Fr. Thomas welcomes conference attendees and offers his reflections on the conference theme.

Theological Principle #15 of Contemplative Outreach conveys the following: "We recognize and maintain a spiritual relationship with Saint Benedict’s Monastery in Snowmass, Colorado." This relationship has been animated and nurtured through the years by the many silent retreats taken at the Retreat Center at St. Benedict's. The  Retreat Center is featured in this meditative video.

As we approach the conference next week, we will very much be "in the world" yet mindful of the monastic values of silence, simplicity, solitude, and service that can emerge anywhere in life, even in the modern world at an airport hotel.

In this 10 minute video Fr. Thomas opens the conference on "Unity: Oneness in Contemplation". The conference was held in Pittsburgh PA in September 2008.

Following jovial remarks, Fr. Thomas gets down to business, saying the need is not to attend the conference to listen to him but to listen to the Sprit, in silence. These words take on special meaning at this years conference where, while with us in prayer and spirit, he continues to decline travel and to live a monastic life at St. Benedict's Monastery in Snowmass, CO.