Father Vincent Pizzuto, PhD, is an Episcopal priest who serves as vicar of St. Columba’s Episcopal Church and Retreat House in Inverness, California, where he founded a Christian Contemplative Center dedicated to the advancement of contemplative Christianity. Since his arrival in 2017, the St. Columba’s community has grown exponentially and now offers a series of programs, both in-person and online, to enrich participants’ spiritual lives and contemplative practice.
In addition to his pastoral work, Fr. Vincent is a professor of New Testament and Christian Mysticism in the Department of Theology and Religious Studies at the (Jesuit) University of San Francisco. Committed to linking ancient Christian tradition with contemporary faith, his courses explore the relationship between historical-critical exegesis and theological interpretation, both ancient and modern.
Fr. Vincent has published and presented internationally for a variety of churches, theological societies, and other organizations. His book Contemplating Christ: The Gospels and the Interior Life, published by Liturgical Press, appeared in a Spanish translation in 2022 and will be published in Chinese later this year. His current research explores near-death experiences in dialogue with medical science, philosophy of mind, epistemology, and theology.
In this episode, we speak with Fr. Vincent about the origins of his spiritual journey and discernment of the distinction between “contemplative” and “monastic” vocations, his vision for St. Columba’s as a kind of “contemplative leaven” for the larger church, and the links between the Eucharistic liturgy and the Christian approach to social justice. Along the way, we touch on the importance of learning “how to maneuver in the landscape of Scripture,” consider the image of the body of Christ as a means of understanding how our various vocations and ministries work in relationship with one another, and explore how the concept of “catholicity” can deepen our sense of the universal church.
See also:
St. Columba’s Episcopal Church and Retreat House
Contemplating Christ: The Gospels and the Interior Life
The Crucifixion: Understanding the Death of Jesus Christ by Fleming Rutledge
“This Retreat Center Brings Monasticism to the Entire Church,” U.S. Catholic profile of St. Columba’s by Michael Centore, November 2025
