Ventura Contemplative Community

The Ventura Contemplative Community welcomes you to this web site and to participate in the community's activities. We sponsor biweekly regular meetings and also several retreats each year.

We are persons from the greater Ventura area who have come together to nourish our own and one another's contemplative practice and foster contemplative practices in church and community.

In pursuing this goal, we seek to be guided by the Christian contemplative tradition with particular emphasis on the life and teachings of the late Thomas Merton. In the interfaith spirit of Thomas Merton and other Christian contemplatives, we draw upon eastern meditative traditions to enhance our practice.

Regular Meetings:
Second and Fourth Mondays of the month at 7.30 p.m.
At St. Catherines by the Sea Convent, 1931 Poli St., Ventura.
Meetings include: readings from spiritual writers and sitting meditation.

Directions to St. Catherine's 1931 Poli St., Ventura.

From the 101, exit Seaward and head away from the sea. (Northbound, turn right; Southbound, left onto frontage road and left again onto Seaward) Continue on Seaward until you reach Main Street (there is a traffic signal), turn left onto Main St. Continue on Main St. to the second traffic signal. This is Santa Cruz, turn right. Santa Cruz deadends at the entrance to the Convent.