Thanks for posting this. This is an excellent and well-written article. It serves an important purpose in alerting Catholics to a very dangerous problem. The article also points out the way in which this "centering prayer" technique is often foisted upon unsuspecting Catholics without advance warning or even a description of what they are doing. So it is important to be informed and on guard.
Of a few quibbles with the article, the main one I would point out is that the article implies that this Buddhist-Christian syncretism only occurred some years ago at Spencer Abbey where centering prayer was developed. But it has continued until the current day. In fact, a news item within the past few weeks related that one of the monks there was recently made a "Zen master."
Fr. Kevin Hunt Installed as Zen Teacher
On April 17, 2004, Fr. Kevin Hunt, OCSO, a Trappist monk of St. Josephs Abbey in Spencer, Massachusetts, and a former member of the MID board, was installed as a Zen teacher (Sensei) in a ceremony held at the abbey. The installation was led by Fr. Robert Kennedy, S.J., who is the only North American Jesuit who is also a Zen Master (Roshi) and who served as Fr. Kevins teacher. The installation was witnessed by the abbot of St. Josephs and the rest of the monastic community as well as by over seventy guests, including Zen teachers and members of Catholic religious orders from around the country.Fr. Kevin thereby became the first Trappist monk who is also a Zen teacher. In recognition of this unique event, letters of commendation were written by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and by Fr. Peter-Hans Kolvenbach, the superior general of the Society of Jesus. Fr. Kolvenbach wrote, Many Christian have found Zen to be a valuable instrument for progressing in the spiritual life. By coming to focus on the present moment through the practice of the techniques of Zen meditation, the Christian can become aware of Gods immediate loving presence.
Fr. Kolvenbachs remarks reflect the commitment made by the Jesuits at their 34th General Congregation to foster dialogue with other religions, an activity that they called a shared commitment to a transformation of the cultural and social life within which people live. Noting that Pope John Paul II has wished to make interreligious dialogue an apostolic priority for the third millennium, Fr. Kennedy said that his work with Fr. Kevin was one way in which this priority could be carried out. He added that this installation ceremony points to the unity and cooperation between the Jesuits and the Trappists as well as to the friendship and mutual esteem between Buddhists and Christians. He also sees it as a continuation of the dialogue between Christians and Buddhists that has been fostered over the past half-century by persons such as Thomas Merton, himself a Trappist monk.
thanks for the ping. good article. I'll print it up for the local church that's naively passing out brochures on CP. always knew it was dangerous.
Thanks for the ping.
A truly dangerous "technique"