| The World Community for Christian Meditation |
| Christian Meditation with Children |
| TEACH YOUR CHILDREN TO BE IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD |
|
- KIM NATARAJA has been leading 'The School' of The World Community for Christian Meditation on
behalf of Father Laurence for the past seven years; she is also an Oblate of the Community since
1998. One of her tasks is to coordinate all the initiatives to do with 'Meditation with Children'
worldwide and to put people in touch and disseminate materials. If you would like to be put on the
'Meditation with Children' e-mail list to be kept informed of developments and share materials
please contact her at kimshankarnataraja@googlemail.com If you would like to know more about
'The School' please click here.
- GREGORY RYAN corresponded with John Main in the late 1970’s before becoming an oblate
member of the Community in 1981. Greg, who with his wife Liz has two grown daughters, has
been a teacher in the primary grades for more than 30 years. He wrote My Happy Heart, Prayer
of the Heart for young children and composed and performed the companion CD, My Happy
Heart Sings, published by Medio Media. Please also click here to see more information about
Greg´s work.
- BARBARA O’HALLORAN is a social worker. She has twenty years experience working with young
people and families, including ten years as the Student Counsellor at St Michael’s College. In
addition to her counselling, she assisted in the college’s religious education program. Barbara has
had extensive experience in developing and conducting faith formation programs in meditation and
other areas. She is currently the Co-ordinator in South Australia for the Australian Christian
Meditation Community. She is the author of Like a Child series of books.
- ERNIE CHRISTIE - Married with three children. Has been meditating for over twelve years. His current
role is Director of Religious Education, Curriculum and ICT at Townsville Catholic Education Office in
North Queensland. He looks after 31 schools 15,000 students and 1,200 teachers. He is North
Queensland Coordinator for Christian Meditation and has been for three years. Their Diocese under
Bishop Michael Putney is currently introducing a system wide program of teacher meditation to
children which has become part of the prayer experience for all students in our schools. Ernie has a
Masters degree in Theology, a master’s degree in Education, a Diploma in Physical Education and a
Bachelors Degree in Education. He loves icon paintings and playing squash and walking. He is the
author of 'Teaching Christian Meditation to Children: Coming Home'
- SISTER MADELEINE met John Main in 1975 and was strongly influenced by his teaching a form of
meditation deriving principally from John Cassian and the Desert Fathers and found explicitly in the
'Cloud of Unknowing'. She was the first Director of the Meditation Centre in London. She is the
author of 'Born Contemplative'.
- LUCÍA GAYÓN met Father John and Father Laurence in 1981 and became an Oblate in 1983. She is the
webmistress of this program and is also responsible of sending the weekly newsletters for parents
and teachers. Begoña Siegrist and Lucía coordinate the work of the WCCM in Mexico. Lucía is
responsible for 5 other websites for the Community, coordinates an internet meditation group for the
Latin American community and one group in Ixtapa, Mexico. She has also translated into Spanish
some books from Father John and loves to create websites for the Community.
- OUR TEAM
LAURENCE FREEMAN is a Benedictine monk of the Congregation of Monte Oliveto and director of
The World Community for Christian Meditation. John Main was his spiritual teacher and he helped
him establish the first meditation group in London in 1976 and a few years later the Community in
Montreal. Right from the beginning children formed part of the groups in Montreal. In the last few
years he has paid extra attention to encouraging the teaching of meditation to children and young
adults. He has been actively involved in the Townsville initiative in Australia to bring meditation to
children in 31 Schools and the setting up of a Meditation Centre in the campus of Georgetown
University, USA. When on his journeys round the world to spread the word of Christian Meditation
he always makes a point of visiting and supporting those who teach meditation to children.
- RUTH FOWLER was the co-founder of the Christian Meditation community in Australia in 1985, and led the
community in its formative early years. She is the National Coordinator of the School for Christian Meditation
and in this capacity has presented School weekends in Australia and New Zealand. She also contributes at
an international level as a member of the International Resource Group of 'The School' to the development of
resources for the WCCM. Ruth leads a meditation group and has given many presentations to groups
interested in Christian Meditation. She has lived in western and eastern monastic settings and is interested
in the points of meeting between the two.
- Ruth has recently been also asked to undertake for the World Community for Christian Meditation the work
of supporting the introduction of Christian Meditation in schools, based on the work of Ernie Christie In this
capacity as, WCCM Coordinator- Coming Home - Teaching Christian Meditation to Students, Ruth is
organizing an Australasian Seminar on this topic in Australia in April 2008
(www.christianmeditationaustralia.org ), in Melbourne Australia. She is also working with other members of
the Community to develop guidelines and resources to assist with the introduction of Christian Meditation
firstly to teachers and to students. Further information can be obtained by contacting Ruth on
rafowler@optusnet.com.au or telephone 61 3 9484 1328.
