In his book, Contemplative Prayer, Trappist monk Thomas Merton shares this reflection on contemplative silence from Syrian monk Isaac of Nineveh: Many are avidly seeking but they alone find who remain in continual silence. … Every man who delights in a multitude of words, even though he says...

Both political parties have chosen candidates for state and national office. Now, we as faithful citizens have important and sometimes difficult decisions to make, taking into account a candidate’s character, integrity, and ability to influence a given issue (USCCB, Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship, 2023). The candidate must have good moral values and the integrity to pursue them; the intelligence, human relations skills, mastery of policy needed; and the ability to work well with other people, both allies and opponents. These are important when considering the need to protect our common...

The MMOC Contemplative Core Team will host "Introduction to Contemplative Prayer & The Centering Prayer Practice” on Saturday, September 14, from 8:30 am-12:15 pm: Workshop Goals: Provide an understanding of ...

The MMOC Peace and Justice Ministry received a grant from the Archdiocese to present our upcoming program, “The Cost of Violence: Stories Seldom Heard,” on September 28 and October 19. All are invited to attend; use the Signup Genius or ...

Continuing discussion of human and sex trafficking, we’ll address “extortion” and steps being taken to address these appalling crimes made easier by the internet and artificial intelligence. Extortion is the coercion of child victims into ...

St. Bonaventure continues reflecting on contemplation as a “passing over” into a direct experience of God: If you ask how [experience of communion with God] can occur, seek the answer in God’s grace, not in doctrine; in the longing of the ...

Wisdom from St. Bonaventure, passed along by Paul Schulte: Christ is both the way and the door. Christ is the staircase and the vehicle, like the throne of mercy over the Ark of the Covenant,and the mystery hidden from the ages. A man should turn his full attention to this throne of mercy, and should gaze at him hanging on the cross, full of faith, hope and charity, devoted, full of wonder and...

The COVID pandemic has contributed to the prevalence, creation, and dissemination of child sexual abuse materials (CSAM). As global online activity increased, so did the distribution of CSAM. The number of reported offenses skyrocketed with ...

In their newsletter, “Hidden in Plain Sight”, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, in conjunction with Migration and Refugee Services, addresses the role of the internet and artificial intelligence (AI) in the sexual exploitation of...

Writer and spiritual director Caroline Oakes perceives contemplative practice at the heart of Jesus’ rhythm of ministry. His example teaches us to detach from our judgments and expectations so that we can return to Divine presence: Gospel accounts show us that Jesus himself lived ...

In his book, How Big Is Your God?, Fr. Paul Coutinho, formerly of the Society of Jesus, recounts a lesson he learned in detachment: When I joined the Jesuits, I brought with me a blazer that I had received on Prize Distribution Day in high school… The blazer was a prize for excellence in sports...

Sex trafficking has become even more prevalent due to the role of the internet and artificial intelligence (AI). These platforms are used for ...

Contemplative author and clinical psychotherapist James Finley recently shared a marvelous insight: The essential never imposes itself on us, while the unessential is constantly imposing itself on us. Many of us are used to ...

I don’t know about you, but I am guilty of overconsumption. As a result, I often find myself with things I no longer need or use, and they end up in my basement. Sound familiar? I have often heard the request, “Reuse. Reduce. Recycle.” When I hear this,..

The ability to think is unmistakably a gift of the human experience, and our understanding of our faith owes much to great thinkers like Thomas Aquinas, or more recently, Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI. Yet, even the ...

In his book Everything Belongs, Father Richard Rohr, OFM, offers a prayer to welcome reality, so we can experience the Reign of God, what he calls the Really Real. Great religion seeks utter awareness and full consciousness, so that we can...

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n an interesting article by Laura Parker entitled, “The world’s plastic pollution crisis, explained,” presented in February of this year on National Geographic’s website, Ms. Parker states, “Plastic pollution has become ...

The Four “R”s are often put forth as a guideline for how to deal with thoughts in Centering practice: Resist no thought, Retain no thought, React emotionally to no thought, and Return, ever so gently, to the sacred word. All of these ...

In Jeremiah 32:27, God self-identifies as "God of all the living," or of all humankind. It follows naturally that God must be accessible and approachable to all. The beauty of Centering Prayer, and really, of all contemplative practice, is ...