Stepping up to a New Level in the Spirit's Call

Stepping up to a New Level in the Spirit's Call

DECEMBER 2008 FROM THE DIRECTOR: My dear COP Members, Stepping up to a new level in the Spirit’s call "There is an appointed time for everything, and a time for every affair under the heavens.....I have considered the task which God has appointed for men to be busied about. He has made everything appropriate to its time, and has put the timeless in their hearts, without men's ever discovering, from beginning to end, the work which God has done. I recognized that there is nothing better than to be glad and to do well during life." (Eccl.3:1-12) This passage is what I wish to convey to you in this letter. For the last twenty years, I found myself serving Contemplative Outreach Philippines (COP) in a role that I never expected, never really asked nor studied for. I felt inadequate, unequipped and terrified, to say the least. I realized in my heart that this was some kind of call to serve God, as we are all invited to do at various times in our lives. But in a ministry I knew nothing about? Every step of the way, I groped through unknown territory, in this journey of unquestioning obedience and faith. To learn contemplative prayer and how it continued to evolve over the years required for me, at least twice a year, to immerse myself in conferences, faculty meetings, extended retreats and workshops in the United States with Fr. Thomas Keating. These were challenging times, as I had to adapt not only to different climates and conditions, but more importantly, to people I had never met before, both lay and religious, with diverse backgrounds, ideas and attitudes. Difficult as it may have been, every opportunity to learn was worthwhile. It allowed me to bring back to the Philippines, programs of Contemplative Outreach, Ltd. U.S. that would be applicable to Filipino culture. Even more gratifying was the unwavering willingness of the COP leadership team to implement these programs with me, for the spiritual growth and development of all those who were and still are interested. As you are well aware, cultivating COP was not without its own set of obstacles. It was not easy to introduce the concepts of contemplative prayer, particularly in our milieu where the practice of prayer is deeply rooted in traditional forms. But together, we persevered, and never gave up. We stood still and waited on God. And in this perseverance, we learned to know Him and to love Him in a much deeper way. Through His mercy and grace, centering prayer has indeed become an instrument of transformation in the lives of countless people. After 20 years of involvement in COP, I have reached what I know is a grace-inspired decision to step down as its Director and to allow the program to flourish into a new phase, but always, with God as the core. Looking back, I recognize that it was this relationship with God nurtured over the years through centering prayer that sustained me in my service. This ever-deepening faith that continued to mature with every difficulty that presented itself. My own father left me a legacy of loving without restraint. He not only showed unconditional love but also manifested a fervent fidelity to duty. It is my hope that over the 20 years of being at the helm of COP, I have been able to put these legacies into practice. In my own limited but well-meaning ways, in service to God, and to you my fellow travelers in this joyful journey. It has been an honor and privilege to have lived out this experience with you, enriched by many memorable shared moments of growing and giving, loving and learning. We now have a new divinely-inspired structure for COP which will be thoroughly explained in our Annual Gathering at the beginning of 2009. Please be there, as we continue to shepherd COP through the days ahead and in the years to come. Love you all, LITA SALINAS Director Announcement Contemplative Outreach Philippines is happy to announce that we now have a secretariat and center at Rm 211, 2nd Floor at Don Bosco Parish Center, Don Bosco Church compound, Makati City. We’re open from Tues. to Sat. from 9:00am to 12 noon, 1:00 pm to 6:00pm.Our tel. no. is 7500231. Email address: [email protected] . Come and visit us at the COP center soon! Read books about centering prayer and the spiritual journey, listen to cp audio cassette tapes, rest awhile to bond with other kindred souls and be refreshed in body, mind and spirit. Come home to the center… Live from the center… Find true happiness at the center. THE NEW COP CENTER By Tess Colayco And so, amidst 2 dozen tea lights softly flickering in the twilight and lined along half of the 2 nd floor hallway of the parish building, the COP Secretariat and Center was blessed in a simple but very meaningful ceremony on July 15, 2008. Carrying lit candles, and with hearts overflowing with joy and gratitude, the Servant Leadership Team of COP was in attendance as Fr. Manny Domingo, parish priest of St. John Bosco Parish blessed our new home. This event marked the start of a new chapter in our 18 years of existence as a faith community living the contemplative dimension of the Gospel in our daily lives. In her introductory remarks before the blessing and opening of the center, Lita Salinas, COP Director, reminisced about the humble beginnings of COP in 1990 when it started with just a handful of parishioners at Santuario de San Antonio in Forbes Park, Makati. It was also there where the initial weekly support group of 6 members eventually grew to the present 20. Subsequent formation classes and other COP activities took place as the organization became more established. From those early years at Santuario the San Antonio, the “mustard seed” has grown to a full grown tree represented by the thousands of people who have been attending COP workshops and retreats in the past 18 years to experience the joy of living a more contemplative spirituality. This is done thru the practice of centering prayer and internalizing Fr. Thomas Keating’s Spiritual Journey Program of Christian Life, Growth and Transformation. Since God cannot be outdone in goodness and generosity, and in what seems like an affirmation of the community’s service in the Lord’s vineyard, the possibility of COP having a more fitting and permanent home became a reality when Fr. Manny Domingo invited COP to have a center at St. John Bosco Parish. With his great appreciation for contemplative prayer as a way of deepening one’s spiritual life, and his strong belief that parish activities can only be fruitful if they are coming from space of prayer, Fr. Manny so wants his parishioners to experience centering prayer. It is because of this that COP has been welcomed so warmly at St. John Bosco Parish and has been invited to have its Secretariat and Center at Room 211. COP is deeply grateful to the parish for giving us a nicely-appointed room, one that we have come to call fondly as the “Upper Room”. The center functions as the Secretariat as well as a bookstore where materials on Centering Prayer (books & audio cassette tapes) are sold. It’s also a place where members can go and rest awhile in silence, listen to meditative music, bond with other kindred souls to refresh themselves, mind, soul and spirit. The new COP Center is manned by a full time secretary and some member volunteers who, in their free time, come to do what they can for the ministry. Another wonderful sign that our home at Don Bosco Parish has God’s blessings is the presence of our secretary, Faith Faburada, who with her quiet demeanor and extraordinary competence as she goes about her work also makes it easier for all of us to do our mission with greater efficiency and joy. Do come to our COP Center at Rm 211, St. John Bosco Parish Building. Enjoy the peaceful ambiance . Rest your bodies, hearts and souls in the quiet and comfort of the center. With kindred souls, share a few moments of joyful fellowship. It can be so nourishing and life-giving... 10 Days in Snowmass – a personal account by Miren Sun Last April 15-24, 2008, four Filipinos joined the Post Intensive Retreat in Snowmass, Colorado. If there was a common sentiment among the first time attendees, Dedette Gamboa, Terly Chikiamco and myself, it was that it was such a blessing to have the opportunity to attend a retreat in Colorado! The anticipation surely matched the eventual experience. For Billie Trinidad, it was her fifth time to attend. Nevertheless, I could still sense the joy of being back to a place that has surely been a witness to the ups and downs of her life in all the years she has been going there. We took a train ride (AMTRAK) from Denver to Colorado Springs. It was a nice leisurely ride that took more than eight hours rather than the scheduled six. After dinner, we had our opening session which was attended by the retreatants and the four staffers: Pat Johnson, Fr. Charlie Albanese, Sherry Dutelle and Carol DiMarcello. Fr. Thomas Keating and Fr. Micah Schonberger also joined us. The retreatants were composed mostly by people from the US, a couple were from Canada and us four Filipinos. After the session, the Grand Silence began.

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