Fr Laurence Freeman OSB
Born in England on 17 July 1951, Laurence Freeman was educated in the Benedictine tradition and studied English Literature at New College, Oxford. Initially embarking on a secular path, he worked in banking, journalism and even spent time with the United Nations in New York—experiences that grounded him in the practical world before his vocation took shape .
It was during his undergraduate years that he encountered Fr John Main, whose clarity and simplicity inspired Freeman to begin practising Christian meditation. After graduation, Freeman responded to that inner call, becoming John Main’s disciple. In 1975 he joined Main at Ealing Abbey, assisting in the establishment of the first Christian Meditation Centre in London. In 1977 he moved with Main to Canada at the invitation of the Archbishop of Montréal, where they founded a Benedictine priory dedicated to integrating meditation into the life of the Church.
Freeman took theological studies at the Université de Montréal and McGill University, made his solemn profession in 1979, and was ordained in 1980. After Main’s death in 1982, Freeman committed himself wholeheartedly to teaching and expanding the practice of meditation, nurturing its development into the World Community for Christian Meditation (WCCM). Returning to England in 1991, he established its international centre. Today the WCCM spans over 100 countries—a contemplative “monastery without walls”
His embrace of inter-religious dialogue is profound. He collaborated in the “Way of Peace” dialogues with the Dalai Lama between 1998 and 2000, co-hosted Christian–Islamic discussions in 2006, and addressed the World Parliament of Religions in Melbourne in 2009. In recognition of this work, he was appointed Officer of the Order of Canada in 2010.
Beyond dialogue, Freeman initiated outreach programmes such as Meditatio (2010), the John Main Centre at Georgetown (2005), and teaching in secular institutions—like an MBA elective in Meditation and Leadership at Georgetown’s McDonough School (2014) and contemplative health initiatives at the Royal College of Physicians in Ireland (2013).
Today, as Director of the WCCM and resident of Bonnevaux Centre in France, Freeman continues to teach worldwide. He has authored many books—Light Within, The Selfless Self, Jesus: The Teacher Within, among others—reflecting both depth and accessibility. His contemplative teaching emphasises a balanced integration of stillness, community and interfaith openness, marked by humility and practicality