Laurence Freeman - Life

Life

Freeman was born in London, England and was educated by the Benedictines at St Benedict’s School, Ealing. After experience in the United Nations Youth Association, where he worked in establishing and networking local groups of young people interested in the work of the United Nations, and a year at the United Kingdom's mission to the UN in New York, he went to read English literature at New College, Oxford where he studied for a master's degree. Deciding not to do postgraduate work he entered a merchant bank and later began a career in journalism. After an extended retreat under John Main’s guidance he became a monk at Ealing Abbey. During his time there the first Christian meditation centre was formed and Freeman helped to establish this and also to publish the first works of John Main which served to spread the teaching of Christian meditation, eventually, around the world.

In 1977 he accompanied John Main to Montreal, Canada at the invitation of the Archbishop of Montreal to establish a Benedictine community of monks and lay people dedicated to the practice and teaching of meditation. While in Montreal he studied theology at the Université de Montréal and at McGill University. He made his solemn monastic profession on 18 October 1979 and was ordained to the priesthood on 8 June 1980.

After John Main died on 30 December 1982, Freeman succeeded him as prior of the new community and began to travel widely. A global spiritual family and organisation began to develop. In 1991 he participated in the establishment of the World Community for Christian Meditation during the John Main Seminar of that year led by Fr Bede Griffiths in New Harmony, Indiana. Freeman returned to England to establish the International Centre of the World Community for Christian Meditation. The community is now present in more than 100 countries.

Freeman is also the founder and director of the John Main Centre for Meditation and Inter-religious Dialogue at Georgetown University. He is the author of many books and articles and is also the editor of John Main's works and a member of the board of Medio Media, the publishing arm of the WCCM. He has conducted dialogues and peace initiatives such as the historic "Way of Peace" with the Dalai Lama and is active in inter-religious dialogue with other faiths as well as in encouraging the teaching of Christian meditation to children and students and in the reappropriation of the contemplative wisdom tradition in Christianity and society at large. In 2011, marking the 20th anniversary of the WCCM, Freeman and the guiding board launched Meditatio, the outreach of the WCCM. This initiative comprises a series of Meditatio Seminars (2010 on Meditation and Children; 2011 Meditation and Mental Health; 2012 Meditation and Inter-Religious Dialogue); the networking of young meditators in the global community and the development of web-based technology to spread a contemplative message.

In 2009, Freeman was made an Officer of the Order of Canada "for his contributions as the spiritual leader and director of the World Community for Christian Meditation, and as a proponent of peace and inter-religious dialogue and understanding."