monastics. In 1983, Fr. Keating taught the first intensive Centering Prayer retreat at Lama Foundation in New Mexico, an intentional spiritual community that welcomes people from all traditions. More retreats ensued, and Contemplative Outreach, now international in its reach, was formed a few years later to support the increasing numbers of people who were being exposed to and taking up Centering Prayer. In 1984 Father Thomas invited a group of spiritual teachers—Buddhist, Hindu, Jewish, Islamic, Native American, Russian Orthodox, Protestant and Roman Catholic—to come to St. Benedict's to meditate in silence together and to share their own spiritual journeys. The intention was not to convert each other, but to grow in understanding and friendship. The interreligious dialogue, one of the world's longest running, continued for more than two decades as the Snowmass Interreligious Conference. There were no records kept; no papers published, until a 2004 book entitled The Common Heart, edited by Miles-Yepez. Over the years, the group produced and refined a document called The Points of Agreement. Fr. Keating wrote by way of introducing them in The Common Heart that they are offered "as a gift to all who will welcome them, to all who will use them to promote understanding." The model for interreligious/interspiritual dialogue developed in the Snowmass Conference provides the foundation for the ongoing Snowmass Interspiritual Dialogue, with Father "After fifty years in the Thomas remaining as a member and guiding light. monastery, this is what I have learned: The only thing that really matters is love. That's all there is! Just love.�
Fr. Thomas has been a regular participant and guide in numerous other interfaith, interreligious, and interspiritual initiatives over all these many years of unceasing service, including the Naropa BuddhistChristian Conferences that began in 1981; the Monastic Interreligious Dialogue (past president) and the Temple of Understanding, where he is chair emeritus and an ongoing advisor, and by which he was given the Juliet Hollister Award in recognition of his life's work in advancing the interfaith ideal. He has published over 30 books and produced dozens of audio and video programs. He has given innumerable lectures, retreats, workshops, and intensives all over the planet, making him truly a "monk in the world," as Wayne Teasdale says. During this last year, despite the ups and downs of his health and energy, Fr. Thomas has been making himself available to a small group of us that are exploring the idea of a new, interspiritual model for monasticism, an initiative put forth in one form by Adam Bucko and Rory McEntee (http://www.adambucko.com/HAB/New_Monasticism.html). It was during a gathering of this little tribe last June that I most recently sat with my friend and teacher, in another cozy living room in Snowmass, receiving his presence and guidance as pure gift.