COSA is…
Contemplative Outreach San Antonio (COSA) is a local chapter of Contemplative Outreach, an international organization of individuals dedicated to living the contemplative dimension of the Gospel in everyday life.
We are facilitated by anecumenical group of women and men serving together as a Servant Leadership Team, collaborating to support those who want to deepen their relationship with God through the practice of Centering Prayer in the San Antonio and Hill Country Area.
Service Teams
There are many ways to become involved with COSA’s leadership, and we welcome anyone with an established Centering Prayer practice to join us, at whatever level of participation works for you. For more information, contact us at COSA.centeringprayer@protonmail.com.
COSA Founders
In Memorium
The COSA Servant Leadership Team is sad to announce the passing of Sr. Mary Agnes Zinni, OSB, at the venerable age of one hundred years old. Sr. Mary Agnes was instrumental in bringing the Contemplative Outreach teaching of Centering Prayer to San Antonio and the surrounding area.
Sr. Mary Agnes was involved with Contemplative Outreach – San Antonio (COSA) from its inception until she stepped away from a leadership position in 2019. During her time with COSA, there were as many as twenty active Centering Prayer Support Groups in the greater San Antonio area. A commissioned presenter, Sr. Mary Agnes led many Introduction to Centering Prayer Workshops, Days of Prayer, and other enrichment activities in support of Centering Prayer, attracting participants from as far away as Corpus Christi and Dallas.
Beginning in 2001, Sr. Mary Agnes became Coordinator for Spirituality Programs and Spiritual Director of the Omega Retreat Center (ORC) on the grounds of St. Scholastica Monastery in Boerne, Texas. Sr. Mary Agnes was answering a call – which she described as “being sent” — to bring Contemplative Outreach’s teaching of Centering Prayer to a populace hungry for deeper intimacy with the Divine. Her Benedictine Community permitted COSA to house their office/prayer center in the ‘tower’ on the grounds of the Omega Retreat Center.
In January of 2004, the Omega Retreat Center held its first silent Centering Prayer weekend retreat. Fr. Carl Arico, co-founder and then-Vice-President of Contemplative Outreach, served as retreat director, after which he gave a special blessing over the new COSA headquarters. By the close of that first retreat, Sr. Mary Agnes had secured a commitment from Fr. Carl to return every January for the next ten years, a true gift to the contemplative community of South-Central Texas.
At the end of Fr. Carl’s commitment, Sr. Mary Agnes and the COSA leadership team pursued a partnership with Oblate School of Theology (OST). Fr. Ron Rolheiser, then-president of OST, warmly welcomed COSA to Oblate School of Theology, providing office space for COSA to relocate to the OST campus. COSA continued to host weekend Centering Prayer retreats, now held at the Oblate Renewal Center, as well as Days of Prayer and other Centering Prayer events. The COSA events co-sponsored with OST Continuing Education Department were promoted on their website and in digital newsletters. With OST’s extensive, international database, the co-sponsorship with Oblate School of Theology introduced a host of people to the Centering Prayer practice. At every event, COSA registered people who were new to Centering Prayer and had heard about it through Oblate School of Theology.
Even after retiring from active ministry, Sr. Mary Agnes continued to facilitate the Omega Retreat Center Centering Prayer Support Group she founded over 20 years earlier well into her 90’s. Sr. Mary Agnes had a vision for COSA that always recognized new opportunities to expand its reach to a world hungry for a deeper relationship with the Divine, and was tireless in her efforts to see it accomplished.
Retired Auxiliary Bishop Michael Boullete perhaps said it best when he referred to Sr. Mary Agnes as “a prophet” for Centering Prayer, proclaiming the message of intimacy with God through contemplative prayer.
*To make a donation in memory of Sr. Mary Agnes, if you wish, please use the address below. Note that COSA can only take cash and checks.
COSA-Contemplative Outreach San Antonio
c/o Colonial Hills United Methodist Church
5247 Vance Jackson Rd
San Antonio, TX 78230
Support Us
COSA relies on your generous donations to support our modest operating expenses (website maintenance, purchase of books and educational brochures, etc).
COSA is not a 501(c)3 non-profit entity, so contributions to COSA are NOT tax-deductible under federal law. Donations may be mailed to COSA, c/o Ginger Barnett, 115 Leopold St, San Antonio, TX 78210.
If you wish to make a tax-deductible contribution to support the work of COSA, please contact Donna Cole-Struck, office@coutreach.org, 973.838.3384 x 1001 at the international office of Contemplative Outreach, Ltd.
