A brief history

Since 1995 The Merton Institute has presented over 70 programs, conferences, retreats and exhibits that have reached thousands of people of all ages and faiths. Our mission has been to share Merton’s compelling message in the world today. We have offered a variety of programs during which Merton’s perspective on living was presented. Rooted deeply in his Christian faith, Thomas Merton reached out to others of other faith traditions. Our programs are steeped in the rich spirituality of Thomas Merton.

In 2007, we introduced Bridges to Contemplative Living with Thomas Merton. This small group resource encourages individuals to practice contemplative dialogue not only during the sessions, but to integrate this way of being into their lives. The series consists of eight core volumes and one special edition, Bridges: Lent and Holy Week. Bridges is being used by over 2500 groups throughout the world.

The Merton Institute has edited three volumes of Thomas Merton's works. These are Lent and Easter Wisdom by Thomas Merton, Choosing to Love the World, and Thomas Merton In My Own Words. They are available from our online store.

Sharing Thomas Merton's vision of living contemplatively continues to be a priority for The Institute. We encourage others to live contemplatively through weekly email reflections, a series of essays entitled Contemplative Connections, our newsletter Contemplation and Action, and through programs offered at our retreat center, Bethany Spring.