|
|
|
A Message from the President
The contemplative legacy of Fr. Thomas is a life-giving treasure--the practice, the teachings, our own network of practitioners--we have much to offer and it is our obligation to do so. The time has come for Contemplative Outreach to allow our light to shine in the darkness and to transmit the experience of Divine Love to our global community. It would be impossible for me to enumerate all that has happened over the last twenty years not to mention the miracles that I’ve experienced. Suffice it to say that leaping into the unknown is quite an adventure, a major lesson of trusting in the Spirit of God that manifests moment by moment. Some day I will most certainly write a book about this adventure, however, here I will highlight a few of the mystical happenings that took place this year. The Coordinator Servant-Leader Formation Training held at St. Meinrad’s Monastery in Indiana is in its fourth year and we continue to offer this outstanding week-long workshop to coordinators and contact persons eager to serve Contemplative Outreach. We had 40 attendees this year.
The new Centering Prayer brochure is complete. The “Refined Essentials” for the Introduction to Centering Prayer Program are finalized. Commissioning in the Refined Essentials was outlined at the annual conference. Additional training will be offered to re-qualify all commissioned presenters over the next couple of years. A pilot project, “Praying from the Heart, Praying with the Body Retreat”, was offered in New Mexico in July. It was an Intensive Centering Prayer retreat with yoga, breathing and chanting components as preparation for Centering Prayer. This excellent experience provided intentional, prayerful body movements and breath, which facilitated the purification process in a gentle consistent manner. These practices provided an opportunity to be most alert and receptive during the Centering Prayer periods. The Welcoming Prayer practice pilot project was held in Denver in August. It was a five-day formation process utilizing the updated essentials for the Welcoming Prayer. Most of the participants were long-time presenters of the workshop and found this experience to be a deep immersion into this practice. The magnificent experiences by all in attendance confirmed the value of the Welcoming Prayer practice. Karol Media, our resource fulfillment center in Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania, has served us very well. I renegotiated our contract with them in the fall of 2003 and as a result established new ordering policies for discounted customers. Our faithful Board of Trustees embarked on a re-visioning process that has taken us far beyond our expectations. We have outstanding support from the Austin, Texas and the Aspen, Colorado communities, people who have offered their professional expertise in the areas of organizational development and planning, marketing and communication, and fundraising expertise to help make Contemplative Outreach better known and accessible to many more people throughout the world. Blessings abound !
Chapter fundraising events have proven to be a source of spiritual enrichment and education for those in attendance. It is a time for dialogue and sharing between the international office and local chapters. Spending time together has increased understanding of the needs of the chapters and also revealed the rich abundance of resources and services available to the chapters by the international office resources center. The ongoing financial support of the members is what sustains the offerings of this resource center. Volunteers continue their selfless service to further the mission of Contemplative Outreach and offer Centering Prayer programs. In 2003, we served 37,900 persons and offered 2,600 programs. International expansion is happening by leaps and bounds. Translation and services are needed to support the growing requests for assistance. To this end, we’ve appointed Madeline Soo as our International Coordinator. The website is an exceptional resource, providing immediate access to content and information, which is particularly useful to our international community. This message contains only a sample of the expansion of our network, the changes that are evolving and the actions we are taking to implement new initiatives and programs. Look on the website for some creative new programs for 2005, such as The Contemplative Spiritual Companioning Course, offered by David Frenette, and The Contemplative Life Program detailed on page 3. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve Contemplative Outreach. Gail Fitzpatrick-Hopler
|
Home |
Front Page | Weekly
Article | Outreach |
Our Future Contact Information
|
It’s
hard for me to believe that I’ve been serving Contemplative Outreach for the
past twenty years. In the early days I served as a volunteer Board Member,
Coordinator of New York City and eventually was hired as the second Executive
Director. For the past five years I’ve served as President. Imagine...twenty
years of transformation on all levels of relationship within the global family
of Contemplative Outreach. I am amazed at what has been accomplished over the
years. Miraculously, the network is mostly managed by devoted volunteers and
only a handful of paid staff, all of whom are dedicated to sharing Christian
contemplative spirituality around the world. After 20 years, I am still filled
with enthusiasm and deeply committed to this sacred work.
