David A. Pinto

Director:   The Wonder Workshop

Vita

 

History

 

Born: Detroit, Michigan;  May 2, 1949
Childhood: Kalamazoo, Michigan
Age 10: Began sweeping the floors of family business.
Age 12: Began weekend hours in shop with his father.
Age 14: Began running production machine work in the family business Remained working in family business until after high school earning money to enter the Seminary.
Age 18: Entered Saint Meinrad College of Philosophy for the Catholic Diocese of Kalamazoo; working the family business during Summers to pay for education.
Age 21: Graduated Saint Meinrad College and entered graduate scroll in Theology.
Age 22: Left schooling to run family business after father?s death.  After the failure of the family business, David acquired skills as a tool and die maker while being a support to his eleven siblings.
Age 37: Left home after last sibling was out of college and started DP Machining businesses in the light manufacturing field.
Age 40: Closed DP Machining and started Wonder Makers.
Age 42: Incorporated Wonder Makers with two other brothers and a sister-in-law.
Age 44:  Sold interest in Wonder Makers to brother.
Age 45: Started Pinto Products, a light manufacturing company, with a brother.
Age 46: Incorporated Pinto Products and established partnership with brother in this business.
Age 56: Revived the structure of The Wonder Workshop and began producing materials to share the vision of Teilhard de Chardin.
Age 57: Created the Web site, Prophet?s Proclaim to share Teilhard?s vision with the larger human family
Age 58: Presently in partnership with brother in Pinto Products and the Director of The Wonder Workshop and its Web site.

 

 

Education    

                                                                           

Graduated: Monsignor Hackett High School  (1963-1967)
Graduated: Saint Meinrad Seminary College  B.A. in History & Philosophy (1967-1971)
Mentored under: Dr. Rudolf Siebert, Director, Center for Humanistic Future Studies, Western  Michigan University            (1980-1988)
Mentored under: Nicholas Weber, S.J., Liturgical Professor (1974-1985).
Mentored under: Father David Kalie, Professor of Religion, Saint Meinrad College (1969-1970); first introduction to Teilhard de Chardin.
Licensed: United States Department of Labor under sponsorship of Jirgens Modern Tool Corporation as a Master Tool and Die Maker (1985).
Certified: IPA in Business Management (1989).

 

 

Past Offered Programs

 

RELEASED TIME RELIGION EDUCATION PROGRAM: (1971-1973)  
  Established and directed for the Catholic Diocese of Kalamazoo, in which David taught high school religion while working extensively with young adults in religious and personality areas.  
THE WONDER WORKSHOP: Teilhard de Chardin  (1974-1992)  
  A world view and a theory to the wider universe which is the cosmic setting for the human adventure in which the cosmos becomes the spiritual.  Teilhard is studied as prophet, scientist, philosopher, theologian, mystic and poet.  
THE HUMAN ADVENTURE: The Movement of Consciousness (1980-1988)  
  The Prayful Clown examines the birth, growth and movement of consciousness it is now taking.  
HUMAN  MOVEMENT:   A Wonder Experience  (1980-1988)  
  The Prayful Clown examines the dynamism present in humanity as it teeters on the verge of transition.  

WONDER MEDITATION:  An Adventure  (1980-1988)

 
  The Prayful Clown shares an active meditation in which inner centering is challenged through movement; mental and physical.  
ROYAL  LICHTENSTEIN  QUARTER-RING  SIDEWALK  CIRCUS:  (1975-1991)  
  Manager and adviser to a creative blend of circus, mime, parables, and nonsense in which the Christian message is shared through laughter.  This merry band of performers shared their message on street corners crossed the U.S.  
A NOOSPHERE CONFERENCE: A Look At Teilhard  (1981)  
  Support material supplied to POM (the Conference promoters). San Diego, California.  
THE  FUTURE:  What can we know???.What should we do!!   (1983)  
  Nazareth College, Kalamazoo, Michigan  
EARTH  FOR  THE  CLOWNS:  (1988-1992)  
  Sponsored by The Wonder Workshop, this organization offered identity to the searcher seeking to find one?s place in a challenging culture which takes no ?prisoners?. One could determine which ?Clown of the Future? one wanted to be. This organization sought to offer memberships to ?Clowns of Future III?.  

 

 

Current  Program  Offerings

 

BOOK OF SURVIVAL: (2005-Present)  
  Introductory program into the thinking of Teilhard de Chardin.  
HISTORICAL JESUS AND COSMIC CHRIST: (2006-Present)  
  A journey of contrast leading to sameness.  
PROMISE TO PROPHET: (2007-Present)  
  Explores the qualities of being a prophet in relation to the Promise of God.  

 

 

Service

 

DIOCESAN  COMMITTEES:   (1973-1985)
  Catholic Dioceses of Kalamazoo Goal Evaluation.
  Catholic Dioceses of Kalamazoo Liturgical Committee.
 
  David strived to bring religious drama back into Liturgical use. Program presentation to prepare Eucharist Ministers for the ministry of Eucharist sharing.  A member of the first group of Ministers to be commissioned by the Catholic Dioceses of Kalamazoo.
THE WONDER WORKSHOP: (1974-Present)
  Creator and Director
INTERNATIONAL TEILHARD FOUNDATION: (1979-1982)
  David served on this Board in its early formative years.  This foundation today is responsible for the sharing of Teilhard?s vision throughout the world.
PHENOMENON  OF  MAN  PROJECT (POM):   (1981-1986)
  David served on the Advisory Board.  This unique group of individuals were the first to put Teilhard?s major work (Phenomenon of Man) into a multi-media format.
SAINT AUGUSTINE PARISH BOARD MEMBER: (1984)
  Saint Augustine Catholic Church, Kalamazoo, Michigan
SAINT AUGUSTINE PARISH LISTENERS (1984)
  Saint Augustine Catholic Church, Kalamazoo, Michigan; elected to this Committee commission by Parish Board.
SAINT ANN CATHOLIC CCD TEACHER: (2002-Present)
  Fifth Grade Instructor, Saint Ann Catholic Church,  Diocese of Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo, Michigan.

 

 

Books & Articles

 

THE  WONDER  WORKBOOK:   (1978)

  ---The growth of consciousness as movement in which the formula of life is applied;  Wonder is to Mystery as Mystery is to Wonder.
TO  EVERYONE:  (1978-1983)
  ---A series of articles dealing with the application of Teilhard?s vision to the current challenges of the day.
THE  WONDERFUL  HUMAN:  (1984)
  ---An overview of The Wonder Workshop which seeks to share a vision of unity expressed through it?s philosophy based on the advance of consciousness.
ACTION  OF  MYSTICISM:  (1987)
  ---Mysticism in its ultimate fullness involves every aspect of the human and the human connection in all the continuums that have been discovered and will be discovered and those that may never be discovered.  Thus, a good subtitle for this work would be; ?The Dialectics of Praxis and Theoria: Mysticism, Theodicy, Theism.?
BOOK  OF  WORDS:  (2007-in process)
  ---A glossary defining and redefining the conditions and challenges present to humanity today.

 

 

Plays

 

WONDER THE HEALING DRUG: AN EXPERIENTIAL MEDICATION: (1981)
POINT MOVEMENT: THE JOURNEY CONTINUES: (1982)
THE CLOWN AND THE QUEST: TRAVELS IN COSMIC SPIRITUALITY (1986)
  ---A three act meditation
THE GLORIOUS HUMAN: CHALLENGE AS/VS/AND CONFLICT: (1989)
  ---A one act meditation
RITE OF PROFESSION TO PROPHET: (2006)
  ---Learn>>>>>the Truths of the Salvation promised by God.
  ---Proclaim>>>>>>the ?Good News? that the Promise has been fulfilled for God by God and that our share in this process is the covenant by which we commit to God our lives to achieve our destiny; as His Prophets.
  ---Witness>>>>>>>the ?Good News? as a continual example in our daily living as we fulfill our commitment to achieve our destiny.
RITE OF ORDINATION TO THE ORDER OF PROPHET: (2006)
  ---To become the Prophet of the Promise

 

 

Current Associations

 

THE POM PROJECT:
  ---Andrew Sugamele, Director

   Saratoga, California, U.S.A.
CENTER FOR HUMANISTIC FUTURE STUDIES:
  ---Dr. Rudulf Siebert, Director
   Western Michigan University,
   Kalamazoo, Michigan,  U.S.A.
TRANSFORMATIONS SPIRITUALITY CENTER:
  ---Sr. Laura Smith, SSJ.
   3427 Gull Rd, Box 02
   Nazareth, Michigan 49074
FORUM ON RELIGION AND ECOLOGY:
  ---Thomas Berry, Fordham University, emeritmus
   Yale Divinity School
   Bellamy Hall, 638
   354 Canner Street
   New Haven, CT 06511
FRIENDS OF CREATION SPIRITUALITY:
  ---Matthew Fox
   Dennis Edwards, Assistant
   287 17th  Street,  Suite 400
   Oakland,  CA   94612
MASTERS DIVINITY PROGRAM:
  ---Professor Barbara Bowe, RSCJ,  Th.D.
   Catholic Theological Union
   5401 S. Cornell Avenue
   Chicago,  IL   60615