Center for Action and Contemplation
Albuquerque, Albuquerque Metro
Rooted in the Christian mystical tradition, CAC integrates contemplative practice and social justice through education, publishing, and community.
About
The Center for Action and Contemplation is an Albuquerque-based nonprofit educational organization founded in 1987 by Father Richard Rohr, a Franciscan friar and author. The center is dedicated to the integration of action and contemplation, drawing on contemplative spiritual traditions to support personal and social transformation grounded in compassion and justice.
The organization is known for its teaching and educational programs that explore contemplative spirituality, the perennial wisdom traditions, and the connection between inner spiritual life and outer engagement with the world. Its work emphasizes that authentic spirituality should lead to compassionate action and a commitment to justice, reflecting the integration of contemplation and action that gives the center its name.
The center reaches a wide audience through online courses, publications, podcasts, conferences, and other educational offerings. Father Richard Rohr's writings and teachings have a broad following, and the center has become an influential voice in contemporary contemplative Christianity and interfaith spiritual exploration. Its programs draw participants from around the world.
A notable initiative of the center is the Living School, an educational program that offers in-depth study in the contemplative tradition, guiding students through a structured course of learning aimed at deepening their spiritual understanding and their capacity for transformation. The school reflects the center's commitment to serious, sustained spiritual education.
The center's teaching emphasizes themes such as nondual consciousness, compassion, humility, and the connection between spirituality and social engagement. It draws on Christian mysticism and other wisdom traditions to offer a path of spiritual growth oriented toward both inner transformation and engagement with the suffering and injustice of the world.
Supported by donations, program revenue, and a broad community of supporters, the Center for Action and Contemplation continues the work begun by its founder, offering spiritual education and resources to people seeking to integrate contemplative practice with compassionate action in their lives and in the world.
