Kindly Let Us Know THat You'll Be PARTICIPATING Our AUGUST 2025 Spring / Summer 2026 Quarterly Meeting
Engaging difficult times with Thomas Merton's Contemplative Insights!
As a monk, Thomas Merton wrote extensively about his evolving Christian Contemplative Spirituality and the profound insights he gained from living from deeper levels of self-awareness. In the 1960's, feeling called by God to re-engage with the world, Merton began addressing the major issues of his era— including Racial Justice and Civil Rights, Nonviolence and Peace, Political Conscience and Moral Responsibility, Global Solidarity and Human Rights —through the lens of his Christian contemplative understanding. Many of these issues remain relevant today, and Merton’s insights can help us develop a deeper perspective on how we understand and respond to current events.
A facilitated Contemplative Book Study, closely aligned with the North Central CT ITMS Chapter, began meeting January 12, 2026. This study is focused on collections of Merton’s essays from the 1960s. This group is meeting Monday mornings from 10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. ET over Zoom. The first collection we'll be covering is Passion for Peace.
The current group will meet through April 6, 2026. If you'd like to be included in future groups please send an email to: [email protected].
As a monk, Thomas Merton wrote extensively about his evolving Christian Contemplative Spirituality and the profound insights he gained from living from deeper levels of self-awareness. In the 1960's, feeling called by God to re-engage with the world, Merton began addressing the major issues of his era— including Racial Justice and Civil Rights, Nonviolence and Peace, Political Conscience and Moral Responsibility, Global Solidarity and Human Rights —through the lens of his Christian contemplative understanding. Many of these issues remain relevant today, and Merton’s insights can help us develop a deeper perspective on how we understand and respond to current events.
A facilitated Contemplative Book Study, closely aligned with the North Central CT ITMS Chapter, began meeting January 12, 2026. This study is focused on collections of Merton’s essays from the 1960s. This group is meeting Monday mornings from 10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. ET over Zoom. The first collection we'll be covering is Passion for Peace.
The current group will meet through April 6, 2026. If you'd like to be included in future groups please send an email to: [email protected].
Kindly Let Us Know THat You'll Be PARTICIPATING Our January 26, 2022 Winter Quarterly Meeting - And Please Select The Sessions You're Most Interested In!
The sessions considered for viewing and discussion at this meeting were:
- Kathleen Deignan, CND - Overshadowed: Thomas Merton and The Cloud of Unknowing
- Jim Finley - Turning to Thomas Merton as a Trustworthy Guide in the Gentle Art of Contemplative Living
- Jonathan Montaldo - Thomas Merton’s Contemplative Exercises for Entering the School of Our Lives
- Jim Forest - An Army that Sheds No Blood: Thomas Merton’s Response to War
- Daniel P. Horan, OFM - Thomas Merton and Black Lives Matter: Spirituality and Racial Justice for Our Time
We are currently at capacity, if you're interested in being on a waiting list for the fall group as we confirm everyone's participation or are interested in participating in a group starting in January 2022, please email Mike Smoolca at: [email protected]. Many Thanks for those interested in being part of this Spirit-led Gospel of Thomas study group!
We will meet in the Center Building's First Floor Classroom.
Each person is on a unique spiritual journey through life. It has been my experience that the spiritual journey is an awakening to True Self which is the place of genuine human freedom and opening to the Divine within each of us. Increasing awareness of your True Self is a process of personal transformation leading to experience ever deepening levels of relationship with God, other people and all of creation.
Though you are ultimately responsible for navigating the twists and turns of your own spiritual journey, it is not meant as a solo-trip. All things are created by God to be in relationship! At times in your life, usually difficult ones, you recognize a deep need for and longing to connect with God and with others. At these times, your dependence on God becomes very real and you soon realize that the help, spiritual support and inspiration of others is also vitally important.
Though you are ultimately responsible for navigating the twists and turns of your own spiritual journey, it is not meant as a solo-trip. All things are created by God to be in relationship! At times in your life, usually difficult ones, you recognize a deep need for and longing to connect with God and with others. At these times, your dependence on God becomes very real and you soon realize that the help, spiritual support and inspiration of others is also vitally important.