Access Your Inner Room with Centering Prayer
2026-07-14 17:00 - 20:30 (America/Chicago)
The EnLIGHTenment Series

Access Your Inner Room with Centering Prayer

Presented by Father Bill Sheehan, OMI

Discover the transformative power of Centering Prayer as you learn to access your sacred inner sanctuary. Join us to explore the practice of entering your “inner room,” deepening your relationship with God and discovering greater peace within.

This Event is Full. Registration Closed.

Accessing our inner room and exploring its transformative effects is a profound spiritual practice rooted in the teachings of Jesus. Just prior to his death, Fr. Thomas Keating encouraged us to return to the basics. Early in the development of Centering Prayer, Fr. Thomas placed great emphasis on Matthew 6:6: “Whenever you pray go to your inner room, close the door and pray to your Father in secret.”This presentation reflects on two practical questions raised by Father Thomas:

How do we access our inner room?

What begins to happen when we enter our inner room?

This evening begins with dinner and then we will explore these questions through teaching, reflection, and a period of Centering Prayer.

Participants will also be introduced to the Four Consents described by Fr. Thomas Keating:

Consent to Presence

Consent to God’s Action Within

Consent to Let Go

Consent to Transformation

Whether you are new to Centering Prayer or have practiced for years, this program offers an opportunity to return to the basics, deepen your contemplative practice, and experience more fully the transformative journey of the inner room.

“The ideal disposition for the divine encounter is the gathering together of one’s whole being in silent and alert attentiveness.” – Thomas Keating

REGISTRATION DEADLINE IS Sunday July 12, 4PM

Dinner and Presentation $40 Donation

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Event Topic: Accessing your inner room with Centering Prayer

About the Presenter

Father Bill Sheehan, OMI

Father Bill Sheehan is a priest and member of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI).He holds a Master’s degree ni Formative Spirituality from Duquesne University.Father Sheehan was present at the first Centering Prayer retreat offered by Father Thomas Keating, OCSO, at the Lama Foundation ni 1993. Since that time, he has led numerous Centering Prayer workshops and retreats worldwide.He is known for his gentle presence and long-standingservice in the Centering Prayer community.

“The ideal disposition for the divine encounter is the gathering together of one’s whole being in silent and alert attentiveness.”Fr. Thomas Keating

Flow of the Evening: Tuesday July 14

Schedule5:00 PM — Gathering & Catered meal6:00 PM — Welcome & Logistics6:05 PM — History Reading & Transition to Prayer6:10 – 6:30 PM — Centering Prayer Block (20 minutes exact)6:35 PM — Introduce Fr. Bill Sheehan7:20 – 7:30 PM — Break7:30 – 8:20 PM — Second Presentation Block8:20 – 8:30 PM — Questions, Responses & Closing Remarks

🥪 Early Gathering & Catered MealJoin us for a meal to break bread together before hand.We hope this evening offers space for stillness and insight.Prayer groups are invited to join us for this special evening!

Registration Deadline is Sunday, July 12th at 4PM

Location

Community of Christ Church

Address 830 N Kirkwood RdSt. Louis, MO 63122

For any questions please email: enlightenment@centeringprayerstl.com

Download Flyer for The Inner Room

Registration

We are sorry this event is full. Reach out to susiebrentcostl@gmail.com to join the waitlist. Please join our subscribers list to receive information about our events.

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A Centering Prayer Follow-Up & Renewal Gathering
2026-07-23 18:00 - 20:00 (America/Chicago)
A Centering Prayer Follow-Up & Renewal GatheringFacilitated by Charlie Lawrence

Jesus said to them, ”Come away with me. Let us go alone to a quiet place and rest for a while”. Mark 6:31

Back to Basics is a gathering for anyone who would like a little “shot in the arm” for their Centering Prayer practice and for anyone who simply loves the prayer.Each gathering begins with a 20-minute period of Centering Prayer followed by questions and responses, discussion, sharing, and occasional video presentations that support and deepen our understanding of the contemplative journey.Whether you are new to the practice, returning after some time away, or have been practicing for years, you are welcome.Come renew your commitment to the practice, deepen your understanding of Centering Prayer, and enjoy the support and encouragement of a contemplative community.

“Centering Prayer is a way of consenting to God’s presence and action within.”

— Basil Pennington, ocso

This event is free and walk ins are welcome.

Time:

6:15 – 6:30 p.m. Gathering

6:30 p.m. Program Begins

8:00 p.m. Conclusion

Please bring a notebook. It is recommended to bring your book Open Mind, Open Heart, by Father Thomas Keating if you have one. This is a beginner book with questions and answers specifically about the centering prayer practice and the spiritual journey. It is a great companion for the journey.

“Centering Prayer is a discipline to foster interior transformation, initiated by God and leading, if we consent, to divine union. One’s way of seeing reality changes, which empowers one to perceive and respond to everyday life with sensitivity to the divine presence in, through and beyond everything.”

—Thomas Keating, Open Mind, Open Heart

Community of Christ Church

Address 830 N Kirkwood RdSt. Louis, MO 63122

For more information, contact Charlie Lawrence at Charlesn.lawrence2@gmail.com

Registration for Centering Prayer Follow-Up & Renewal Gathering:

This event is free, however all donations are appreciated. Contemplative Outreach is an unincorporated non profit organization

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June 25th, 2026

July 23rd, 2026
VolunteerVolunteers help make events like this possible, and we deeply appreciate any support to help lighten the load! Your presence is more than enough, but if you’d like to help, please arrive 30 minutes early for welcoming or setup, and/or stay 30 minutes after for cleanup.

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Make it payable to COSTL and mail it to: COSTL c/o Susie Brent
489 Staines Court
St. Louis, MO 63141IMPORTANT: All information provided with your gift is strictly confidential and will never be exchanged with another organization or sold to anyone for other use. You may rest assured that we value your support and would not put you or your identity in jeopardy.

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Having trouble registering or did not receive a confirmation email? Reach out to susiebrentcostl@gmail.com.

Silent Saturday - 08/08/26
2026-08-08 08:30 - 11:00 (America/Chicago)
Silent Saturday

Listen, that you may have life.

Find God in the Silent Love of Self Surrender.

“The language God best hears is silent love.”

Saint John of the Cross

Contemplative Outreach St. Louis invites you to help create a safe, quiet space for our upcoming Silent Saturday on August 8th, 2026.

Location:Community of Christ Church830 N. Kirkwood Road, Kirkwood, MO 63122

Schedule:

8:30 am: Doors open for an optional light breakfast and social gathering for those who wish to connect beforehand.

9:00 am – 11:00 am: 3 Centering Prayer Sits

Together, we will rest in the divine presence, silently acknowledging our shared need for stillness. Join us for this meaningful time of prayer, scripture, optional sharing, and mutual support for the journey. The morning features two periods of centering prayer with a silent break, followed by another centering prayer sit. This practice offers a profound sense of grounding for our personal journeys. This is a mini retreat day.

Our facilitators for this program will be Mary Adams and Sarah Legett.

Registration & Donations:We look forward to seeing you. While registration is encouraged so you can receive a confirmation reminder, walk-ins are always welcome.

There is no fee for this event. If you would like to make a donation of $10—or any amount—to help cover our rent, website maintenance, scholarship fund, and other expenses, it will be gratefully accepted. This is purely a suggestion and is not meant to be a barrier to attendance. All are welcome.

Save these dates!Please note our upcoming Silent Saturdays for the rest of the year:

October 10th, 2026

December 12th, 2026

Register

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This event is free, but there is a suggested donation of $25.00. If you wish, please support us with a donation of your choice, which helps cover our rent, website maintenance, scholarship fund and other expenses. This is purely a suggestion and not meant to be a barrier to attendance. All are welcome.

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Make it payable to COSTL and mail it to: COSTL c/o Susie Brent
489 Staines Court
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The Garden Within
2026-08-26 17:15 - 20:30 UTC
The EnLIGHTenment Series

The Garden Within

Divine therapy … a path to unity

Presented by Fr. Matthew Flatley

When Thomas Keating was a young college student at Yale University, spending most of his time in the library consumed with the study of early church teachings on contemplation, all the while neglecting his academic studies, he came to understand that the Christian path is an invitation to transformation. He once exclaimed to me, “there was so much literature written about our fallen natures, and conversely, about the great triumphs of the holy saints, but I could not find much written about how the average Joe can make this journey.” Fr. Matt believes this became a life long passion within Thomas Keating, to discover that sacred path, and to share his discovery with others.

Event Topic:

Download Flyer for The Garden Within

Download of Map of Interior Reality

About the Presenter

Fr. Matthew Flatley

Fr. Matthew Flatley is a Roman Catholic priest serving in the Diocese of Jefferson City, MO. Prior to the religious life, he served as a professional Chef for many years, and then also lived as a Trappist Monk for 5 years, before entering the Seminary. Today he considers himself a contemplative cook. For over thirty five years, he has engaged the daily discipline of Centering Prayer. Fr. Matt holds a Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies, and also a Masters of Divinity and a Masters of Arts in Systematic Theology.

—

Flow of the Evening

🥪 Early Gathering & Light Meal 30 minutes before meeting time.Since we begin earlier than usual, we’re offering a simple shared meal of sandwiches, side dishes, and light desserts 45 minutes before the event.You’re warmly welcome to bring something to share, but please know that it’s not necessary to bring anything—your presence is truly enough.We hope this evening offers space for insight, stillness, and transformation.Please feel free to bring a friend!

Location

Community of Christ Church

Address 830 N Kirkwood RdSt. Louis, MO 63122

In-Person & Zoom Options AvailableWhether you join us in person or on Zoom, we look forward to sharing this evening with you. A recording will be sent to all registrants after the presentation has been edited.

Registrants will receive the zoom link the day of the event.For those joining online, donations of any amount are gratefully received.A recording of the session will be shared with registrants after it has been edited.

In Person: A suggested donation of $25 is appreciated. If you are able, your support helps sustain our programs, scholarships, and ongoing expenses.This is a suggestion only and not a barrier to attendance. All are welcome.

For any questions please email: enlightenment@centeringprayerstl.com

Download Flyer for The Garden Within

To see all of the upcoming Enlightnment Series events, click the button below:

EnLIGHTenment Series Schedule

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Make it payable to COSTL and mail it to: COSTL c/o Susie Brent
489 Staines Court
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Having trouble registering or did not receive a confirmation email? Reach out to susiebrentcostl@gmail.com.

MJS - The Soul's Divine Awakening
2026-09-19 09:00 - 15:00 UTC
Mystic Journey Series

The Soul’s Divine Awakening

Presented by Bob Aten

Gathering at 8:30 AM

Contemplative Outreach “Mystic Journey Series” invite you to a time of exploration.

“The contemplative journey is a personal transformational process unique to each soul. Even so, the obstacles that emerge, which are intellectual, psychological, and mystical, could be understood in a communal way. Thus, the community needs ongoing communal support from each sojourner. Each sojourner has individual loving gifts that can facilitate the contemplative practice. Thus, deepening our understanding of the mystical tradition transmitted by great mystics can challenge and affirm us in our personal journey.”

— Susan Komis

Explore Western apophatic influence and the “birthing mystical consciousness”

This day is twofold in purpose. First, to deepen our intellectual understanding of apophatic theology. Second, to learn how to apply apophatic teaching in a modern world. In summation, the day will offer insights on how to navigate through the struggles of the mystical life.

Flow for the Day:

9 am – 9:45 am …. Introduction of speaker – 1st presentation – The Birthing of Mystical Consciousness

9:45 am – break

9:55 am – Q & A

10:30 am – 10:50 am – Quiet prayer

11:00 am – 11:45 am – 2nd presentation – Maturing in Mystical Consciousness – detachment

11:45 am – break

11:50 am – Q & A

12:15 pm – 1:00 pm – lunch

1:00 pm – 1:20 pm – Quiet prayer

1:30 pm – 2:15 pm – 3rd presentation – Mystical apophatic intimacy – oneness/Amness

2:15 pm – Q & A

3:00 Conclusion of the day

Light refreshments upon arrival; light potluck lunch at 12:00 pm. Please bring your lunch and/or a dish to share.

Community of Christ Church

Address 830 N Kirkwood RdSt. Louis, MO 63122

About the Presenter

Bob Aten has been an apophatic hermit for the past 30 years. Former USAF Chaplain, Vietnam veteran, Death Row Chaplain @ Pototsi State Maximum Security Center, military teacher, high school teacher, Junior college math teacher. Founder of Contemplative Outreach of St. Louis in 1989.

A little history on the formation of the Mystic Journey Series

THE MYSTIC JOURNEY

There are many definitions of the word “mystic” as noted in religious traditions throughout the world. Most traditions agree that the Mystic is a person who seeks through contemplation, self-surrender and personal transformation the experience of unity with the sacred Absolute Divine reality.Karl Rahner, in his famous quote regarding the spiritual journey of the future, said “you will be a mystic or nothing at all …”Everyone is invited to join us to consider the life and stories of persons who have revealed and written of their experience encountering the extraordinary presence and love of Divine reality.Some may call them “saints” or apply other characterizations, but they were no different than you or I who are seeking the same loving God.

Reminders will follow in the upcoming COSTL newsletters. We encourage you to register early to attend these presentations .. you won’t want to miss it!

For more information: Susie Brent – susiebrentcostl@gmail.com

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Make it payable to COSTL and mail it to: COSTL c/o Susie Brent
489 Staines Court
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Having trouble registering or did not receive a confirmation email? Reach out to susiebrentcostl@gmail.com.

Silent Saturday - 10/10/2026
2026-10-10 08:30 - 11:00 (America/Chicago)
Silent Saturday

Listen, that you may have life.

Find God in the Silent Love of Self Surrender.

“The language God best hears is silent love.”

Saint John of the Cross

Contemplative Outreach St. Louis invites you to help create a safe, quiet space for our upcoming Silent Saturday on October 10th, 2026.

Location:Community of Christ Church830 N. Kirkwood Road, Kirkwood, MO 63122

Schedule:

8:30 am: Doors open for an optional light breakfast and social gathering for those who wish to connect beforehand.

9:00 am – 11:00 am: Formal program

Together, we will rest in the divine presence, silently acknowledging our shared need for stillness. Join us for this meaningful time of prayer, scripture, optional sharing, and mutual support for the journey. The morning features two periods of centering prayer with a silent break, followed by an opportunity to practice Lectio Divina—meaning “divine reading”—using a few sentences of scripture. This practice offers a profound sense of grounding for our personal journeys.

Our facilitators for this program will be Sarah Legett and Wil Girresch.

Registration & Donations:We look forward to seeing you. While registration is encouraged so you can receive a confirmation reminder, walk-ins are always welcome.

There is no fee for this event. If you would like to make a donation of $10—or any amount—to help cover our rent, website maintenance, scholarship fund, and other expenses, it will be gratefully accepted. This is purely a suggestion and is not meant to be a barrier to attendance. All are welcome.

Save these dates!Please note our upcoming Silent Saturdays for the rest of the year:

December 12th, 2026

Register

Please register and submit the online form below.

FacebookThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.Name(Required)

First

Last

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Phone(Required)Address

Street Address

City

State / Province / Region

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This field is hidden when viewing the formAttendance TypeI will attend the sessions (pick one please)

In-person

Zoom
Background(Required)Please briefly share your contemplative prayer backgroundGuestsIf you are bringing guests, please list their names below. Thank youConnectionHow did you hear about this event?VolunteerVolunteers help make events like this possible, and we deeply appreciate any support to help lighten the load! Your presence is more than enough, but if you’d like to help, please arrive 30 minutes early for welcoming or setup, and/or stay 30 minutes after for cleanup.

Welcoming

Set Up

Bring a Light Dish or Refreshment

Clean Up
Donation(Required)
This event is free, but there is a suggested donation of $25.00. If you wish, please support us with a donation of your choice, which helps cover our rent, website maintenance, scholarship fund and other expenses. This is purely a suggestion and not meant to be a barrier to attendance. All are welcome.

No donation at this time.

Yes, I would like to donate via credit card.

Yes, I would like to donate via mailed check.

I will donate at the event.
Mailing List(Required)Do you want to be added to our mailing list?

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I already receive your informative posts.
Donation for Silent Saturday 4/11/26

Donation Total

Credit CardCard Details
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Make it payable to COSTL and mail it to: COSTL c/o Susie Brent
489 Staines Court
St. Louis, MO 63141IMPORTANT: All information provided with your gift is strictly confidential and will never be exchanged with another organization or sold to anyone for other use. You may rest assured that we value your support and would not put you or your identity in jeopardy.

Δ

Having trouble registering or did not receive a confirmation email? Reach out to susiebrentcostl@gmail.com.
