 Mike Smoolca, Chapter Coordinator, Contemplative Outreach of Connecticut
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Welcome to the Contemplative Outreach of Connecticut Chapter website!
Our 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 area. Our Vision is to align with the latest practices and principles of Contemplative Outreach, Ltd. and to endorse a comprehensive view of the Keating legacy. Please see our Information Page for more details. We welcome you to our online presence! Please browse our site, sign up to be on our email list (below), register your Centering Prayer Group with us (below) and request an Introductory Workshop, other Program for your Parish or Group as well as additional information or assistance on our Contact Page (found under Resources). - Mike Smoolca, Contemplative Outreach of CT Chapter Coordinator. Meet our Leadership Team. |
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Latest News9/17/2020:
Click here to view the CO-CT Fall 2020 Quarterly Update! Upcoming area events of local interest: September 2020: Sunday, September 20, 2020, 6:15 p.m. – 9:30 p.m, Annual Gathering with Keynote Reverend Matthew Wright, Reverend Matthew Wright, Spiritual Life Center, 303 Tunxis Road West Hartford, CT 06107 (this will be an Online Program) October 2020: Saturday, October 17, 2020, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. - Key Contemplative Ancestors: Eckhart, Hadewijch, Mechthild, Porete, Dr. Rickey Cotton, Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center, 303 Tunxis Road West Hartford, CT 06107 Tuesday October 20 - Tuesday November 24, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. - Christian Wisdom:: Exploring the Gospel of Thomas, Mike Smoolca. (Online via Zoom) Saturday, October 31, 2020, 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. - Centering Prayer Introductory Workshop, Mike Smoolca, Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center, 303 Tunxis Road West Hartford, CT 06107 November 2020: Wednesday, November 4, 2020 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. - Thomas Merton on the invitation to Non-Violence, Mike Smoolca, Our Lady of Calvary Retreat Center, 31 Colton Street, Farmington, CT Saturday, November 21, 2020, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. - Centering for Wisdom, Thomas Bushlack, Ph.D., Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center, 303 Tunxis Road West Hartford, CT 06107 December 2020: Saturday, December 5, 2020, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. - Lectio Divina Introductory Workshop for Advent, Mike Smoolca and Nancy Stimac, Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center, 303 Tunxis Road West Hartford, CT 06107 January 2021: Saturday, January 30, 2021, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. - Quaker Mystics and Methods, Hilary Burgin, Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center, 303 Tunxis Road West Hartford, CT 06107 Please check our Current Events Page for additional events as they are added over time! The following local Prayer Groups are offering online meetings via Zoom: Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center (Public Chapel), 303 Tunxis Road, West Hartford, CT Mike Smoolca, msmoolca@hotmail.com, 860-798-8992 Thursday evenings 7:00 – 8:30 p.m. Mary Gate of Heaven, Windsor Locks, CT Nancy Stimac, nstimac@comcast.net, 860-683-4490, Wednesday evenings Chapel of St. John the Divine - 10 Church Way (at Willett Rd.) Saunderstown, R.I., 02874 Rev. Robert Travis, 401-295-0193, fatherrobtravis@gmail.com Thursdays 10:30 a.m. Please contact the person listed to find out how to join. If you are a local group holding an online Centering Prayer meeting please let us know and we'll list you here. Contact us at: contact@co-ct.org If you'd like to move your Prayer Group to use Zoom the following link which also provides a way to getting to a National listing of online groups: https://www.contemplativeoutreach.org/general-tips-using-zoom-staying-connected Find our more and express your interest in local Centering Prayer Presenter training! |
Thought for Summer!"If you do Centering Prayer and don't bring it into active life - like the active prayer phrase, the Welcoming Prayer and Guard of the Heart - you will be in trouble.”
Thomas Keating Become familiar with two CT Contemplative Outreach Chapter Leaders by listening to the following interview of Mike Smoolca and Grace Padilla. Mike speaks first about his connection with Thomas Merton and Father Thomas Keating and then Grace shares about her deeply personal experiences with Centering Prayer through acquaintance with Father Basil Pennington and Father Keating.
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Updates have been made to our list of Prayer Groups: http://www.co-ct.org/prayer-groups.html
We would like to list your Prayer Group on our page, please fill out the form on the previously linked page to provide us information about your group and we'll list so others will know how to find you.
Here's the link to Fr Thomas's tribute page on this site.
We would like to list your Prayer Group on our page, please fill out the form on the previously linked page to provide us information about your group and we'll list so others will know how to find you.
Here's the link to Fr Thomas's tribute page on this site.
If you have an interest in becoming more actively involved in serving the Contemplative Outreach of CT Chapter please contact Mike Smoolca at: msmoolca@hotmail.com
Contemplative Outreach of CT has developed a flyer as a way of concisely describing who we are. We invite you to download the flyer and share it with your Prayer Group and others.
Contemplative Outreach of CT has developed a flyer as a way of concisely describing who we are. We invite you to download the flyer and share it with your Prayer Group and others.
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The Christian Contemplative Experience at Holy Family Retreat Center is in it's fifth Retreat Season in 2020 - 2021!After years of offering Contemplative Programming and working closely with local Christian Contemplative Prayer Community Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center, 303 Tunxis Road, West Hartford, CT formally began to offer a structured program and community-building effort around Christian contemplative prayer during its 2016-17 retreat season. From introductory workshops to daylong immersions to weekend and longer intensives, the multi-tiered programming offers those curious about the topic and those more experienced many opportunities to meet, share and explore the contemplative tradition together. This program, known as the Christian Contemplative Experience (CCE) is entering it's fourth year at Holy Family.
CCE is informed by the principles, prayer practices and teachings of Contemplative Outreach, LTD, founded by Thomas Keating in 1984. It includes the methods of Lectio Divina, Centering Prayer and Welcoming Prayer, among others. CCE is also enriched by the Wisdom teaching and methods of Cynthia Bourgeault and her International Wisdom network. |
Beginning this fall, Holy Family is entering its fifth season offering the Christian Contemplative Experience (CCE), a structured series of workshops and retreats that support the Christian Contemplative Community. The Christian Contemplative Experience at Holy Family has a full set of programming as in past seasons. However, due to the COVID pandemic, this season will be a bit different from other seasons and will consist of a combination of Zoom online events as well as on-site events as prudence and safety permits.
Holy Family also invites you to participate in their Thursday evening Christian Contemplative Prayer group which is currently being offered over Zoom. Please contact Mike Smoolca by email at cce@holyfamilyretreat.org for further information on these meetings.
The Christian Contemplative Community that has gathered at Holy Family is an important part of their programming which they hope enriches and strengthens individuals and the Community during this difficult time. Your involvement and support matter and help sustain and grow this important offering.
All are welcome to join the Contemplative Community at Holy Family in West Hartford. You're invited to learn more at: http://www.holyfamilyretreat.org/cce. We encourage our community to visit it often as we will make updates as circumstances necessitate
Holy Family also invites you to participate in their Thursday evening Christian Contemplative Prayer group which is currently being offered over Zoom. Please contact Mike Smoolca by email at cce@holyfamilyretreat.org for further information on these meetings.
The Christian Contemplative Community that has gathered at Holy Family is an important part of their programming which they hope enriches and strengthens individuals and the Community during this difficult time. Your involvement and support matter and help sustain and grow this important offering.
All are welcome to join the Contemplative Community at Holy Family in West Hartford. You're invited to learn more at: http://www.holyfamilyretreat.org/cce. We encourage our community to visit it often as we will make updates as circumstances necessitate
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The Christian Contemplative Experience at Holy Family was pleased to welcome The Rev. Cynthia Bourgeault, one of the great contemplative guides of our times. along with other well-known Contemplative teachers for a retreat from November 8 – 14, 2019.
Here is link to the resources from the Retreat. |
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Register with us
If you're not already on the Contemplative Outreach of Connecticut email list or if your Centering Prayer group is not listed in our list of Prayer Groups please provide us with your information below.
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For Introductory Workshops, Programs and other requests please use our Contacts page.
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