process sections of Rediscovering the Lost Body-Connection within Christian Spirituality. In addition to content and other experiences, each week will include facilitated sharing and experiences of BioSpiritual Focusing.
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In the spirit of enriching yourself and strengthening the Christian Contemplative Community, I hope you will take part in the programs mentioned here and perhaps participate in some that you just became aware of.
I invite you to visit the In Via Lumen, LLC web page for more information and other resources. Among a variety of resources, you'll find a month-by-month list of featured programs that is updated periodically.
Please forward this email to anyone who you feel might be interested in any of this programming. Also, if you have a need or an idea for a program that you feel would enrich the Christian Contemplative Community, please send me an email!
Hoping that Lent will be a time of deep, interior reflection and preparation. Wishing you well on your unfolding Christian Contemplative Journey this spring!
Peace, Prayers, and Blessings,
Mike Smoolca
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