“Be our great joy that
no one can take away from us. So that we may reject sin with its
sadness, and reach out to eternal life.”
This prayer of
intercession from the Liturgy of the Hours made me focus on the
“joy that no one can take away from us.” I wondered how abiding
joy would feel like and if it were even possible in this world
we’re living in today. Later, as if in answer to my thoughts, my
attention turned to a program on EWTN called “Life on the Rock.”
Their guest was a very young-looking mother of ten, whose third
child is a 15-year old autistic boy. A she was being interviewed,
she exuded such peace and joy. She revealed that she and her
husband led very prayerful lives, which naturally was picked up by
the rest of their brood. It was very inspiring to listen to her,
affirming once again the tremendous power of prayer in bringing
inner joy, peace and love.
Thank you Lord for
showing me that real joy is possible only when we are in you and
you, in us.
Each day, as the
worldwide Contemplative Outreach community gathers together in the
silence we share, we are known and welcomed as loved ones. I am
together in God with my brothers and sisters who understand that
oneness is the fruit of contemplative life. There are no
separations in God.
‒ Gail
Fitzpatrick-Hopler
A glimpse of Reality...
“Come away by
yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while”
(Mk. 6:31)
The phrase above in
this Sunday’s gospel was the perfect answer to the bewildered
state I was in. I was so overwhelmed with all the work I had to do
in the different groups I was involved in. I felt there’s just not
enough time to accomplish everything on my agenda. I was like the
disciples in the gospel who “had no opportunity even to eat”. The
need to “come away to a deserted place” was calling me to
prayer…more specifically, contemplative prayer…to be with God and
“rest awhile”. And when I allowed myself some moments of retreat,
the calm and peace that resulted gave me a renewed energy to carry
on. This made me realize the importance of prayer especially in
ministry…that the service we give can only flow from prayer if it
is truly done for the glory of God.
Thank you Lord, for
teaching me the way to glorify you in my service to others.
Leisure is a form of
silence,
not noiselessness.
It is the silence of contemplation
such as occurs
when we let our minds rest
on a rosebud,
a child at play,
a Divine mystery,
or a waterfall."
‒ Fulton J.
Sheen
The Story of
Contemplative Outreach Philippines
History of
Contemplative Outreach Philippines
Contemplative Outreach Philippines (COP) took root at the Parish of
Santuario de San Antonio in Forbes Park, Makati in 1985 as a ministry
that taught the method of Centering Prayer, and offered practices that
brought its fruit into daily life. However, it was only in 1990
that it became a chapter of Contemplative Outreach Ltd. (CO Ltd.) of New
York, an organization put up by Fr. Thomas Keating, O.C.S.O., solely to
teach Centering Prayer.
Many
workshops were given during the years that followed. At this
stage, Grace Padilla and Lita Salinas, prime movers of Centering Prayer
practice in the country, were invited to be part of the National Faculty
of CO Ltd. They were the first Asians to be given such an
assignment. It was both a function and a privilege. The
function was to teach Centering Prayer and the privilege was to be
invited to attend Faculty meetings once a year, Coordinators’
Conferences, Formation Programs and Retreats, all aimed at enriching the
ministry in all aspects. Since all these activities are both for
information and formation, the experiences derived from these were
unquantifiable. Both Grace and Lita benefited from these
tremendously. The programs, the inputs that these two learned were
brought home and applied to COP and an ongoing Formation Program was
devised for everyone who by this time had come together regularly as a
Support Group in this new found way of relating to God.
Another
factor contributing to the further spread of Centering Prayer practice
were the visits of Fr. Basil Pennington (first in 1987 and almost yearly
thereafter), Fr. Thomas Keating (in 1989, 1990 and many more times later
on), and Fr. William Meninger in 1998. These three Cistercian
monks were responsible for reintroducing the ancient practice of
contemplative prayer in a contemporary setting as Centering Prayer”.
Fr. Carl
Arico, Vice-President of CO Ltd., came in 1992, and Mrs. Bonnie Shimizu,
Chairperson, Resource Faculty Service Team, came in 2005 to give a
“Formation for Presenter Workshop” to a group of committed members.
Since then, hundreds of workshops, retreats and formation programs have
been given benefiting more than a few thousands, COP members and others,
including the clergy and religious communities, desiring to know more
about Centering Prayer and its application in daily life.
As an organization, COP is
served by a Servant Leader Team (SLT) made up of 10 members, 9 of whom
are elected by its voting members. The 10th member is
the mentor/spiritual adviser commissioned by Fr. Thomas Keating.
Together they make up the Circle of Service (COS) whose function is to
see to it that the vision of Contemplative Outreach (CO) is fostered,
and its mission of spreading the prayer and supporting the members in
their spiritual journey is facilitated.
The
COP Secretariat is located at St. John Bosco Parish, Makati, Philippines
at Rm. 211 in the Parish Building. For information about COP, the
Secretariat can be contacted thru the ff:
Office telephone number – (+632)
501-52-31
Email
address - cop.secretariat@gmail.com.ph
Pastoral Statement
An Endorsement
from the Archbishop of Manila
On
Feb. 16, 1997, his Eminence, Jaime Cardinal Sin, Archbishop of Manila,
issued a Pastoral Statement on Centering Prayer. Based on an
exhaustive study commissioned by the Cardinal himself, the Statement
clarified Centering Prayer’s true definition, purpose, and benefits, and
how spiritual guidance can help enhance the practice.
Cardinal Sin
concluded the assessment with the pronouncement that Centering Prayer
“merits the approval of the Catholic Christian faith community . . .
because it has brought renewal and deepening of Christian Prayer and
life among increasing numbers of individuals and communities, and has
brought back many seekers for God and for spiritual life back to the
Church.”
The Cardinal has
disseminated the Pastoral Statement on Centering Prayer to all parishes,
religious houses, and seminaries in the Archdiocese of Manila. He
personally released it to then COP Director, Lita Salinas (now COP
mentor/spiritual adviser), thus recognizing the Outreach as the official
organization authorized to teach Centering Prayer and its formation
programs through its bona fide commissioned presenters.
February 16, 1997
Spiritual Director
Rev. Fr.
Romeo J. Intengan, S.J.
Board of Advisers
Most Rev.
Bishop Luis Antonio G. Tagle, D.D..•
Rev. Fr.
Ruben M. Tanseco, S.J.
The People
Behind COP
Circle of
Service
Terly Chikiamco
•
Tess Colayco • Pixie Cuisia • Meny de la Rosa • Dedette Gamboa
•
Anna Marie Llanos •
Doris See • Nancy Tambunting
• Billie Trinidad
Many
workshops were given during the years that followed. At this
stage, Grace Padilla and Lita Salinas, prime movers of Centering Prayer
practice in the country, were invited to be part of the National Faculty
of CO Ltd. They were the first Asians to be given such an
assignment. It was both a function and a privilege. The
function was to teach Centering Prayer and the privilege was to be
invited to attend Faculty meetings once a year, Coordinators’
Conferences, Formation Programs and Retreats, all aimed at enriching the
ministry in all aspects. Since all these activities are both for
information and formation, the experiences derived from these were
unquantifiable. Both Grace and Lita benefited from these
tremendously. The programs, the inputs that these two learned were
brought home and applied to COP and an ongoing Formation Program was
devised for everyone who by this time had come together regularly as a
Support Group in this new found way of relating to God.
On
Feb. 16, 1997, his Eminence, Jaime Cardinal Sin, Archbishop of Manila,
issued a Pastoral Statement on Centering Prayer. Based on an
exhaustive study commissioned by the Cardinal himself, the Statement
clarified Centering Prayer’s true definition, purpose, and benefits, and
how spiritual guidance can help enhance the practice.
