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Our Mission and goals
Members of The Thomas Merton Center strive to develop a spirituality based on Jesus Christ's message of love, compassion and forgiveness and to live his message in today's world. The TMC community seeks to attract those who are on a quest for a deeper spiritual life and invite them to share in this vision.
- To foster a variety of ways by which Catholics and others may develop a deeper spiritual relationship with Jesus Christ and, through him, with God.
- To augment, support and lead the development of ecumenical spirituality, bringing together Christians and non-Christians in areas of common interest and values.
- To build a lay community based on inclusivity and consensus.
- To develop and enhance the faith life of families.
Model of Thomas Merton
Thomas Merton (1915-1968) was a Trappist monk of the Cistercian Abbey of Gethsemani near Bardstown, Kentucky. Merton was internationally known for his religious profundity and insightful reflection, his interest in interfaith and social action work on the problems and possibilities of the world. Merton's courageous spirituality was the model for what we intend to do and be at The Thomas Merton Center.
Legal Organization
The Thomas Merton Center is organized as a private, tax-exempt, non-profit, independent religious education organization, incorporated under the laws of the State of California. A Board of Directors has legal and fiduciary responsibility for the organization, accountable to the applicable state and federal laws, to its Bylaws, its Mission Statement and its registered members. Though Catholic in its origins, intent, and liturgies, The Thomas Merton Center is an independent religious educational organization, not legally affiliated with any church.
Membership
Membership in The Thomas Merton Center is open to everyone without restriction, as are all liturgies, retreats, and spiritual education programs. Nominal membership dues are paid annually. -
Membership Application
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What's New
- Updated Board Minutes Section 3/17/19 see: (Home > Board)
- Added new page. selected Homily Excerpts by TMC presiders. (Here).
- Latest TMC Bulletin Posted 3/10/2019 (See Bulletin Section This Page)
- Added Information on ITMS convention in Santa Clara, CA- (Save The Date)
- Added latest Steeple Talk in Bulletin section 3/2/19
- Updated celebrant schedule 1/2/19
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Of Interest
March and April Means TMC Membership Renewal
Thomas Merton Center (TMC) membership materials have been sent or given to all current TMC
members. This Vatican II –inspired lay community has been in existence since 1995 and welcomes all who are interested in being part of an independent intentional faith community at home in the Catholic Church. If you would like to become a member of TMC, a membership application form is available in the church vestibule or an online form is linked below
. The Thomas Merton Center is a membership-based nonprofit religious education organization required by its bylaws to register its membership annually. Membership fees are minimal—$15 per individual or $30 per family. Your choice to become a member helps to keep this Catholic, lay-led, progressive faith community active. Your membership shows your support for sustaining the Sunday 8:45 a.m. Mass at St. Thomas Aquinas church, the adult spiritual education programs, and educational opportunities at St. Elizabeth Seton School in Palo Alto, CA.
Membership Form
Santa Clara University Has a New PresidentThe incoming president of the Santa Clara, CA university has a special affinity for and experience with the
immgrant and the poor,
"But it is his lifetime of straddling the worlds of the privileged and the poor that gives what O’Brien says is the perspective he needs to lead the 167-year-old Catholic University built around the historic Mission founded in 1777."
Quoted from the San Jose Mercury News, Wednesday 3/20/2019 edition. Click (here) to read the article.
Sacrament of Reconciliation
Experience the healing and freedom of the Sacrament of Reconciliation at TMC's Worship site, St Thomas Aquinas Church from 5 - 7 pm on March 13, 20, 27, and April 3, 10, and 17--that’s every Wednesday during Lent. Also Saturdays, from 11:30 - 12 noon at St Thomas Aquinas church, Waverley at Homer Streets, Palo Alto, CA.
Learn more about this beautiful and fulfilling rite of the Catholic Church (Here)
Seton School Thanks Merton Center:
We received a letter of gratitude from Carmel Caligaris, Director of Advancement, and Evelyn Rosa, Principal, at St. Elizabeth Seton School:
“We thank the Thomas Merton Group for their significant contribution to St. Elizabeth Seton School for 2018 and years prior...Your donations go directly to supporting our students, and we thank you greatly...With your help, SESS is blessed to provide our students with a comprehensive education and solid faith formation that we hope wilo prove to be instrumental throughout their lives.” In addition, Carmel penned a personal note: “We are so very grateful to all that support our students, but the TMC group in particular gives even more every year. Our students succeed through help from the whole community. Blessed to have your help! Warm regards,
Carmel.”
GLOBAL CATHOLIC
CLIMATE MOVEMENT
This site has featured information on the Global Catholic Climate Movement (CCCM). See below left. The San Jose Mercury news printed in its December 5 edition that carbon emissions, directly related to the greenhouse effect, have started to rise again after abating for the last few years. We have provided a link to read the article. We hope that all people of faith do what they can to take care of and protect our common home.
Link to the article ( here)
The Power of Stability and Civility
".......there are times when laughter is not only impossible, but would be inappropriate. This past week in the United States, we have dealt with such times whether it be the mailing of bombs to current and past elected officials or the antisemitic assassination of eleven of God's children at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania."
From The Vatican Observatory Blog by Fr James Kurzynski, amateur astronomer.. (Here)
Catholic Charities USA has forwarded the following Statement:
Families at the Border
The ongoing practice of separating children from their parents has already, as of May, left nearly 2000 children separated from their parents. As Bishop Vásquez, Chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Committee on Migration, and Sister Donna Markham OP PhD, President and CEO of Catholic Charities, remind us - as a nation and people of faith, we can and must do better.
Learn More
Speak Up!!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Margo McAuliffe Returns From Kenya
TMC Member and founder of Kenya Help, Margo McAuliffe, has arrived home to the Bay Area safely
.
Margo has published blog entries detailing this year's adventures. Her blogs offer a unique view of Kenyan life and culture relative to how one determined individual can have an uplifting impact on others. To read her latest blogs and to catch up on past ones click (Here)
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Reclaiming Jesus: A Confession of Faith in a Time of Crisis
The
Most Reverend Michael Curry (Left), , presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church in the US and Reverend Jim Wallis (right), president and founder of
Sojourners, has authored a letter to church leaders reminding them of the declaration entitled
Reclaiming
Jesus:
A confession of Faith in a time of Crisis of which they are signatories. You are encouraged to read the letter. A copy can be accessed
(Here). A link to the declaration is included
(Here).
Note: Links in the letter are not active.
Excerpt from the declaration:"When politics undermines our theology, we must examine that politics. The church’s role is to change the world through the life and love of Jesus Christ. The government’s role is to serve the common good by protecting justice and peace, rewarding good behavior while restraining bad behavior (Romans 13). When that role is undermined by political leadership, faith leaders must stand up and speak out. Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, “The church must be reminded that it is not the master or the servant of the state, but rather the conscience of the state.”
.... ...... ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these. Mark 12:31”
SOME OF OUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS ARE UNDER THREATStatement of the Board of Directors of the Thomas Merton Center on the Refugee Crisis:
Our brothers and sisters who have been forced to flee their homes around the world are crying out in despair, seeking help, safety, peace and love. Refugees, particularly those fleeing the conflict in Syria, have experienced horrors we can’t even im
agine. Now is not the time to close our doors, but rather it is the time to open our arms. Pope Francis says that "All those who flee their own country because of war, violence and persecution have the right to find an appropriate welcome and adequate protection in countries that describe themselves (as) "civilized.” Let us take this message to heart and welcome all who are fleeing persecution. Consider joining the Catholic Relief Services and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in making heard the voices of refugees waiting to find shelter within our borders. Let President Trump and your Congress member know that we support the needs of refugees. We trust our government to protect us while also welcoming refugees. Jesus called each of us to meet and welcome him "in the stranger." Let us follow his call. 3/9/17
The Board invites you to visit the following websites for more information on what you can do to support immigrants and refugees. Visit the following links:
US Conference of Catholic Bishops
Catholic Relief Services
For additional local resources, support, and ways to help, please contact the diocean ministry on Justice for Immigrants. More information (here)
TMC Board of Director's letter on the death penalty to California Gov. Jerry Brown.(here)
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Calendar
March 2019Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 248:45 Mass25Month View February 25, 201926Month View February 26, 201927Month View February 27, 201928Month View February 28, 20191Month View March 1, 20192Month View March 2, 201938:45 Mass4Month View March 4, 20195Month View March 5, 201966:00p Ash Wednesday MassMonth View March 6, 2019-
Wednesday, March 6, 6:00 PMFr. Ballard SJRead More
7Month View March 7, 20198Month View March 8, 20199Month View March 9, 2019108:45 Mass117:00p Liturgy MeetingMonth View March 11, 2019-
Monday, March 11, 7:00 PM - 9:00 PMLiturgy PlanningRead More
12Month View March 12, 201913Month View March 13, 2019147:30p Monthly Board MeetingMonth View March 14, 2019-
Read MoreThursday, March 14, 7:30 PM
15Month View March 15, 201916Month View March 16, 2019178:45 Mass187:00p Spiritual Education MeetingMonth View March 18, 2019-
Monday, March 18, 7:00 PM - 9:00 PMMonthly Planning MeetingRead More
19Month View March 19, 201920Month View March 20, 201921Month View March 21, 201922Month View March 22, 201923Month View March 23, 2019248:45 Mass25Month View March 25, 201926Month View March 26, 201927Month View March 27, 201928Month View March 28, 201929Month View March 29, 201930Month View March 30, 2019318:45 Mass1Month View April 1, 20192Month View April 2, 20193Month View April 3, 20194Month View April 4, 20195Month View April 5, 20196Month View April 6, 2019 -
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Today's Readings
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Reading 1 Dn 3:25, 34-43Responsorial Psalm Ps 25:4-5ab, 6 and 7bc, 8-9Gospel Mt 18:21-35
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Save the date
Lenten Morning of Reflection: April 6:
Sr Marilyn Wilson, BVM
Save Saturday morning, April 6, from 9 am till noon at St. Albert the Great Hospitality Center, for a Lenten Morning of Reflection, led by Sr. Marilyn Wilson--a Sister of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Sr. Marilyn is a an educator, spiritual director and retreat facilitator. She will lead us in an informal structure of prayer and contemplation as we approach Easter. All are welcome. Breakfast refreshments will be served.
See the flyer for this event: (Here)
Save the date for Seton Golf
May 6:Play golf on the renowned Stanford Golf Course and support Seton School students at the 24th Annual Seton Scramble for Students on Monday, May 6th. This golfing fundraiser empowers children of lowincome families to reach their full potential through the monies raised by the golf registration fees. In addition to the golf, there is food: Coupa Café catering, food, wine, beverages. Awards and a Silent & Live Auction cap off the day’s golfing exertions. Proceeds will directly support St. Elizabeth Seton School students.
To register for this event online click (here)
International Thomas Merton Society 16th General Meeting at Santa Clara U. June 27-30:
This biennial meeting carries out the mission of the ITMS to promote an understanding and appreciation of the multifaceted character of Thomas Merton and encourages study and research to make better known the unique contribution he has made to the literature of spirituality and to American literature and religious life.
This year’s conference theme is “O Peace, bless this mad place,” a line from a poem by Merton.
Keynote speakers include Rose Marie Berger, Fr. Cyprian Consiglio, O.S.B. Cam., Robert Ellsberg, Ron Hansen, and Richard Rodriguez, a panel on Dan Berrigan, and many concurrent sessions on topics such as Merton and Racism, Merton and the Ignatian Tradition, Merton and Peace, Merton and Ecology. Sr. Kathleen Deignan, who has led several retreats for TMC in the past, will participate in a workshop, as will Morgan Atkinson, the filmmaker who has shown two of his films on Merton at TMC events.
Registration for the 3-day conference is open now at: merton.org/2019 (Not TMC of Palo Alto).. Registration fee is $350 for ITMS members (TMC is a member) or $400 for non-members and includes 3 days of meetings and meals. (There is no option for partial registration.)
Several members of the TMC Spiritual Education Committee will be attending. -
Catholic Women Preach
Link to Catholic Women Preach website and this week's video click (Here) -
Global Catholic Climate movement (Gccm)
“On climate change, there is a clear, definitive and ineluctable ethical imperative to act.”
— Pope Francis
The science is irrefutable. There are many ways to act. Please vis[t the GCCM Website to find out what you can do. (Here)
ENCYCLICAL LETTER LAUDATO SI’ OF THE HOLY FATHER FRANCIS ON CARE FOR OUR COMMON HOME,
