
JMS 2020: One Heart, One Hope – Indigenous Wisdom and the Future of Humanity
The 37th annual John Main Seminar was hosted by WCCM Mexico in Mexico City with Fr. Alex Zatyrka as the featured speaker.
The John Main Seminar has been an annual event since 1984. It was established to honour John Main’s memory and develop the influence of his teaching in new fields and dialogue with the modern world.
Presenters include the Dalai Lama, Bede Griffiths on John Main, Mary McAleese on Reconciliation of Conflict, Bernard McGinn on Christian Mysticism, Richard Rohr, Charles Taylor, Thomas Keating and Sarah Bachelard and multiple speaker events on The Crisis of Change and Indigenous Wisdom.
How did the John Main Seminar start?
The first seven Seminars were held at the former Benedictine Priory of Montreal, beginning the year after John Main’s death. They were relatively small-scale events and the presenters were all prominent members of the Community with high standing in their professional fields.
The 1991 Seminar was a transformative event for the WCCM, inded the birth of the organisational aspect of the ‘monastery without walls’. It was held in New Harmony, Indiana. The participants were representative of a growing global family. The presenter was Bede Griffiths, the pioneer of interfaith dialogue and friend of John Main who spoke on Main’s vision of community under the theme of The New Creation in Christ. Immediately after the Seminar he remained with the leadership of the Community and contributed to a three-day process out of which the WCCM’s organizational and structural constitution were established.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama led the 1994 Seminar, The Good Heart: A Buddhist Perspective on the Teaching of Jesus. The resulting book, of the same title, containing his commentaries on the gospels and dialogues with Laurence Freeman and other Christian teachers became an international bestseller in many languages. His Holiness also headlined the roster of former John Main Seminar presenters at the new millennium Seminar held in Belfast, Northern Ireland. That event involved over 3000 participants making it the biggest single organizational seminar of the Community to date.
Other Seminar presenters include: Jean Vanier (France), Fr. William Johnston S.J. (Japan), Laurence Freeman, OSB, Fr. Raimon Panikkar (India), former President of Ireland Mary McAleese, Abbot Thomas Keating, Prof Huston Smith, Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, Bishop Kallistos Ware, Sr. Joan Chittister, OSB, composer and singer Margaret Rizza, Robert Kennedy, SJ, James Alison, Timothy Radcliffe, OP, Philosopher and Theologian Leonardo Boff & Frei Betto OFM (Brazil), Fr. Joseph Wong OSB Cam, Daniel Madigan, SJ, Professor David Tacey (Australia) and Alex Zatyrka SJ (Mexico).
Still Present: The Life and Legacy of John Main in 2007 marked the twenty-fifth anniversary of his death. It featured a panel of speakers including Charles Tayor and Sarah Bachelard. Fr. Laurence. Cardinal Walter Kaspar was the keynote speaker at the 2008 Seminar in Germany on Unity: Local and Global.
The Seminar talks are framed by four periods of meditation a day and a final contemplative Eucharist. The WCCM’s Annual General Meeting is an integral part of this annual event. A three-day silent retreat led by Fr. Laurence is linked to Seminar.
The 37th annual John Main Seminar was hosted by WCCM Mexico in Mexico City with Fr. Alex Zatyrka as the featured speaker.
The 36th annual John Main Seminar was hosted by WCCM Canada in Vancouver with Sarah Bachelard as the presenter.
The 35th annual John Main Seminar was hosted by WCCM Belgium in Bruges where Laurence Freeman joined eight other speakers from politics, finance, science and social justice.
The 34th annual John Main Seminar was hosted by WCCM USA, with Bernard McGinn, the renowned scholar of western mysticism.
The 33rd John Main Seminar took place in Trosly, France, home of L’Arche, where Jean Vanier led the event for the second time.
The 32nd John Main Seminar was hosted by WCCM New Zealand in Hamilton and was led by the Australian scholar of contemporary spirituality David Tacey.
The 11th annual John Main Seminar took place in London, UK, and welcomed The Dalai Lama as the featured speaker.
Fr. Joseph Wong OSB Cam was the speaker in the John Main Seminar 2013 with the theme Desert Wisdom & Oriental Spirituality: Inner Silence.
The 29th John Main Seminar hosted in Indaiatuba, São Paulo, Brazil, and was led by theologians Leonardo Boff and Frei Betto
The 28th John Main Seminar was hosted by WCCM Ireland in Cork, led Timothy Radcliffe OP former Master of the Dominican Order.
The 27th John Main Seminar was hosted by WCCM UK in Canterbury and led by theologian James Alison.
The 26th annual John Main Seminar took place in London, UK, and welcomed Robert Kennedy SJ as the featured speaker.
The 25th annual John Main Seminar took place in Mainz, Germany, and welcomed Cardinal Walter Kasper as the featured speaker.
The 24th annual John Main Seminar took place in Quebec, Canada, and welcomed Laurence Freeman, Balfour Mount, Sarah Bachelard, Peter Ng and Yvon Théroux as the featured speakers.
The 23rd annual John Main Seminar took place in Penang, Malaysia, and welcomed Margaret Rizza as the featured speaker.
The 22nd annual John Main Seminar took place in Thousand Oaks, USA, and welcomed Richard Rohr OFM as the featured speaker.
The 21st annual John Main Seminar took place in Vermont, USA, and welcomed Joan Chittister OSB as the featured speaker.
The 20th annual John Main Seminar took place in Reading, UK, and welcomed Andrew Harvey, Shirley Du Boulay, Bruno Barnhardt OSB Camspeakers as the featured speakers.
The 19th annual John Main Seminar took place in Ontario, Canada, and welcomed Bishop Kallistos Ware as the featured speaker.
The 18th annual John Main Seminar took place in Sydney, Australia, and welcomed Archbishop Rowan Williams as the featured speaker.
The 17th annual John Main Seminar took place in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and welcomed The Dalai Lama & Previous Presenters as the featured speakers.
The 16th annual John Main Seminar welcomed Huston Smith as the featured speaker.
The 15th annual John Main Seminar took place in San Francisco, USA, and welcomed Thomas Keating as the featured speaker.
The 14th annual John Main Seminar took place in Dublin, Ireland, and welcomed Mary McAleese as the featured speaker.
The 13th annual John Main Seminar took place in London, UK, and welcomed Raimon Panikkar as the featured speaker.
The 12th annual John Main Seminar took place in San Diego, USA, and welcomed Laurence Freeman OSB as the featured speaker.
The 10th annual John Main Seminar took place in Toronto, Canada, and welcomed William Johnston as the featured speaker.
The 9th annual John Main Seminar took place in London, UK, and welcomed Jean Vanier as the featured speaker.
The 8th annual John Main Seminar took place in New Harmony, USA, and welcomed Bede Griffiths as the featured speaker.
The 7th annual John Main Seminar welcomed Eileen O’Hea as the featured speaker.
The 6th annual John Main Seminar welcomed Balfour Mount as the featured speaker.
The 5th annual John Main Seminar welcomed Charles Taylor as the featured speaker.
The 4th annual John Main Seminar welcomed Derek Smith as the featured speaker.
The 3rd annual John Main Seminar welcomed John Todd as the featured speaker.
The 2nd annual John Main Seminar welcomed Robert Kiely as the featured speaker.
The 1st annual John Main Seminar welcomed Isabelle Glover as the featured speaker.
The 37th annual John Main Seminar was hosted by WCCM Mexico in Mexico City with Fr. Alex Zatyrka as the featured speaker.
The 36th annual John Main Seminar was hosted by WCCM Canada in Vancouver with Sarah Bachelard as the presenter.
The 35th annual John Main Seminar was hosted by WCCM Belgium in Bruges where Laurence Freeman joined eight other speakers from politics, finance, science and social justice.
The 34th annual John Main Seminar was hosted by WCCM USA, with Bernard McGinn, the renowned scholar of western mysticism.
The 33rd John Main Seminar took place in Trosly, France, home of L’Arche, where Jean Vanier led the event for the second time.
The 32nd John Main Seminar was hosted by WCCM New Zealand in Hamilton and was led by the Australian scholar of contemporary spirituality David Tacey.
Fr. Joseph Wong OSB Cam was the speaker in the John Main Seminar 2013 with the theme Desert Wisdom & Oriental Spirituality: Inner Silence.
The 29th John Main Seminar hosted in Indaiatuba, São Paulo, Brazil, and was led by theologians Leonardo Boff and Frei Betto
The 28th John Main Seminar was hosted by WCCM Ireland in Cork, led Timothy Radcliffe OP former Master of the Dominican Order.
The 27th John Main Seminar was hosted by WCCM UK in Canterbury and led by theologian James Alison.
The 26th annual John Main Seminar took place in London, UK, and welcomed Robert Kennedy SJ as the featured speaker.
The 25th annual John Main Seminar took place in Mainz, Germany, and welcomed Cardinal Walter Kasper as the featured speaker.
The 24th annual John Main Seminar took place in Quebec, Canada, and welcomed Laurence Freeman, Balfour Mount, Sarah Bachelard, Peter Ng and Yvon Théroux as the featured speakers.
The 23rd annual John Main Seminar took place in Penang, Malaysia, and welcomed Margaret Rizza as the featured speaker.
The 22nd annual John Main Seminar took place in Thousand Oaks, USA, and welcomed Richard Rohr OFM as the featured speaker.
The 21st annual John Main Seminar took place in Vermont, USA, and welcomed Joan Chittister OSB as the featured speaker.
The 20th annual John Main Seminar took place in Reading, UK, and welcomed Andrew Harvey, Shirley Du Boulay, Bruno Barnhardt OSB Camspeakers as the featured speakers.
The 19th annual John Main Seminar took place in Ontario, Canada, and welcomed Bishop Kallistos Ware as the featured speaker.
The 18th annual John Main Seminar took place in Sydney, Australia, and welcomed Archbishop Rowan Williams as the featured speaker.
The 17th annual John Main Seminar took place in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and welcomed The Dalai Lama & Previous Presenters as the featured speakers.
The 16th annual John Main Seminar welcomed Huston Smith as the featured speaker.
The 15th annual John Main Seminar took place in San Francisco, USA, and welcomed Thomas Keating as the featured speaker.
The 14th annual John Main Seminar took place in Dublin, Ireland, and welcomed Mary McAleese as the featured speaker.
The 13th annual John Main Seminar took place in London, UK, and welcomed Raimon Panikkar as the featured speaker.
The 12th annual John Main Seminar took place in San Diego, USA, and welcomed Laurence Freeman OSB as the featured speaker.
The 11th annual John Main Seminar took place in London, UK, and welcomed The Dalai Lama as the featured speaker.
The 10th annual John Main Seminar took place in Toronto, Canada, and welcomed William Johnston as the featured speaker.
The 9th annual John Main Seminar took place in London, UK, and welcomed Jean Vanier as the featured speaker.
The 8th annual John Main Seminar took place in New Harmony, USA, and welcomed Bede Griffiths as the featured speaker.
The 7th annual John Main Seminar welcomed Eileen O’Hea as the featured speaker.
The 6th annual John Main Seminar welcomed Balfour Mount as the featured speaker.
The 5th annual John Main Seminar welcomed Charles Taylor as the featured speaker.
The 4th annual John Main Seminar welcomed Derek Smith as the featured speaker.
The 3rd annual John Main Seminar welcomed John Todd as the featured speaker.
The 2nd annual John Main Seminar welcomed Robert Kiely as the featured speaker.
The 1st annual John Main Seminar welcomed Isabelle Glover as the featured speaker.
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