Book Three: Bridges to Contemplative Living with Thomas Merton

Originally Published on the website of Oblate School of Theology

Tuesdays, Sep 6 – Nov 1 | 1:00PM – 3:00PM Central Time | ONLINE EVENT VIA ZOOM

BOOK THREE: LIVING YOUR DEEPEST DESIRES

Bridges to Contemplative Living with Thomas Merton is a small group experience that invites people into contemplative dialogue. The course is based on a series of booklets edited by Jonathan Montaldo and Robert G. Toth of the Merton Institute for Contemplative Living. The texts explore aspects of contemplation and the meaning of contemplative living.  Each week a quote from Thomas Merton is read and discussed.  Short quotes from other wisdom figures of both Christian and non-Christian disciplines are also studied.

This series gently leads participants on a journey toward personal spiritual transformation and a more contemplative and peace-filled life.  Each eight-session booklet offers an introduction to Merton and contemplative living through prayers, readings from Merton and other spiritual masters, and questions for small group dialogue.

This academic year OST is featuring Book Three (Fall 2022) and Book Four (Spring 2023) of the eight-book collection. Each book (Book 1 – 8) is a stand-alone series and does not need to be taken sequentially.

Participants will need to obtain a copy of Living Your Deepest Desires for the assigned readings of the course. The text can be purchased from Ave Maria Press, Amazon.com or other online book retailers. Please note: Shipping delays may occur. Please consider ordering your book early.

At each session we will:

– begin with quieting our minds by using the Psalms

– spend time listening to and reflecting on the voice of Thomas Merton

– take time to write down our personal reflections

– break into small groups for discussion

– open ourselves to the voice of another wisdom figure

– close with prayer

Class Dates

All classes will take place on Tuesday afternoons, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm Central Time, ONLINE via Zoom.

Portions of each class session will be recorded and made available to registered participants through November 15, 2022. Please note that periods of participants’ sharing in small and large group settings will not be recorded. In general, the following portions of each class session will be recorded: opening prayer, period of silence, body prayer, journaling period, and teaching period.

Book Three: Living Your Deepest Desires

Session 1	September 6	Introduction
Session 2	September 13	Finding Our Identity in God
Session 3	September 20	Contemplative Living as Continuous Inner Renewal
Session 4	September 27	Contemplative Prayer and Prayer of the Heart
Session 5	October 4	Contemplative Living and Community
Session 6	October 11	Inner Work and the Struggle to Live Contemplatively
Session 7	October 18	The Spiritual Discipline of Solitude
Session 8	October 25	Living with Purity of Heart
Session 9	November 1	Finding Our Heart’s Deepest Desires

Facilitator

Rosalyn Falcon Collier is co-founder of the San Antonio peaceCENTER, 1995 and founder and member of the Women on Pilgrimage Retreat at St Anthony de Padua since 1997. Rosalyn is an elder circle leader for the Forest Dweller Program at Oblate School of Theology (www.ost.edu/forestdwelling). A native San Antonian, she is a graduate of the Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation in Washington, DC, 1990 and has led local meditation groups in Catholic parishes since 1997. Through OST Rosalyn recently co-facilitated the Called Back to the Well Spiritual Renewal Program 2009. She has been a co-facilitator for the People of Pilgrimage Contemplative Retreats. She is a spiritual director and mediator and facilitates skillshops on nonviolence and transformative mediation. Rosalyn and Jim have been married for 55 years, they have two children, 7 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren.

Registration fee: $45 (fee includes cost for entire 9-week series)

Please note: We will send you a Zoom link and login instructions via email approximately one week before the series begins.

For information or to register by phone, contact Associate Registrar, Victoria Rodriguez, at vrodriguez@ost.edu or (210) 341-1366 EXT 240.