We usually meet the second Wednesday of every month. However, we have decided to take time off to complete a few personal projects, and to wait out the latest COVID-19 variant, which is reportedly far more virulent than previous but, supposedly, far less destructive. Time will tell. In the meantime, we’ll put the Grand Rapids … [Read more…]
Just a reminder that the last meeting in 2021 of the Grand Rapids chapter of the International Thomas Merton Society will be IN PERSON on Wednesday, November 10th (tomorrow!), at 7pm in our spiritual home: Orchard View Church of God 2777 Leffingwell Ave NEGrand Rapids, MI 49525 Orchard View Church of God is located at the corner … [Read more…]
The next meeting of the Grand Rapids chapter of the International Thomas Merton Society will be held Wednesday, October 13, IN PERSON here: Orchard View Church of God 2777 Leffingwell Ave NEGrand Rapids, MI 49525 Orchard View Church of God is located at the corner of Three Mile Road and Leffingwell in the northeast section of Grand … [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…]
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…]