 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 News1/1/2020
Click here to view the CO-CT January 2020 Quarterly Update! Find our more and express your interest in local Centering Prayer Presenter training! Upcoming area events of local interest: January 2020: Saturday, January 18, 9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.- A Cup in Hand – A Day of Contemplative Reflection, Gunilla Norris and Frank Pendola, MERCY BY THE SEA, 167 Neck Road, Madison, CT 06443 February 2020: Saturday, February 1, 2020, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. - The Dark Night of the Soul: Night of Spirit, Susan Komis, Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center, 303 Tunxis Road West Hartford, CT 06107 Saturday, February 22, 2020, 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. - Seven Deadly Attitudes, Therese Saulnier, Caritas Christi Center, 295 Benham Street, Hamden, CT 06514 Saturday, February 22, 2020, 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. - Centering Prayer Introductory Workshop, Nancy Stimac, Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center, 303 Tunxis Road West Hartford, CT 06107 March 2020: Saturday, March 14, 2020, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. - A Contemplative Reformation: Parish Life, Rev. Stuart Higginbotham, Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center, 303 Tunxis Road West Hartford, CT 06107 Sunday March 22, 2020, 1:30 - 4:30 p.m. - THOMAS MERTON: THE ARC AND INSIGHTS FROM A MODERN CHRISTIAN CONTEMPLATIVE JOURNEY. Mike Smoolca, Genesis Spiritual Life & Conference Center, 53 Mill Street, Westfield, MA April 2020: Saturday, April 4, 2020, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. - Integrating Nature and Body in Contemplative Practice, Mark Kutolowski, Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center, 303 Tunxis Road West Hartford, CT 06107 April 23-26, 2020 - Introductory Wisdom School, Rev. Bill Redfield, 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! |
Thought for Winter!"Without thinking or feeling some emotion, there is just awareness. There is then no desire for bliss, enlightenment, or to teach others. Things are just as they are. In that so called emptiness, enjoyment arises of itself. As soon as we try to enjoy, the enjoyment ceases. Somehow at the bottom of emptiness (openness, pure awareness), there is the Divine Presence and the peace that surpasses all understanding.”
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 was pleased to welcome The Rev. Cynthia Bourgeault, one of the great contemplative guides of our times, as presenter for a retreat from November 8 – 14, 2019. Here is link to the resources from the Retreat.
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The Christian Contemplative Experience at Holy Family Retreat Center is in it's fourth Retreat Season in 2019-2020!fter 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. |
This season a mix of seasoned along with recognized younger Christian Contemplative teachers who attended the 2017 New Contemplative Leaders Exchange in Snowmass will be featured. Also included is a sold-out week-long Contemplative Retreat entitled Reclaiming the Mystical Heart of Christianity,featuring Cynthia Borgeault and other Contemplative Leaders will occupy the entire Retreat Center.
By embracing the Christian Contemplative Tradition, Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center seeks to affirm the oneness of all Christians and to transcend our outward differences by joining together in silent prayer. It seeks to provide a space where Christians can meet, share and pray together in the unity of the contemplative tradition.
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
By embracing the Christian Contemplative Tradition, Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center seeks to affirm the oneness of all Christians and to transcend our outward differences by joining together in silent prayer. It seeks to provide a space where Christians can meet, share and pray together in the unity of the contemplative tradition.
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
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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