The last meeting in 2017 of the Grand Rapids chapter of the International Thomas Merton Society will be Wednesday, November 8th, at 7pm, at Baker Book House in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It’s our tradition to take a break from meeting in December to give everyone time to focus on Christmas with all of its unique … [Read more…]
If you weren’t at our September 13th meeting you missed a lot! Don’t despair, though. You’ll get a chance to be part of the fun on Wednesday, October 11th, at Baker Book House in Grand Rapids, Michigan. We will continue our discussion of Thomas Merton’s book Contemplative Prayer. More information – plus a downloadable flyer … [Read more…]
In our September meeting, we will cover chapters 8-11 of Merton’s book Contemplative Prayer. NOTE: We will start the book discussion portion of our meeting with Chapter 11 (XI) of Contemplative Prayer. If we only discuss one chapter Wednesday night, Chapter 11 is the one to discuss. We believe its content is essential to an … [Read more…]
The next meeting of the Grand Rapids chapter of the International Thomas Merton Society will be Wednesday, August 9th, at 7pm at Baker Book House near the corner of 28th Street and East Paris in Grand Rapids, Michigan. We will discuss chapters 6-9 of Thomas Merton’s book Contemplative Prayer. Here are some suggested questions to … [Read more…]
The next meeting of the Grand Rapids chapter of the International Thomas Merton Society will be Wednesday, July 12th, at 7pm at Baker Book House near the corner of 28th Street and East Paris in Grand Rapids, Michigan. We will discuss chapters 5, 6, and 7 of Thomas Merton’s book Contemplative Prayer. Here are some … [Read more…]
Although Thomas Merton often wrote about politics, we’re fairly certain none of us alive today approach politics with as much prayer, contemplation, and insight as he did. Therefore, we eschew political discussions in our group. We don’t prevent them. Our group is a haven for seekers. However, we are painfully aware that politics are divisive. … [Read more…]
A couple of weeks ago, Gregory J. Ryan, author of a new children’s book about Thomas Merton, e-mailed to ask if I’d be interested in reviewing his book, The ABCs of Thomas Merton: A Monk at the Heart of the World. I said sure. So he asked his publisher, Paraclete Press, to send a copy … [Read more…]
Beth recently attended a leader’s conference in New York City in which Thomas Merton’s writings played an unexpected, serendipitous role. The conference host shared with his audience this quote from Merton’s book Conjectures of a Guilty Bystander, page 86: Douglas Steere remarks very perceptively that there is a pervasive form of contemporary violence to which … [Read more…]
A big THANK YOU to everyone who attended our meeting this past Wednesday night. You helped us celebrate one year of being a local chapter of the International Thomas Merton Society. We are grateful to you for making our evening special. Great conversation, too. And new faces. What a blessing to spend time with people … [Read more…]
One of our group members – Fr. Patrick Collins – will give a series of lectures about Thomas Merton at the Dominican Center in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The following information comes from the Dominican Center web site: “Thomas Merton’s Approach to Spirituality” Thomas Merton placed his interest in the depth of the human experience in … [Read more…]