Opening people to encounter and experience the Divine in everyday life through workshops, communities, facilitation, teaching, spiritual direction/companioning, supervision and other resources. Focused on seekers pursuing the path of Christian Contemplative Spirituality.
In addition to the resources available at this site, In Via Lumen offers services to groups and to individuals on their spiritual journey. You can find out more about these services on the Assistance and Contact page.
In addition to the resources available at this site, In Via Lumen offers services to groups and to individuals on their spiritual journey. You can find out more about these services on the Assistance and Contact page.
Current Highlights: - updated on 11/1/2025
View our latest email announcement!
A facilitated Contemplative Book Study entitled Engaging difficult times with Thomas Merton's Contemplative Insights will begin in January 2026. This is closely aligned with the North Central CT ITMS Chapter and will focus on collections of Merton’s essays from the 1960s. The group will meet Monday mornings from 10:30 - 11:45 p.m. ET over Zoom. More details coming shortly!
The contemplative study and sharing group on Living Yeshua's Parables will continue in January 2026 and may have some limited openings. The group will continue meeting on Monday evenings 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. ET via Zoom. More details coming shortly!
We continue to update our list of programs for the current season, continue to watch this space and check our Featured Programs page for additional listings!
View our latest email announcement!
A facilitated Contemplative Book Study entitled Engaging difficult times with Thomas Merton's Contemplative Insights will begin in January 2026. This is closely aligned with the North Central CT ITMS Chapter and will focus on collections of Merton’s essays from the 1960s. The group will meet Monday mornings from 10:30 - 11:45 p.m. ET over Zoom. More details coming shortly!
The contemplative study and sharing group on Living Yeshua's Parables will continue in January 2026 and may have some limited openings. The group will continue meeting on Monday evenings 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. ET via Zoom. More details coming shortly!
We continue to update our list of programs for the current season, continue to watch this space and check our Featured Programs page for additional listings!
Here's a current list of upcoming programs:
November 2025:
November 21-23, 2025, Reading the Bible like a Mystic Retreat with Carl McColman, Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center, 303 Tunxis Road West Hartford, CT 06107 and via Zoom
December 2025:
Saturday, December 6, 2025 8:30 A.M. to 4:30 P.M From the Heart of Yeshua — following the path of the Aramaic Jesus with Rev Henry Schoenfield, Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center, 303 Tunxis Road West Hartford, CT 06107 and via Zoom
January 2026:
Saturday, January 24, 2026 8:30 A.M. to 4:30 P.M God in the Cosmos: How Hildegard of Bingen and Teilhard de Chardin Invite Us into the Sacred with Rt. Rev. Br. Mark D'Alessio, Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center, 303 Tunxis Road West Hartford, CT 06107 and via Zoom
February 2026:
Saturday, February 21, 2026 8:30 A.M. to 4:30 P.M Anam Cara: Thomas Merton, and Pursuing Relationships That Enlighten Our Lives with Sophfronia Scott, Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center, 303 Tunxis Road West Hartford, CT 06107 and via Zoom
March 2026:
March 6-8, 2026, Learning and Opening to the Body’s Experience of Living in God - BioSpiritual Focusing weekend Retreat with Nancy Benben, Donna O'Connor, and Mike Smoolca, Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center, 303 Tunxis Road West Hartford, CT 06107
Saturday, March 21, 2026 8:30 A.M. to 4:30 P.M Being Bravely Yourself – Navigating a personal, Contemplative Enneagram Journey with Rev. Dr. Jill Schneider, Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center, 303 Tunxis Road West Hartford, CT 06107
April 2026:
Saturday, April 11, 2026 8:30 A.M. to 4:30 P.M Living the Questions with Rainer Maria Rilke with Mark Burrows, Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center, 303 Tunxis Road West Hartford, CT 06107
May 2026:
May 3 -8, 2026 Six-Day Intensive and Post Intensive Centering Prayer Retreat with Fr. Justin Lanier, Mike Smoolca and Staff, Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center, 303 Tunxis Road West Hartford, CT 06107
See our Featured Events list for more programming. This page continues to be updated to reflect those events in which In Via Lumen, LLC is involved. Events may be added as time goes on.
November 2025:
November 21-23, 2025, Reading the Bible like a Mystic Retreat with Carl McColman, Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center, 303 Tunxis Road West Hartford, CT 06107 and via Zoom
December 2025:
Saturday, December 6, 2025 8:30 A.M. to 4:30 P.M From the Heart of Yeshua — following the path of the Aramaic Jesus with Rev Henry Schoenfield, Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center, 303 Tunxis Road West Hartford, CT 06107 and via Zoom
January 2026:
Saturday, January 24, 2026 8:30 A.M. to 4:30 P.M God in the Cosmos: How Hildegard of Bingen and Teilhard de Chardin Invite Us into the Sacred with Rt. Rev. Br. Mark D'Alessio, Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center, 303 Tunxis Road West Hartford, CT 06107 and via Zoom
February 2026:
Saturday, February 21, 2026 8:30 A.M. to 4:30 P.M Anam Cara: Thomas Merton, and Pursuing Relationships That Enlighten Our Lives with Sophfronia Scott, Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center, 303 Tunxis Road West Hartford, CT 06107 and via Zoom
March 2026:
March 6-8, 2026, Learning and Opening to the Body’s Experience of Living in God - BioSpiritual Focusing weekend Retreat with Nancy Benben, Donna O'Connor, and Mike Smoolca, Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center, 303 Tunxis Road West Hartford, CT 06107
Saturday, March 21, 2026 8:30 A.M. to 4:30 P.M Being Bravely Yourself – Navigating a personal, Contemplative Enneagram Journey with Rev. Dr. Jill Schneider, Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center, 303 Tunxis Road West Hartford, CT 06107
April 2026:
Saturday, April 11, 2026 8:30 A.M. to 4:30 P.M Living the Questions with Rainer Maria Rilke with Mark Burrows, Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center, 303 Tunxis Road West Hartford, CT 06107
May 2026:
May 3 -8, 2026 Six-Day Intensive and Post Intensive Centering Prayer Retreat with Fr. Justin Lanier, Mike Smoolca and Staff, Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center, 303 Tunxis Road West Hartford, CT 06107
See our Featured Events list for more programming. This page continues to be updated to reflect those events in which In Via Lumen, LLC is involved. Events may be added as time goes on.
The following study, sharing and support group is running this fall:
Monday evenings - 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. ET - Zoom. A contemplative study and sharing group on Living Yeshua's Parables.
Using the Jesus seminar as a guide to identify which Canonical and Gospel of Thomas parables are the most likely to be authentic for our consideration, the group will seek their deeper, inner meaning. Using a well-practiced Lectio-process we will share our individual understandings in a group and then reflect and share diverse sources of Commentaries to enhance what we discover about their meaning. Our objective is to become open to seeing from Yeshua's level of Consciousness so we can begin living from it.
This group will meet on the following Mondays:
Based on past experience, participation in each session is not necessary in order to be enriched by these experiences.
The group is currently at capacity. Please email to express your interest in participating in this group if openings become available or for more information about future groups: [email protected]!
The following support group continues into January 2026:
Mondays 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. ET - Zoom. A Course In Miracles Workbook Support group
The ACIM Workbook is a key component of A Course in Miracles (ACIM), designed to help students practice and internalize the teachings of the Course through daily exercises. The workbook's purpose is to gradually shift the participant's perception and level of consciousness. The group will be facilitated by someone who is experienced with going through the ACIM Workbook as part of a group. The focus of the group will be on the experience of going through the 365 days of exercises that make up the ACIM workbook. The group supports one another through the Workbook exercises and helping to process our experiences on a week-by-week basis.
It's expected that each person participating in this group will commit to doing each lesson in the ACIM Workbook faithfully on a daily basis. The exercises are designed to be easily incorporated into a normal everyday routine and are typically done 2 - 3 times per day in a few minutes each time. Please be sure you can make this commitment before joining the group; this is a commitment you are making both to yourself and for the benefit of the group.
We started this group on Monday January 27, 2025 and meet each Monday over the course of a year (holidays excluded) until the Workbook has been completed.
Monday evenings - 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. ET - Zoom. A contemplative study and sharing group on Living Yeshua's Parables.
Using the Jesus seminar as a guide to identify which Canonical and Gospel of Thomas parables are the most likely to be authentic for our consideration, the group will seek their deeper, inner meaning. Using a well-practiced Lectio-process we will share our individual understandings in a group and then reflect and share diverse sources of Commentaries to enhance what we discover about their meaning. Our objective is to become open to seeing from Yeshua's level of Consciousness so we can begin living from it.
This group will meet on the following Mondays:
- September 22, 27
- October 6, 13, 27
- November 3, 10, 17
Based on past experience, participation in each session is not necessary in order to be enriched by these experiences.
The group is currently at capacity. Please email to express your interest in participating in this group if openings become available or for more information about future groups: [email protected]!
The following support group continues into January 2026:
Mondays 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. ET - Zoom. A Course In Miracles Workbook Support group
The ACIM Workbook is a key component of A Course in Miracles (ACIM), designed to help students practice and internalize the teachings of the Course through daily exercises. The workbook's purpose is to gradually shift the participant's perception and level of consciousness. The group will be facilitated by someone who is experienced with going through the ACIM Workbook as part of a group. The focus of the group will be on the experience of going through the 365 days of exercises that make up the ACIM workbook. The group supports one another through the Workbook exercises and helping to process our experiences on a week-by-week basis.
It's expected that each person participating in this group will commit to doing each lesson in the ACIM Workbook faithfully on a daily basis. The exercises are designed to be easily incorporated into a normal everyday routine and are typically done 2 - 3 times per day in a few minutes each time. Please be sure you can make this commitment before joining the group; this is a commitment you are making both to yourself and for the benefit of the group.
We started this group on Monday January 27, 2025 and meet each Monday over the course of a year (holidays excluded) until the Workbook has been completed.
A BioSpiritual Focusing Approach to Supervision for Spiritual Direction
Using BioSpiritual Focusing during spiritual companionship can open the door to new insights and deep noticings of the movement of the Spirit. Using it in the context of peer supervision can be equally powerful. If you are familiar with BioSpiritual Focus and would like to hone your skills within the supportive peer supervision circle, please join facilitators Nancy Benben and Mike Smoolca on the 2nd Tuesday of each month, 6:30pm to 8:00pm, beginning September 10, 2024.
Click here for further information and to request to join the fall group!
Using BioSpiritual Focusing during spiritual companionship can open the door to new insights and deep noticings of the movement of the Spirit. Using it in the context of peer supervision can be equally powerful. If you are familiar with BioSpiritual Focus and would like to hone your skills within the supportive peer supervision circle, please join facilitators Nancy Benben and Mike Smoolca on the 2nd Tuesday of each month, 6:30pm to 8:00pm, beginning September 10, 2024.
Click here for further information and to request to join the fall group!
Mike Smoolca continues to offer Thursday evening online Contemplative Prayer meetings on Zoom. These sessions run from 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. and will use the following format:
Participants are encouraged to join the Zoom meeting at 6:45 p.m so that any issues can be resolved in advance and so that the group is able to start on time. Please contact Mike Smoolca via email ([email protected]) directly if you're interested in participating in these sessions!
Please visit the Contemplative Outreach of Connecticut Chapter web site!
I will continue revising the In Via Lumen, LLC web site to stay current with the inspirations of my developing spirituality and areas I'm actively engaged in. -- Mike Smoolca
- Body Scan into Welcoming Prayer
- Video/Audio teaching with Sharing.
- 20 minutes of Centering Prayer
- Scholastic Lectio Divina Practice on an excerpt from the upcoming Sunday Gospel
Participants are encouraged to join the Zoom meeting at 6:45 p.m so that any issues can be resolved in advance and so that the group is able to start on time. Please contact Mike Smoolca via email ([email protected]) directly if you're interested in participating in these sessions!
Please visit the Contemplative Outreach of Connecticut Chapter web site!
I will continue revising the In Via Lumen, LLC web site to stay current with the inspirations of my developing spirituality and areas I'm actively engaged in. -- Mike Smoolca
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Featured Programs
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Thomas Merton
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Of Lasting Interest:
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In the fall of 2021, Mike Smoolca was interviewed by Dr. Kevin Reese for his Inner Peace Podcast. Our conversation just came out and I invite you to listen to it. You can find Kevin's other podcasts here:https://linktr.ee/inner.peace.pod |
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Please visit the web page for the newly forming Farmington Valley League of Light Multifaith Community. This community is a wonderful means of Multifaith solidarity. I'd like to draw your attention to the Contemplative Dialogue page.
I'm keep a running history of the pages I've changed below until the site has been updated to my satisfaction:
Latest Blog Entry finalized on 9/25/2016.
Here's a link to the archived recording of my recent radio interview on: WESU's Reasonably Catholic Radio show.
The Day of Christian Contemplative Reflection on June 11, 2016 sponsored by the Christian Contemplative Prayer groups of Northern CT and being hosted by Holy Family was a wonderfully enriching Contemplative experience exploring the Spirituality of Thomas Merton.
We've completed two years (2014-2015, 2015-2016) of the Contemplative Outreach, Contemplative Formation Program in Central CT. Here are the Community pages for both years:
Community Page for Living Flame 1 Experience
Community Page for Living Flame 2 Experience
In the Summer of 2015 Contemplative Outreach Boston sponsored Contemplative Outreach Centering Prayer Presenter Training offered in the greater Hartford Area. Seven folks were trained over two weekends, since then, 2 of the 7 have become Commissioned Presenters of Centering Prayer.
Here are the final updates on the Second Annual Day of Prayer held on June 6, 2015.
I'm keep a running history of the pages I've changed below until the site has been updated to my satisfaction:
- Reflections (7/7/2018)
Latest Blog Entry finalized on 9/25/2016.
Here's a link to the archived recording of my recent radio interview on: WESU's Reasonably Catholic Radio show.
The Day of Christian Contemplative Reflection on June 11, 2016 sponsored by the Christian Contemplative Prayer groups of Northern CT and being hosted by Holy Family was a wonderfully enriching Contemplative experience exploring the Spirituality of Thomas Merton.
We've completed two years (2014-2015, 2015-2016) of the Contemplative Outreach, Contemplative Formation Program in Central CT. Here are the Community pages for both years:
Community Page for Living Flame 1 Experience
Community Page for Living Flame 2 Experience
In the Summer of 2015 Contemplative Outreach Boston sponsored Contemplative Outreach Centering Prayer Presenter Training offered in the greater Hartford Area. Seven folks were trained over two weekends, since then, 2 of the 7 have become Commissioned Presenters of Centering Prayer.
Here are the final updates on the Second Annual Day of Prayer held on June 6, 2015.