Contemplative Prayer

Note:  Due to technical difficulties there is no video of this presentation.  The PowerPoint used by Shane is included as well as the book list.

Contemplative Prayer

Topic: Everything Belongs – A New Way to See

The most recent year’s topic for Lenten Conversations Thinking based on the teaching of one of my Teachers from the Living School, Fr. Richard Rohr. Fr. Richard’s book Everything Belongs serves as inspiration for the teaching.

Synopsis: As the theme for the synod is “The Church in Action. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, Embracing All”, it felt that the topic of Contemplation would be an important piece of this theme. As you can see from the name of the school I attended in Albuquerque, it teaches the importance of both Action and Contemplation. You can’t have one without the other. If you move straight to action without first contemplating, you could be stepping out with your own ego and plans, causing more harm than good. On the opposite side, if you spend all your time in prayer and contemplation and do not allow it to drive you into the world, you are not stepping out in the power of the Holy Spirit to bring the kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. While it will be difficult to distill a big idea like contemplation into a short workshop, I think it is a good place to introduce the concept to people and pique their interest in doing more searching and starting their journey into deeper places of communion with God and people. I intend to have a short description of contemplation and why contemplation is so important to the theme of the synod. Then I will plan to lead the group through a contemplative practice.