Thomas Merton Center

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:

Join (Here)

Renew Membership (Here)
 

• Updated Presider schedule 1/21/2023 (Here)
• Updated Board meeting minutes for 2022, 2/1/2023 (Here)
• Fish Fest on Friday evening February 3, 5:30 PM STA Thomas House Details  see below
• Video, Fr Pedigo's Jan 29 Homily (Here)

"Black Lives Matter is a statement of aspiration, not of fact. That remains the crux of the problem. Many troubles of American policing, including the militarization of forces, flow from that reality, which is a continuing source of national unease."

Francis Wilkinson
Bloomberg Opinion Columnist

Video Link: Fr John Pedigo's Homily, January 29, Sunday Mass at St Thomas Aquinas Church, Palo Alto. (HERE)

Don't forget to turn your volume up if necessary!

STA church Fish Fest, Friday February 3, 2023 at 5:30

The St. Thomas Aquinas Site Committee is hosting the next Fish Fest indoors at the Thomas House on Friday, February 3, 2023 starting at 5:30 p.m.  Please join us for all you can eat Fish and Chips and lemonade and camaraderie.  To purchase an appropriate amount of food, $10 Tickets will be on sale (cash or check) after all of the Masses, Sunday January 22nd and Sunday January 29th or please call Helen Baumann, 650-520-3061, to reserve your tickets.  Volunteers needed!  See Helen or Anna. 650-380-2296

Celebrate Black History Month This February 

Cultural Aspects by Google (Here)

Local Celebrations (Here)

From the San Jose Mercury News

NCR Editorial:
What to expect from Congress in the next two years
Read the article (HERE)

"Buckle your seatbelts. It's going to be a wild ride. And any hints we have of some kind of actual Republican agenda indicate that important tenets of Catholic social teaching will be missing from the chaotic mix" 

 

St Thomas Aquinas Masses:

See the St Thomas Aquinas website for mass schedule updates (Here)

Catholic Community at Stanford (Here)

Current TMC Online Bulletin
Old Bulletin Archives (Includes Steeple Talk)

Board Meeting Minutes

Link to Catholic Women Preach website and this week's video click (Here)

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)

“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,