The World Community for Christian Meditation was formed in 1991. It continues the work begun in 1975 by Dom John Main OSB when he founded the first Christian Meditation Centre at his monastery of Ealing Abbey in London.

When John Main died in 1982 he was succeeded by Dom Laurence Freeman OSB who is now a monk of the Benedictine Congregation of Monte Oliveto. He is also Director of The World Community for Christian Meditation, and from his base in his Benedictine community, he travels extensively writes, and gives retreats and talks.

The World Community is an ecumenical contemplative community now present in more than a hundred countries. Its mission is to communicate the tradition of contemplative prayer in the church as an essential and central dimension of all Christian spirituality. It also nurtures the gradual development of the community through the growth of small meditation groups that meet in parishes, homes, hospitals, prisons, places of learning, and places of work.

The World Community organizes talks, retreats, and seminars worldwide, and a “School” programme for training teachers of meditation. The Community is also involved in inter-faith dialogue.  A quarterly spiritual letter, books, cds and films, and a web site help to nurture the Community and its work.

The World Community also has a publishing arm, Medio Media, that offers a wide range of books and audio and video resources on meditation to the worldwide community.