Upcoming Events
Third Saturdays Enrichment Series 2025-26 Resumes
This is our third and final year of sharing of the Contemplative Life Program, based on Julie Saad’s book Contemplative Life: Discerning Our Path Into the Heart of God.
Location and time: In person only at St. Walburga Monastery, 851 N. Broad Street, Elizabeth, NJ 07208 for October, November, December, March, and April from 9 am to 2 pm.
On Zoom only for January and February, from 9 am to 11 am. Zoom events are free of charge and do not require registration. The link is https://tinyurl.com/469wwufm. It will also be emailed to our email list closer to the time of each session.
When and What:
October 18 – Contemplative Discernment
November 15 – Addictions, Attachments, Aversions
December 20 – Advent Day of Prayer with Fr. Carl Arico
January 17 – Introduction to the Forgiveness Prayer (Zoom only)
February 21 – Practice the Forgiveness Prayer (Zoom only)
March 21 – Contemplative Lifestyle
April 18- Building a Contemplative Community
Cost: We ask $20 per in-person event or $82 for all 5 in-person events. All are welcome regardless of ability to pay. No fee is requested from members of vowed religious communities. Zoom events are free of charge. You may register online, via postal mail (Barbara Sherry, 1189 John F. Kennedy Blvd., Bayonne, NJ, 07002) or on site at the monastery. Payments are nonrefundable.
For in-person events: The room in which we meet holds a maximum of 24 people. Those who register are given priority. Walk-ins are welcome until the limit is reached. If you register and are not coming, please email coordinator@centeringprayernj.com so that we do not hold the space. Thank you!
Lunch for in-person events: Please bring lunch. Coffee, tea, and some food will be provided.
Questions? Email coordinator@centeringprayernj.com.
The Path of Holy Unknowing
First Saturdays on Zoom, 8 am to 9:15 am
This offering was formerly called the Mini-Intensive and resumes September 6, 2025.
Format: Two 25-minute prayer times separated by time for an optional meditative walk, followed by Lectio Divina on quotes from Reflections on the Unknowable by Father Thomas Keating. Registration is not required. No fee; just come and pray.
Please enter in silence, with volume muted. Link to join: https://tinyurl.com/cs944brn
“Within the stillness of silence, God speaks to the heart”
–sign at St. Joseph’s Abbey, Spencer, MA
Please consider offerings from:
Contemplative Outreach of NYC
October 25, 2025, 9am to 12pm – Morning of Centering Prayer and Chant
Parish Center at Saint Monica’s Church, 406 E. 80th St, NYC
Two 20-minute periods of Centering Prayer with chant, plus a teaching with Father Michael Holleran. RSVP as space is limited. Suggested donation of $20 (cash or check)
For more information, contact marytjebara@gmail.com
Holy Cross Monastery, West Park, NY
Oct 31 – Nov. 2, 2025: Introduction to Centering Prayer
Dec 9-12, 2025: Centering Prayer: Lectio Divina and the Four Senses of Scripture
Jan 30 – Feb 1, 2026: In Silence with Hildegard of Bingen and Hadewijch of Brabant
March 6 – 8, 2026: Introduction to Centering Prayer
Material from Past Events
Fr. Carl Arico’s Advent Day of Prayer December 18, 2021
Please find links to audio recordings of Fr. Carl Arico’s talks on December 18, 2021 as well as text of prayers and other readings used that day.