Silence in the City
Silence in the City
Series of talks on silent prayer and contemplative living in the modern world.
2010 programme
The 14 January evening has had to be cancelled. Saturday 20 March 10am - 4pm with Fr. Gregory Freuwirth. Fr Gregory has been a member of the Order of Julian of Norwich, a community of monks and nuns based in Winsconsin USA ,for eighteen years and currently serves as its Guardian. He is an experienced retreat leader and published poet and writer. Archbishop Desmond Tutu says: "Fr. Gregory (helps us see) that our real home is God, our natural environment the divine. We begin to sense that the theophanic should be as natural for us as water for the fish and air for the bird: the sacred could erupt anywhere at any time.” Wednesday 2 June 6.30 refreshments for 7 - 9pm Fr Kevin Culligan: St John of the Cross and the Search for Silence Thursday 26 August 6.30 refreshments for 7 - 9pm Fr Richard Rohr OFM: Title to be announced Booking recommended. Suggested donation £10 for evening talk, £20 for full day. Tea, coffee, biscuits provided.
Westminster Cathedral Hall, Ambrosden Avenue, London SW1.
The series of talks at London's Westminster Cathedral Hall is intended as a response to the growing hunger for stillness in the modern world. Each meeting is led by someone committed to the contemplative life; each includes one or more talks, and at least one period devoted to silent prayer.
The speakers have been invited to concentrate on the value of silence and the possibilities of silent prayer, but they are also encouraged to discuss any or all of the other monastic values of solitude, simplicity and contemplative service. The series will be ecumenical in nature, and it is possible that later series will include representatives of other faiths.
Some speakers will describe particular approaches to silent prayer; others will speak more generally, though they will give guidance to those who need it on how to use the prayer periods.
Earlier talks given by Dr Cynthia Bourgeault, Esther de Waal, Fr Laurence Freeman, Fr Richard Rohr, Daniel O'Leary and Jean Vanier are archived on their website. In 2008 there was a focus on Thomas Merton on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of his death.
The last of the current 08-09 series was mid-May 2009 when the start of the talk was delayed to enable a few more people to be squeezed into the packed hall. Fr Timothy Radcliffe OP did not disappoint with his talk on "Hope: living in the moment"
In autumn 2009:
Thursday 22 October the Most Reverend Vincent Nichols Archbishop of Westminster on The Lure of God Tuesday 24 November Metropolitan Kallistos Ware: Word and Silence in Prayer
Silence in the City is organised by lay members of the World Community for Christian Meditation and Contemplative Outreach London who meet regularly for prayer at Westminster Cathedral.
The Silence in the City website has more details of the speakers as well as past talks
and links to other organisations.
Last updated 13/1/10
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