Laurence Freeman

Fr. Laurence Freeman, O.S.B., is a Benedictine monk and priest of the [http://www.monteolivetomaggiore.it/inglese1.htm Congregation of Monte Oliveto] .

After reading English at New College, Oxford he had experience with the [http://www.un.org/ United Nations] and was briefly employed in Merchant banking and then began to assist John Main in running a small Christian meditation community in Montreal, Canada at the invitation of the [http://diocesemontreal.org/accueil/langues/index.htm Archbishop of Montreal] to establish a Benedictine community of monks and laypeople dedicated to the practice and teaching of Christian meditation. While in Montreal he studied theology at the Université de Montréal and at McGill University made his solemn monastic profession in 1979 and was ordained to the priesthood in 1980. In 1991 Fr Laurence returned to England to establish the [http://wccm.org/item.asp?recordid=InternationalCentre&pagestyle=default International Centre of The World Community for Christian Meditation] that is now present in about a hundred countries.

Fr. Laurence is the director of The World Community for Christian Meditation (WCCM), which is a global network of Christian meditation groups that practice the way of Christian meditation taught by Fr. John Main, O.S.B. He is also the founder and director of the [http://www8.georgetown.edu/centers/meditation/ John Main Center for Meditation and Inter-religious Dialogue] at Georgetown University. Laurence Freeman is the author of many books and articles and is also the editor of John Main's works and a member of the Board of [http://www.MedioMedia.org Medio Media] , the publishing arm of the World Community. He has conducted dialogues and peace initiatives such as the historic Way of Peace with the Dalai Lama and is active in inter-religious dialogue with other faiths as well as in encouraging the teaching of Christian meditation to children and students and in the re-appropriation of the contemplative wisdom tradition in the Church and society at large. He has been patron since 1990 of the [http://www.prisonphoenixtrust.org Prison Phoenix Trust] which seeks to support people in prison through non-denominational meditation.

Bibliography

* Light Within
* The Selfless Self
* A Short Span of Days
* Christian Meditation: Your Daily Practice
* Web of Silence
* Jesus: The Teacher Within

See also

* World Community for Christian Meditation

External links

* [http://wccm.org/item.asp?recordid=freeman&pagestyle=default Laurence Freeman OSB bio] at the World Community for Christian Meditation website
* [http://www.meditationwithchildren.com/ Meditation with Children - Directed by Laurence Freeman OSB]
* [http://www.thespiritualsolution.com/ The Spiritual Solution - for young people]
* [http://www.christianmeditationgroups.org/ Christian Meditation Groups - A Pearl of Great Price, Laurence Freeman, OSB, author]
* [http://www.christianmeditation11step.org/ Christian Meditation as an 11th Step Recovery Program - Director Father Laurence Freeman]
* [http://www.meditacioncristiana.com/ La Meditación Cristiana - Director Padre Laurence Freeman]
* [http://www.georgetown.edu/centers/meditation// The John Main Center and inter-religious dialogue, Georgetown University - Founder Father Laurence Freeman]