Welcome

The fundamental purpose of centering prayer…is to contribute to bringing the knowledge and experience of God’s love into the general consciousness of the human family. Contemplative prayer is a process of interior transformation, a conversion initiated by God and leading, if we consent, to divine union.[It] is a fundamental constituent of human nature and hence available to every human being. It is accessed by letting go of our own idea of ourselves, turning our will over to God, and resting in the Divine Indwelling that is already present within us and waiting to reveal itself to us.

Thomas Keating, Open Mind, Open Heart

Contemplative Outreach of Westchester is truly glad you found our page. As one of the many chapters of Contemplative Outreach, LTD, we hope to support your centering prayer practice. Look around for resources to help you along your spiritual journey.  We practice Centering Prayer and hope you will join us.

…Members of the Westchester NY Chapter of Contemplative Outreach

Announcements

Two Opportunities to Learn Centering Prayer in Person. March 1 and March 27, 2025

We are thrilled to announce that the Introduction to Centering Prayer workshop will be offered twice in the near future in our area. Details and registration information below:

Saturday, March 1, 2025 from 12:00 to 3:30pm
St. John’s Episcopal Parish
82 Spring Street, PO Box 394
South Salem, NY
Please email Stjohnssouthsalem@gmail.com to register.

Thursday, March 27, 2025 from 12:45 to 3pm
Blessed Sacrament Church
The Upper Room
115 Centre Ave
New Rochelle, NY
Visit this site to register.

6-Day Intensive and Post-Intensive Centering Prayer Retreat. May 4-9, 2025

Nothing deepens your centering prayer practice better than by attending a longer retreat. Fr. Bill Sheehan, OMI and Susan Turpin will direct a 6-day two-track retreat from May 4-9, 2025 at Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center in West Hartford CT. The intensive track of the retreat will watch and discuss video talks from Fr. Thomas Keating’s The Spiritual Journey. Instead of videos, the post-intensive track includes an additional hour of Centering Prayer each day. You choose the track that works best for you. Lectio Divina will be offered daily, as well as optional soul-friending with the staff. Silence is maintained throughout the retreat. Find details and registration at this link.

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Join a Monthly Virtual Mini-Intensive Retreat. First Saturdays, 8am to 9:15am.

Sponsored by Contemplative Outreach of New Jersey. Two 25-minute prayer times separated by time for an optional meditative walk, followed by Lectio Divina with Guidelines for Christian Living by Father Thomas Keating. Registration is not required. The link to join is the same for each session. Dial by your location: +1 929 205 6099 US (New York).

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Practices for Contemplative Living Part 2. Monthly: Oct. 19, Nov. 16, Dec. 21, Jan. 18 (Zoom), Feb. 15 (Zoom), Mar. 15, Apr 26 from 9am to 2 pm.

Sponsored by Contemplative Outreach of New Jersey. With the exception of January and February which meet on Zoom, each session is an in-person program at St. Walburga Monastery, 851 North Broad Street, Elizabeth, NJ. This program is based on the book by Julie Saad, Contemplative Life: Discovering Our Path into the Heart of God. Registration and details at this link.

Upcoming Events

Our Zoom programs typically are offered on the second Saturday of the month from 10:00am to noon. Registration is not required for our monthly Zoom events. Please contact us to request a link for an upcoming event.

February 8, 2025

The Spirituality of Money: In God We Trust , a online presentation by Pamela Begeman.
In her talk, Pamela will examine our relationship with money as a way to discover truths about ourselves – and the truth of God as the source of all, including our time, talents, and treasures.

She will examine money through the three energy centers—security, affection, and control—to bring Light to these unconscious programs, purify them, and weaken the distortions they cause in our relationship with money. She will then explore the transformative potential of money as a means of creative flow, an affirmative blessing of what we value, and an integral part of our relationship with God—not outside of it. A life lived in Christ includes money and is celebrated as a flow from the Divine Source.

Please note that this is not a prosperity workshop. It’s about healing our attitudes and orienting our participation in the creative flow.

March 14-15, 2025

United in Prayer Day. A free, globally-hosted 18-hour prayer vigil accessible via Zoom. Sponsored by Contemplative Outreach LTD. In the global unity of silence as God’s first language, we hold vigil for suffering humanity and all creation, and we honor Thomas Keating’s birthday (March 7), and the growing presence of Christ among us. No registration necessary. The event begins on Friday March 14 at 9pm Eastern Time (UTC-4). For information click this link.

April 12, 2025, 9am to 3:30pm

A day of Recollection in person at Mariandale with Fr. Carl Arico. Register here.

May 20, 2025, 10am to noon.

Thomas Keating’s Evolving Vision presented online by Marie Howard. Details to follow.

Featured Resources

Recording of Carl McColman’s presentation on Difficult Conversations and Divided Communities: Meeting the Challenges of our Times with a Contemplative Heart

Contemplative Outreach, LTD, recently celebrated its 40th year of service with a conference at Emory University, Atlanta, GA. Unedited versions of the proceedings can be found at this link.

Recording of Sr. MaryAnne Francolanza’s presentation on Ecological Holiness.

Recording of Fr. Bill’s Sheehan’s presentation on Teachings & Principles of St. Ignatius

Programs and events sponsored by Contemplative Outreach of New Jersey

Programs and events sponsored by Contemplative Outreach of NYC

Programs and events sponsored by Contemplative Outreach of Connecticut

Retreat schedule for Holy Cross Monastery, West Park, NY

Programs and events sponsored by Closer than Breath, an online, interspiritual community where you can practice Centering Prayer and study universal truths to deepen your relationship with God and find peace within.

Podcast: Opening Minds, Opening Hearts

12 Step Contemplative Outreach

The Meditation Chapel

Younger Contemplatives