Events
If you are organising a Merton event in GB or Ireland and would like to advertise it on our website please email the details to: committee@thomasmertonsociety.org.uk
TMS Celebration 2024 Thomas Merton: Back Among Friends
Thomas Merton: Back Among Friends
Come and join us in the general dance
The Thomas Merton Society is delighted to announce the dates for our celebration - Fri, 5 April to Sun, 7 Apr 2024.
Due to Covid we had to cancel our conferences for 2020 & 2022. At last, after six years, we can all come together again for a time of sharing, of celebration, of greeting friends, old and new, and to respond to Merton's invitation, at the end of New Seeds of Contemplation, "to forget ourselves on purpose, cast our awful solemnity to the winds and join in the general dance."
Contributing to our celebration will be Fr Sam Cross, Dan P Horan OFM, Victar Niachayeu, Gordon Oyer, Paul M Pearson, Anne Pearson, Sonia Petisco Martínez, Paul Pynkoski, Kathleen Tarr, and our special guest Miggy Scott.
Our celebration will be held at Rydal Hall Christian retreat centre, in the beautiful Lake District just a few miles from Ambleside. For details about the venue see: https://www.rydalhall.org/
Our gathering runs from 2pm on Friday 5th until 2pm on Sunday 7th. Full-board includes refreshments on arrival, all meals from Friday evening until Sunday lunch. There is a café on site for those who wish to arrive earlier on Friday. Day Guests are also welcome to attend.
Cost of full board: £280.00. There are double/twin-room options available. There are also day rates which will vary according to requirements.
For full booking details email: celebration@thomasmertonsociety.org.uk
Thomas Merton and The Complex Art of Simply Living
Thomas Merton and The Complex Art of Simply Living
As a young monk, Thomas Merton translated and expanded a primer in Cistercian spirituality, called The Spirit of Simplicity. When he died suddenly in 1968, on the edges of a war zone, Merton left a legacy which bears testimony to his attention to the complexities of his own life and of the mid-twentieth-century world he inhabited, as he continued to seek and to live the spirit of simplicity.
This session will include a brief introduction to Merton, as we consider the complexities of his immersion in the spirit of simplicity.
The event has been organised by The Fintry Trust.
Speaker Revd Dr Gary P. Hall is a Methodist minister and theological educator at the Queen’s Foundation, Birmingham. A former editor of The Merton Journal, he has taught and presented on Merton in the UK, Germany, India, US and Canada.
Tickets: £15 for an invitation on Zoom. Register here.
From Communication to Communion: Thomas Merton's Writing and the Desire to (Re)connect
A Residential Course held at Gladstone’s Library, Hawarden, Flintshire - 10 miles west of Chester.
Over recent years there has been a resurgence of interest in Thomas Merton (1915-68), the American Trappist monk. A theologian, writer and mystic, he is also known for his poetry and his call to social action. For many, this complex and challenging man has opened up a new way of thinking about faith, humanity and the world. His early autobiography connected with post-war America in an extraordinary way and his writings continue to connect with readers and their worlds, opening up fresh and ancient ways of relating to one another, to deep Christian roots, to our truer selves, to the world as it is and as it can be. With attention to some of Merton's thinking about what connects and what separates us, Gary Hall (pictured) will help us explore how Merton sought to counter conflict, mistrust and dehumanization through relational ways of communicating. This course is suitable for all – whether you are familiar with Merton or new to his work.
Course overview:
Session 1: Hearing Merton and one another: opening questions and comments in light of selected readings from Merton
Session 2: The monk disrupts and rejuvenates our thinking about connection
Session 3. Merton’s fragments and incompleteness, and how we know each other
Session 4: Merton as place of intersection, and how we inhabit one another’s worlds
Session 5: Clues from Merton about relational communicating
OPEN LECTURE: Merton as theological companion in the midst of trouble at 5pm on Saturday 14th October (tickets available here)
How can we act so as to make a positive difference in the pressured worlds we inhabit? And how does faith inform our desire to make a difference?
Many people's lives answer these questions for us; but what kind of answers come through the life and work of a twentieth-century monk?
Thomas Merton can take us to the heart of these concerns and help us abide there as we go on discovering how to live the questions well.
Revd Dr Gary P. Hall is a Methodist minister and theological educator at the Queen's Foundation, Birmingham. A former editor of The Merton Journal, he has taught and presented on Merton in the UK, Germany, India, US and Canada. During downtime, Gary may be found at a gig or Villa Park, playing the blues or playing with his grandson. Or in the garden shed
BOOKING INFORMATION:
Residential rates (includes breakfast, two course lunch with tea or filter coffee on Sunday and Monday and a two course dinner with tea or filter coffee on Saturday and Sunday)
One delegate in a single ensuite: £400 (or £304 with a student, clergy or Society of Authors discount)
Two delegates in a twin or double: £620 (or £500 with discounts)
One delegate in a double or twin occupancy: £460 (or £360 with?discount)
One delegate and one non-delegate guest in a twin or double: £550 (or £450 with discount)
Non-residential rate: £220 (including breaks, lunches and dinners)
Please book on 01244 532 350
(Photograph of Thomas Merton by Sibylle Akers. Used with permission of the Merton Legacy Trust and the Thomas Merton Center at Bellarmine University)
Thomas Merton and the Transformative Power of Love
Study day at Meditatio Centre (also online)
Thomas Merton and the Transformative Power of Love with Sophronia Scott, Sat 30th Sept, 10.30am-4pm, Meditatio
Merton, the contemplative monk could be impatient, rambunctious, charming, deceptive, in pain and, yes, in love: he was completely human and in the vulnerability of messy humanity he felt the grace of God. How do we make this connection and sense God’s love for us? How do earthly and spiritual love fit together? Sophfronia Scott's book, The Seeker and the Monk, won the 2021 Thomas Merton “Louie” Award from the International Thomas Merton Society.
“To say that I am made in the image of God is to say that love is the reason for my existence, for God is love.” Thomas Merton
The Merton who lived as a contemplative monk studying, writing, and praying was also a man who could be impatient, rambunctious, charming, deceptive, in pain and, yes, in love. In other words, he was completely human and in the vulnerability of that messy humanity he most felt the grace of God. How do we make this connection and sense God’s love for us? How do earthly and spiritual love fit together? We will consider these questions during our time together.
Sophfronia Scott is a novelist, essayist, and leading contemplative thinker. Her book The Seeker and the Monk: Everyday Conversations with Thomas Merton won the 2021 Thomas Merton “Louie” Award from the International Thomas Merton Society. Sophfronia has taught at Regis University’s Mile High MFA and Bay Path University’s MFA in Creative Nonfiction. She is currently the director of, a lowresidency graduate program based in Alma, Michigan. Sophfronia lives in Sandy Hook, Connecticut.
Cost: £40 (£20 concessions and £25 online)
For more information: In person events (seedsofsilence.org.uk)
20 Apr 2023 | TMS Reading Group meeting
The Thomas Merton Society Reading Group will meet again on Thurs, 20 Apr from 7-8pm GMT. Information on our past meetings can be found in the ‘News’ section of the website.
We will be discussing Merton's essay, 'Prometheus: A Meditation' in April.
To join the bi-monthly reading group please email tmsreadinggroup@thomasmertonsociety.org.uk
Here's the Zoom link for our meeting (it is always the same link):
Topic: The TMS Reading Group meeting
Time: Thurs, 20 Apr 2023, 7pm - 8pm GMT
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87064966122?pwd=MHArMWpWWFVoeWRWL3FGemwwM0tlZz09
Meeting ID: 870 6496 6122
Passcode: 049102
Merton on Thursdays | Session 5
Merton on Thursdays | Session 5 of 5
Speakers:
Gary Hall – Arguing with fascists: Thomas Merton’s vocational discernment
Fiona Gardner - Lessons from Hawk’s Diner
Chair: Maureen Pickering, Thomas Merton Society GB & Ireland
Register to attend this free event by emailing treasurer@thomasmertonsociety.org.uk
Revd Dr Gary P Hall is a theological educator at the Queen’s Foundation, Birmingham, UK. He has regularly presented, taught and published on Merton, and was previously an editor of The Merton Journal.
Fiona Gardner is an author; some of her recent books include of Taking Heart: Experiences of spiritual searching, self-acceptance and journeying to the heart of faith (2021), The Only Mind Worth Having (2015) and Precious Thoughts (2011). She was chair of the Thomas Merton Society of Great Britain and Ireland and former co-editor of the Merton Journal. She is a qualified psychoanalytic psychotherapist, consultant and spiritual director.
Esther de Waal: Thomas Merton, the Man, the Monk, the Artist
Acclaimed author and scholar Esther de Waal is leading a Retreat for Holland House: An Encounter with Thomas Merton: the Man, the Monk, the Artist.
Esther will be bring to light some little-known elements of Merton’s life, namely his fascination with his Welsh roots, his wonderful poetry, beautiful calligraphy, and his genius for photography. Indeed we’re exceptionally lucky that Esther will be bringing some original photographs with her – usually only available to be seen during exhibitions.
Registration details of the event at Holland House, Cropthorne, WR10 3NB can be found here.
“Esther de Waal enjoys a worldwide reputation as a writer, speaker and retreat leader in the areas of monastic spirituality (especially Benedictine) and Celtic spirituality. Her books have been translated into numerous languages and include the classic Seeking God which has been in print for over 25 years”. Canterbury Press.
Merton on Thursdays | Session 4
Merton on Thursdays | Session 4 of 5
Speakers:
Chris Pramuk and Sophfronia Scott - Bearing Witness to Hope: Merton’s Reach for Simplicity
Chair: Patricia Higgins, Thomas Merton Society GB & Ireland
Register to attend this free event by emailing treasurer@thomasmertonsociety.org.uk
Dr. Christopher Pramuk is an Associate Professor of Theology at Regis University in Denver. He is the author of six books, including two award-winning studies of Thomas Merton. He lectures widely around the country and has led retreats on topics such as racial justice, Ignatian spirituality, and the witness of Thomas Merton. He is currently president of the International Thomas Merton Society.
Sophfronia Scott is a novelist, essayist, and leading contemplative thinker whose work has appeared in numerous publications and received a 2020 Artist Fellowship Grant from the Connecticut Office of the Arts. Her book The Seeker and the Monk: Everyday Conversations with Thomas Merton received the 2021 Thomas Merton "Louie" Award from the International Thomas Merton Society. Sophfronia holds degrees from Harvard University and Vermont College of Fine Arts. She is the founding director of Alma College’s Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Creative Writing.
Merton on Thursdays | Session 3
Merton on Thursdays | Session 3 of 5
Speakers:
Gordon Oyer – Finding Hope in the 'Sacramental' Economies of Thomas Merton and Walter Weisskopf
Peter Ellis - Walking out of the door into fresh air
Chair: Liz Hanvey, Thomas Merton Society GB & Ireland
All are welcome to join us for our 3rd (of 5) Merton on Thursdays event on 4 August, 7-8:30pm GMT.
Zoom access:
Meeting ID: 838 4325 1067
Passcode: 595977
https://tinyurl.com/28afjvrk
Gordon Oyer is the author of Signs of Hope: Thomas Merton’s Letters on Peace, Race, and Ecology (2021) and Pursuing the Spiritual Roots of Protest: Merton, Berrigan, Yoder and Muste at the Gethsemani Abbey Peacemakers Retreat (2014), as well as articles in The Merton Journal and The Merton Annual. He is a former administrator at the University of Illinois and lives in Louisville, Kentucky.
Peter Ellis is currently researching and writing about eco-spirituality. His latest publication is ‘Can natural theology rethink its relationship with non-human animals’ in Posthumanist Perspectives on Literary and Cultural Animals (2021). He has regularly presented at TMSGBI and ITMS conferences and contributes to the Merton Journal.
Merton on Thursdays | Session 2
Merton on Thursdays | Session 2 of 5
All are welcome to join us for this free event on Zoom
Meeting ID: 882 1695 8645 Passcode: 684149
Speakers:
James Cronin – Disarming discourse: Thomas Merton’s Breakthrough to Peace, October 1961-September 1962
Bernadette McNary-Zak and Swasti Bhattacharyya - Merton’s Resonance with Vinoba: Hope Found in a Transformative Interfaith Encounter
Chair: Stephen Dunhill, Thomas Merton Society GB & Ireland
James G. R. Cronin is a humanities scholar and academic at University College Cork in Ireland. He was recently conferred with a doctorate on Thomas Merton's Cold War Letters project within the field of U.S. foreign policy. His talk to the society will examine a lesser-known Merton publication project, Breakthrough to Peace, from an historical perspective. James is currently an international advisor to the International Thomas Merton Society.
Bernadette McNary-Zak (PhD) is Associate Professor of Religious Studies at Rhodes College (Memphis, Tennessee, USA). She is currently working on a book about the Memphis Monastery of St. Clare.
Swasti Bhattacharyya (PhD, RN) is Visiting Professor Emerita of Women’s Studies and Ethics and a 2021-2022 WSRP Research Associate at Harvard Divinity School (Cambridge, MA USA). Her long-term ethnographic project explores how current generations are living out Vinoba Bhave’s (M.K. Gandhi’s disciple, friend, and spiritual successor) commitments to Sarvodaya (the holistic uplifting of all life).
Merton on Thursdays
Merton on Thursdays | 5 May 2022 1st of 5 sessions
Speakers:
William Horan: Thomas Merton and Nonviolence
WILLIAM is from USA and has a long and active involvement with Pax Christi. His talk will explore the theme of nonviolence in Thomas Merton’s writings, set against the backdrop of Merton's friends, Tom Cornell and Jim Forest.
Paul Pynkoski: Discerning Christ Among Us: Proximity as Spiritual Praxis
PAUL is from Canada and current Secretary of the ITMS. His talk will consider themes of hope and transformation, placing Thomas Merton's experiences of Harlem next to those of Canadian singer-songwriter Bruce Cockburn and his visit to a refugee camp.
Chair: Anthony Purvis, Thomas Merton Society GB & Ireland
YouTube recording of the event.
Pope Francis and Thomas Merton: The Need for Dialogue | A Conversation with Greg Hillis
LECTURE & CONVERSATION with GREG HILLIS*
Title: Pope Francis and Thomas Merton: The Need for Dialogue
Date: 7 Apr 2022
Time: doors open at 6:30, start at 7:00pm
Venue: St Barnabas Pimlico, St Barnabas Street, London SW1W 8PF
Tickets: email events@thomasmertonsociety.org.uk for your free ticket
Join us for a conversation, Q&A and book signing with author, Greg Hills.
Event sponsored by the Thomas Merton Society Great Britain and Ireland and the Society of St Francis (Third Order) London West.
* https://www.bellarmine.edu/arts-and-sciences/undergraduate/theology/dr.gregoryk.hillis
Thomas Merton, Pilgrimage of the Heart (Lenten Series)
Join Rev’d Máirt Hanley as he reflects on Lent as an inner journey or pilgrimage of the heart as scaffolded by extracts from the writings of Thomas Merton. This virtual journey will consist of a series of seven virtual stations or moments to pause as based on the seven canonical hours of the day extending across the seven weeks of the Lenten season (Wednesday, March 2, to Thursday, April 14, 2022).
The virtual pause moments will be based on excerpts from Merton's writings as chosen by James Cronin. Virtual pause moments, with guided reflections, will be posted at noon (Irish time) every Wednesday throughout Lent on Máirt Hanley@youtube and on The Community of Brendan the Navigator-Cumann Breandán Noafa facebook page.
Rev’d Máirt Hanley is the rector of Baltinglass Group of parishes and Vicar of The Community of Brendan the Navigator-Cumann Breandán Noafa.
The Community of Brendan the Navigator-Cumann Breandán Noafa is a dispersed religious community based in the Church of Ireland which seeks to promote the practice of pilgrimage contemplation and retreat among its members and in the Church of Ireland.
James Cronin is an academic at University College Cork with a research interest in Thomas Merton. He is an international advisor, International Thomas Merton Society.
Previous Conferences
Facing the Life-and-Death Issues
Twelfth General Meeting & Conference
6-8 April 2018
Oakham School, Rutland, UK
The Conference Programme may be downloaded here (pdf)
Life is on our side
Eleventh General Meeting & Conference
1-3 April 2016
Oakham School, Rutland, UK
The Conference Programme may be downloaded here (pdf)
The Road to Joy
Tenth General Meeting & Conference
4-6 April 2014
Oakham School, Rutland, UK
The Conference Programme may be downloaded here (pdf)