July 2026

Dear friend,

For more than a decade, many of you have known us as Prison Contemplative Fellowship (PCF). Depending on your history with us and how closely you’ve been following along, the name Praestolari (pronounced prest-o-LAH-ree) may already be familiar. Over the past two years, you've likely noticed it appearing in our communications and alongside the Prison Contemplative Fellowship cross/key in our logo. That was intentional. The names have been flowing side by side, reflecting the fact that two organizations had become one. Early this year, we arrived at clarity, and today, we are excited to share that we are moving forward under one name: Praestolari.

previous logo

new logo

This has been in the works for some time. Stepping away from the well-established name and reputation built by Ray Leonardini and PCF over the past thirteen years is not a decision the Board made lightly. It came through prayer and listening. One of the primary reasons comes directly from members of our community who live and have lived inside, and who have shared that "prison" is not a word they want to be defined by — not while they are there, and not after they get out.

It is important to note that the heart of the work will not change. Our mission, our programs, our values, and our commitment to those we serve remain the same – even as we continue to expand our offerings and our presence.

The word praestolari is Latin for "to wait" or "to stand ready." It came to us through a passage in Lamentations that Thomas Merton quotes in New Seeds of Contemplation: Bonum est praestolari cum silentio salutare Dei — It is good to wait in silence for the salvation of God.

We chose this name because it points to the practice rather than the place. It points to the waiting, the listening, the standing ready. To what we are doing together, rather than where some of us happen to be.

What began with Mike Kelley's willingness to sponsor a Centering Prayer group at Folsom Prison, what Ray Leonardini carried forward through PCF, and what so many of you have helped nurture over the years continues today. The books, the letters, the resources, the retreats, the relationships built across walls—all of it carries forward under the Praestolari name.

To share the story more fully, we've created a special edition of Centering Inside tracing the journey from PCF to Praestolari and reflecting on how this community has grown over the years. Those inside should have received it in the past week, and we're now delighted to share it with you. Read the full story here.

You'll also notice that our website has been updated to reflect the new name, and we've created a new brochure that introduces Praestolari and the work we're doing.

To view or download a digital version of the new Praestolari brochure, or Locked Up and Free, click here.

To request printed copies for yourself or a group, click here.

A few practical notes

Will the website address change?

Yes. Our new home is praestolari.org. If you have uspcf.org bookmarked or saved, those links will still work. They will take you directly to the new address.

What happens to Prison Contemplative Fellowship?

We are now Praestolari dba Prison Contemplative Fellowship, so PCF remains present, but our public facing name will be Praestolari.

How should I make out a check?
Either name will work, Praestolari or Prison Contemplative Fellowship.

Praestolari exists because contemplative fellowship changes lives. We believe that when the experience of incarceration is united with prayer and community, there is great potential for healing and transformation.

Our work is organized around five pillars…

Inside the Walls

Outside the Walls

Contemplative Retreats

Contemplative Correspondence

Prison Outreach Networking Database (POND)

Learn more about what we do

Thank you for being part of this community. Whether you've been walking alongside us for years or have joined more recently, we're grateful to share this journey with you.

Chandra Hanson, Executive Director

on behalf of the Praestolari team

Intertidal Freedom: A Contemplative Exploration of Personality, Presence, and Prayer

At low tide, a hidden world is revealed—not because anything has changed, but because we're finally able to see what has been there all along.

In much the same way, the Enneagram and Centering Prayer invite us to slow down and notice the patterns, habits, and reactions that often operate beneath the surface of our awareness.

Intertidal Freedom is a six-week journey exploring personality, presence, and prayer through the lens of Centering Prayer and the Enneagram. Together, we'll learn about the nine Enneagram types, reflect on the stories and experiences that have shaped us, and notice how our patterns can both help and hinder us.

Through teaching, reflection, conversation, and contemplative practice, we'll create space to become more aware of ourselves, more compassionate toward others, and more open to the freedom that comes from living with greater presence.

Whether you're brand new to the Enneagram or have explored it before, you're welcome to join us as we discover what becomes possible when we bring curiosity, honesty, and prayer to the journey.

Details:

We'll meet for 2 hours every Wednesday for 6 weeks beginning September 2nd, 2026:
Sept 2, 9, 16, 23, 30, Oct 7

Eastern (EDT) 2-4 PM
Central (CDT) 1-3 PM
Mtn (MDT) 12-2 PM (and Saskatoon)
Pacific (PDT) 11 AM - 1 PM (and Arizona/CST)
Alaska (AKDT) 10 AM - noon
Hawaii (HST) 8 AM - 10 AM

Our Mission

Journeying together as people affected by incarceration, Praestolari shares Centering Prayer meditation and foster connections to support healing and transformation, both personal and communal.

We support contemplative practice inside and beyond prison walls by:

Making Centering Prayer resources widely accessible
Strengthening communication and connection across the walls
Accompanying practitioners as they return home from incarceration
Co-sponsoring annual retreats with COPOST

Support our Mission

We place great value on all actions and intentions that align with our mission and help grow/support the community.

Those moved to help fund the work may donate here

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View past eBulletins here.

Resources & Materials

Our goal is to share contemplative resources as broadly as possible. We send a variety of materials inside locked facilities—responding to direct requests from incarcerated individuals, supporting volunteers and chaplains who accompany Centering Prayer groups, and sharing resources through our partnership with the Human Kindness Foundation. See some of our most requested materials below.

If you would like to receive books or DVDs, please contact us at hello@praestolari.org. Let us know if you are currently sharing Centering Prayer inside—or if you’re interested in learning how to get started.

Books

We offer free downloads of PCF books and provide books to volunteers and chaplains who support Centering Prayer groups inside facilities. Many titles are also available digitally through Edovo on facility-issued tablets nationwide.

See all books for download here

Centering Inside Newsletter

Centering Inside is our twice-yearly newsletter written for and sent directly to people living in locked facilities across the United States, offering reflections, teachings, and connection across the walls.

Read or download your copy here

Holding Still Documentary

Our 22-minute documentary, Holding Still, offers an intimate look at the practice of Centering Prayer among a group of men who are incarcerated at Folsom Prison. We provide DVDs of the film to volunteers and chaplains supporting Centering Prayer groups inside locked facilities.

Learn more and watch the film here

Locked Up and Free

Locked Up and Free is a pamphlet intended to be a hand of hope reaching out to those struggling under the weight of incarceration. It’s created by people who have “done time” themselves as well as by the friends and family of those incarcerated.

If you would like copies of Locked Up and Free to take inside one or more facilities, please fill out this form.

Read or download your copy here

Help us reach more people

Your participation helps this work travel farther and reach those who may need it. When something resonates, engaging—by liking, commenting, or sharing—is one of the most meaningful ways to support this work.