A Message from the Executive Director:

As the clock struck midnight and 2025 began, I couldn’t help but reflect, “We’re a quarter of the way through the 21st century!” I recalled that twenty-five years ago, we worried that airplanes would fall from the sky and chaos would engulf us. Now the fears and anxieties surrounding Y2K are distant memories.

 

Also a quarter century ago, the Henri Nouwen Society was just beginning. Henri, who passed away in 1996, left behind a profound spiritual legacy. His friends and admirers were determined that his wisdom would continue to inspire, long after his passing. Through their efforts, his books were promoted, and his teachings carried forward through a variety of creative initiatives.

 

Looking back over these twenty-five years, we are deeply grateful for the countless blessings that have flowed through the work of the Henri Nouwen Society. The lives it has touched and transformed are a testament to God’s grace, and to the vision and generosity of those who support the Society. We thank you, from the bottom of our hearts.

 

Looking ahead, we are filled with anticipation for what is yet to come. The programs that have had such a positive impact, such as the daily meditations, webinars, podcasts, and the continued promotion of Henri’s writings, will remain at the heart of our mission. But we are also excited about all the initiatives on the horizon: Henri Nouwen book clubs, retreat materials, lectures, youth and young adult engagement, and conferences.

 

As we give thanks for all that God has done in the past, I invite you to join me in praying for the future ministry of the Henri Nouwen Society. I am confident that the Lord will answer our prayers as we move forward in faith. After all, God has called us His beloved, and as Romans 8:31 reminds us, “If God is for us, who can be against us?”

 

With gratitude and hope, 

Bruce Adema

Executive Director

Thank you to all of our faithful readers who value the Daily Meditations we send to tens of thousands of inboxes every morning. After many years, sharing readings from first Bread for the Journey and then You Are the Beloved, we have compiled a new set of Daily Meditations for 2025 that premiered on a new email service. This was a lot of change! Thank you to everyone for your grace and patience as we worked through some initial glitches. 

 

Thank you to everyone who called or sent feedback. Our commitment is to listen carefully and serve our diverse community faithfully with meaningful portions of Henri Nouwen’s spiritual wisdom. Our hope is that you will take each day’s reading as an opportunity for a form of Lectio Divina, deep reflection. 

 

If you are not receiving the Daily Meditations yet, and would like to, you can sign up:

If you are interested in spiritual encouragement at the intersection of money and mission, please plan to join us every Wednesday in March at 12pm Eastern. Building on Henri Nouwen’s ground-breaking work, this webinar features 8 international guests, space for spiritual practice, and opportunity for reflection and renewal. Early bird pricing ends on January 31 so register today!

Check it out and share with your community! 

 

Based on Henri Nouwen’s bestseller, The Return of the Prodigal Son, this new video series has the potential to bring healing and blessing. We believe that both individuals and small groups will be deeply changed as they interact with this three-part experience: Reading Nouwen’s book, engaging the videos with teaching by Matt Chapman, and reflecting and responding to the Homecoming Workbook questions. 

 

In anticipation of the 2026 30th Anniversary Conference commemorating Henri Nouwen’s death, we are inviting young people to apply to be named one of thirty leaders under the age of thirty in our Nouwen Leaders program. Starting in May 2025, these 30 young leaders will begin work on a Nouwen project that fits their context, interest, and speaks to their generation. The leaders will meet monthly with HNS staff to explore and decide on their projects. 

 

Additionally, each young leader will be paired with an experienced mentor. The year will culminate with the leaders travelling (with expenses covered) to the 2026 Conference in Toronto. There they will have opportunity to meet each other and their mentors and share their projects with conference participants.

 

Apply today or share the application with a young leader you know! 

Henri Nouwen’s work has long been essential reading in the academy. To advance first-class scholarship of Nouwen’s distinct spiritual theology, the Henri Nouwen Society is establishing the Henri Nouwen Lectureship as a transformative program dedicated to exploring and deepening our understanding of the significance and impact of Nouwen’s distinct contributions to theology and spirituality. 

 

The inaugural Lectureship will be delivered by Fr. Ron Rolheiser on August 21, 2025 at the Oblate School of Theology in San Antonio, Texas. The lecture will be followed by a two-day Symposium featuring keynote speakers and paper presentations.

We are preparing for some wonderful online Nouwen Book Clubs to launch in Spring 2025. Are you interested in serving as a moderator for the small group discussion portion? 

 

We need you to make this happen! We will be providing Moderator Training and ongoing support for those willing to serve fellow community members. 

Please contact:

Check out past episodes and be on the look out for new releases for our two podcasts: 

Love, Henri takes one of the thousands of letters written by Henri and discusses his timeless wisdom with wonderful guests. 

 

Henri’s Bookshelf takes one of Henri’s own books and explores its themes. Look for episodes on: Following Jesus; Flying, Falling, Catching; Discernment; Aging; Peacework; The Inner Voice of Love; Reaching Out; and others.

 

 

LONGING FOR HOME:  

The prophetic witness of Henri Nouwen in a wounded world 

Thursday, May 14 – Saturday, May 16, 2026

St. Michael’s College, University of Toronto, ON. Canada 

 

To mark the 30th anniversary of Henri’s Nouwen's death and celebrate his continuing impact, we will gather to reflect on how his writings provide insight into how we might offer a healing response to the many challenges facing us in this, the third decade of the 21st century. In the face of global crises — political, environmental, mass poverty and emotional and physical health — Henri’s lifetime of spiritual and psychological exploration offers rich paths for consideration in our own spiritual and emotional journeys. 

 

With notable keynote speakers (to be announced soon) and a variety of workshops and seminars focusing on such topics as Spirituality and Theology; Art and Culture; Ministry and Caregiving; and Global Challenges, this conference will have something for everyone.

Board of Directors: Daniel Cho - Chair, Ray Glennon, Michelle O'Rourke - Trustee, Fr. Ron Rolheiser, Deb Deacon, John Vissers, Resa Pearson, Sharon Ramsey, Bruce Adema

The mission of the Henri Nouwen Society is to encourage spiritual transformation in the lives of people right around the world. This newsletter gives you a snap-shot of our work to create resources that deepen our spiritual lives and promote peace and justice through contemplative and compassionate action. We reach tens of thousands of people across the globe every day! Our work is sustained by a relatively small, but mighty group who consistently join us in ministry through their financial gifts. We are grateful for you!

 

We encourage regular readers to make a meaningful monthly commitment to participate in God’s work of spiritual transformation. Every commitment, no matter the size, makes a difference! The Board of Directors will personally match the first installment of every new or increased monthly donation that comes in the month of February!

Thank you for setting up or increasing your monthly gift today!

 

 

 

 

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