Why do Catholics feel the need to turn to Buddhism to understand contemplating God? We have so many saints who show us the way. Trouble is that these saints are often too real, too earthy, too human for some. I think those who look to Buddhism believe wrongly that any sensual experience is to deny the spiritual. Therefore meditation and contemplation must have as its aim not only union with God but total separation from our earthly selves. This is not what Christianity teaches. We are not complete despite being flesh and spirit but because of it. Christ elevated our bodies through His incarnation.
I also feel confident in stating that probably most Catholics who turn to Buddhist practices do not believe or outright reject the doctrine of the Real Presence in the Eucharist.
He claims that the Buddhism we've imported from the East was influenced by a liberal Protestant colonial who converted to Buddhism and started Buddhist instruction along Protestant lines, "Sunday Schools" for young buddhists and so forth. Thus one could argue that flakier Catholics are attracted to Buddhism like they are to mushy Episcopalianism--they're more similar than they look.