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Christian Meditation School held in Pembroke Ontario

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Statement by Padre Michel Dion


Friday April 11, 2008 was a day of wind and rain in Eastern Ontario, that progressed to ice pellets, freezing rain and a snow storm. Luckily the 11 participants and 3 presenters at the 13th Christian Meditation School were safe and snug in the Marguerite Centre, starting a fascinating, intense and spiritually enriching journey into the Essential Teaching about Christian Meditation.

The Resource Team – Ron Dicks, Michel Legault and Rev.Glenda Meakin, welcomed the group and invited us to create a spirit of community, filled with peace, trust and joy.

The weekend was structured around a very full schedule of talks, small group sessions, periods of meditation and opportunities to know one another better over delicious meals and frequent breaks. The atmosphere went from beautiful deep silence during meditation to good humoured competition and laughter as we did the quiz “In Search of Our Roots - a quiz on John Main and the Christian Meditation tradition”.

Adding to the wealth of material presented and the excellent handouts was the richness inherent in the group itself. Participants came from very different meditation situations — small groups within churches, groups in private homes, large groups at a retreat centre. One participant, Kathryn McMorrow of Montreal, has been to numerous Christian Meditation groups on several continents. Another, Michel Dion of Petawawa, is a military chaplain who will be making Christian Meditation available to Canadian troops serving in Afghanistan when he leaves with a deployment in the fall of 2008. Retreatants who were relatively new to Christian Meditation were inspired listening to the experiences and wisdom of long time meditators like Zophia Zawidzka of Barry's Bay and Frere Kennedy of Ottawa.

By departure time early Sunday afternoon the snow had melted away, the promise of spring was back in the air and participants of the 13th Christian Meditation School said good-bye to one another with genuine affection and appreciation for the experience we had shared together. Coincidentally a flock of Canadian geese flew over the Marguerite Centre heading north toward the Ottawa River as people were putting their suitcases in cars - a symbol of group encouragement, honking their 'mantra' as their made their journey, proclaiming the return of spring and reminding observers how we are all blessed in so many different ways!


Margaret Conroy, Pembroke, Ontario.

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Having practiced Christian Meditation on my own for a number of years, the School was a great opportunity for me to connect with the greater CM community and to deepen my knowledge of this ancient form of prayer. Also, as a military chaplain preparing to deploy to Afghanistan, the School has provided me the confidence and the resources I was seeking in order to share the gift of Christian meditation with other soldiers under my care during our deployment. Knowing the numerous stresses soldiers face while on operations, I am convinced that path of meditation can be a powerful gift to them, helping to sustain them through often difficult times, as it has done for me over the years. My hope is to establish a weekly meditation group right on the main camp in Kandahar. God willing, may it become a beacon of peace for all in that region of the world.


Padre Michel Dion,
Major
Senior Task Force Chaplain
Petawawa ON


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Small groups at work

Small groups at work


One group in discussion

One Group in Discussion


Attendees

Attendees


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Revised: April 28, 2008