 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 Chapter Coordinating Team. |
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Latest News2/25/2023:
Click here to view the CO-CT Winter 2023 Quarterly Update! Contemplative Outreach 2023 United in Prayer Day - March 3-4, 2023. Join the Global Contemplative Outreach Community over Zoom. Contemplative Outreach of CT will also hold it's annual in-person United in Prayer Day gathering at Caritas Christi Center, 295 Benham Street, in Hamden, CT from 1:00PM – 3:00PM. Visit our Chapter's Centering Prayer Presenter Training page if you're interested in becoming a Commissioned Presenter of Centering Prayer. We will be offering another Presenter Formation Training class over Zoom on the following dates: May 26,27 and June 2, 3 2023. There are still limited openings to join this class. Our Chapter is once again offering six "Continuing Sessions of the Introduction to the Centering Prayer Practice" over Zoom on Wednesday evenings in April. The dates are April 12,19 and 26. Click here if you're interested more information is available here! We've continue to update our Prayer Group listings! If you are a Prayer Group facilitator and want to connect to other Prayer Group facilitators on a quarterly basis over Zoom, please contact Patricia Wildes, who leads our Prayer Group facilitator support team! Our winter Quarterly meeting is on January 29, 2023 Upcoming area events of local interest: March 2023: March 4, 2023 United in Prayer Day, Caritas Christi Center, 295 Benham Street, Hamden, CT 06514 March 16-18, 2023 Presence, Prayer, and Writing from the Heart with Anne A. Simpkinson Mercy the Sea Retreat and Conference Center, 167 Neck Rd., Madison, CT 06443 March 18, 2023: The Mystical Experience of Everyday Living with Sophfronia Scott, M.F.A., Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center, 303 Tunxis Road West Hartford, CT 06107 March 25, 2023: Centering Prayer Introductory Workshop with Mike Smoolca or Frank Pendola, Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center, 303 Tunxis Road West Hartford, CT 06107 April 2023: April 12,19 and 26 2023 Six "Continuing Sessions of the Introduction to the Centering Prayer Practice" over Zoom facilitated by Tricia Knight-Bellisle and Frank Pendola April 15, 2023: Fear, Freedom, and Levels of the Mind: Cultivating Interior Freedom in Fierce Times with Mark Kutolowski, Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center, 303 Tunxis Road West Hartford, CT 06107 May 2023: May 6, 2023: Emotional Sobriety through Contemplative Practice with Jim McElroy, Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center, 303 Tunxis Road West Hartford, CT 06107 June 2023: June 10, 2023: The Ecstasy of God with Fr. Michael K. Holleran, 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 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 |
Thought for the New Year"The primary observance of Lent is to confront the false- self. Fasting, prayer and almsgiving are in the service of this project. As we dismantle our emotional programs for happiness, the obstacles to the risen life of Jesus fall away, and our hearts are prepared for the infusion of divine life at Easter””
― Thomas Keating, The Mystery of Christ Contemplative Outreach of CT Coordinator, Mike Smoolca, talking about Centering Prayer, Welcoming Prayer and related topics on the Inner Peace Podcast - published September 26, 2021.
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 our new flyer coming soon 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 our new flyer coming soon and share it with your Prayer Group and others.
Contemplative Outreach of CT will continue to offer opportunities to acquire Contemplative Books at a remarkable price!
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We are currently consolidating our used book list and will publish our revised list once we've completed this.
The proceeds from the sales of these books support the ongoing work of the Contemplative Outreach of CT chapter! |
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The Christian Contemplative Experience at Holy Family Retreat Center is in it's seventh Retreat Season in 2022 - 2023!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 sixth 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 various classical and modern Christian Contemplative spiritual masters.. |
Beginning the fall of 2022, Holy Family is entering its seventh 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. Since COVID, CCE offers much of its programming using a Hybrid Approach, allowing participant to attend in-person or over Zoom whichever approach works best for them.
Holy Family also invites you to participate in their Thursday evening Christian Contemplative Prayer group which is currently being offered alternatively in person and 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 alternatively in person and 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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