Thomas Merton’s Lessons of Peace and Nonviolence
John Dear
Based on his best-selling book, “Thomas Merton Peacemaker,” priest, peace activist, and Nobel Peace Prize nominee John Dear will lead us in a weekend retreat on the life and teachings of Thomas Merton, the well-known monk, author and peacemaker. During the weekend, John will offer reflections on Merton’s writings and teachings in light of Gospel nonviolence, to deepen our understanding of prayer, contemplation, peacemaking, activism, peace, hope, love and life. We’ll have time for small and large group discussion, quiet time, journaling, social time, worship, and community-building. Together, we’ll let Merton guide us forward on our own journey of contemplative peacemaking to the life of peace and the God of peace.
Rev. John Dear is an internationally recognized voice for peace and nonviolence. A priest, pastor, peacemaker, retreat leader, and author, he served for years as the director of the Fellowship of Reconciliation, the largest interfaith peace organization in the U.S. After September 11, 2001, he was a Red Cross coordinator of chaplains at the Family Assistance Center in New York, and counseled thousands of relatives and rescue workers. John has traveled the war zones of the world, been arrested some 75 times for peace, led Nobel Peace prize winners to Iraq, given thousands of lectures on peace across the U.S., and served as a pastor of several churches in New Mexico. He helps coordinate www.campaignnonviolence.org In 2008, Archbishop Desmond Tutu nominated John Dear for the Nobel Peace Prize. John’s many books include: The Nonviolent Life; Walking the Way; Thomas Merton Peacemaker; The God of Peace; Transfiguration; You Will Be My Witnesses; Living Peace; The Questions of Jesus; Put Down Your Sword; Jesus the Rebel; Peace Behind Bars; Lazarus Come Forth; Disarming the Heart, and his autobiography, A Persistent Peace. Visit: www.johndear.org
Attendants are encouraged to bring favorite Merton books, readings, and quotes, and are urged to read Merton before the retreat. John recommends the biography, “Living With Wisdom” by Jim Forest; “A Life in Letters,” Merton’s Selected Letters; “The Intimate Merton,” Selections from Merton’s Journals; and “A Passion for Peace,” Merton’s writings on peace; as well as his book, “Thomas Merton, Peacemaker.”
Cost $395 includes double occupancy room, board and tuition