Thomas Merton Center

Members of The Thomas Merton Center community 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 2/14/2023 (Here)
• Updated Board meeting minutes for 2022, 2/9/2023 (Here)
• Video, Fr Pedigo's Jan 29 Homily (Here)
• Obiturary Bishop McGrath as Published in the San Jose Mercury News (HERE)

• See the bulletin page for current activities of the Thomas Merton Center and other items of interest,

  Current TMC Online Bulletin (HERE}

Pentecost Homily 

"The feast of the Pentecost marks the official beginning of the Church. As promised by Jesus before his ascension into heaven, the Holy Spirit comes down  on the apostles at Pentecost and it transforms, sacrifices, and strenthens them.The Apostles become supercharged people and they go out and win a world for their Master - Jesus." Rest of the homily (HERE)

Community Says Goodby to late Bishop Emeritus P J McGrath

Read The Mercury News Article (HERE)

Published Article By Fr. Jose Rubio 

Stopping Violence in Gods Name

"There has been too much senseless violence caused by firearms in this country. Recently, three nine-year olds were killed at a Nashville Christian school and an unarmed African-American teenager, Ralf Yarl, was shot in Kansas City because he rang the wrong doorbell. Here in South County, we have experienced such violence. There have been so many tragedies caused by firearms that it is hard to keep track of them and I fear that these events are so frequent that we are growing numb."

To read a pdf version click (HERE)
 

                         
Fr. Rubio's March 26, 2023 homily is particularly meaningful in light of recent gun violence in the United States

"The last time we heard this gospel reading (John 11:1-45) was in March of 2020 at the beginning of the pandemic. Since then, there have been many deaths: 6.5 million worldwide and 1,000,000 in the United States from COVID 19.  There have been other deaths in our country as well. First, the casualties of gun violence, in 2022 there were 20,138 deaths from shootings (excluding suicides) and, in 2021, 20,726 deaths. In 2022, 332 people were shot in K-12 schools. Then there was the recent tragedy in Nashville, three children and three adults shot......."

Fr. Jose Antonio Rubio

Read the rest of the homily (HERE).
 

Pope Francis at Ten Years:

A reformers learning and plans

"Catholic traditionalists were wary when Francis emerged as pope for the first time on the loggia of St Peter's Basilica without the red cape that his predecessors had worn for formal events. Yet they never expected him to reverse one of Benedicts signature decisions by reimposing restrictions on the old Latin Mass, including where who can celebrate it..."

Read this  AP article by Nicole Winfield from the San Jose Mercury News (HERE)

 

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 ne}ws 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,