Dear Friends

New Year greetings from all connected with the Ballinskelligs Meditation Centre, Co Kerry.

Since our last letter we had our annual John Main Seminar at the Ballinskelligs Centre which was led by Wanda Nash; also a very stimulating weekend led by Sr Monika Clare who joined us from Brittany in France and explored some of the commonalities between John Cassian, Thomas Merton and John Main.

The 2006 Easter Retreat was led by Fr Pat Murray who continues to be a tremendous support to the Meditation Centre. Our special thanks to Fr Pat, Sr Monika Clare and Wanda for their contributions and presence and to all who have generously given of their time in the running of the Centre.

We also had our annual silent retreat at Mount St Josephs Abbey, Roscrea. This event which was started by Yvonne Fitzgerald has been running now for over 20 years and focuses on the practice of meditation. We plan two visits to Roscrea in 2007.

Some news items that we know will be of interest. William Main has just returned from a visit to the John Main Prayer Association in Montreal, Canada, where he met John Main's biographer, Neil McKenty, and many other friends of the Montreal Centre, including David Roffey, who continue the work of meditation begun in Montreal by Fr John in 1977. William also visited Mount Saviour Monastery in New York State where Fr John is buried and was warmly greeted by Fr Martin Boler OSB and Community.

The Ballinskelligs Centre is planning a week's retreat with the Montreal Centre to be held at Mount Saviour Monastery, New York State, US, in September 2007 in commemoration of the 30th Anniversary of the founding by John Main of the Benedictine Priory in Montreal. If you would like more information in that connection please contact the Ballinskelligs Centre directly.

Before that we are very pleased that Fr Paul Geraghty has agreed to travel from Montreal to give the Annual John Main Seminar in Ballinskelligs in 2007. Fr Paul was a member of the Benedictine Priory Montreal with Fr John Main and Fr Laurence Freeman.

Turning to the other events we have planned for 2007 you might like to note that the Ballinskelligs Centre will be open for residential visitors between 1st May 2007 and 8th June 2007. As this is a shorter period than 2006 we would advise early booking. A full list of planned events is listed on our events page.

".............the purpose of meditation is to bring you to silence, to take you beyond thought, imagination, ratiocination and self consciousness. To bring you to the silence of direct consciousness".

The Meditative Way by John Main

Joy and peace,

William

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