Status of Jesuit Priest/Zen Master, Fr. Robert Kennedy?

[Maryam]

Hi,
Since this deals with a Jesuit priest in my area of Jersey City, NJ. I was wondering what is the status within the church of this Jesuit Priest?

He runs a Zen retreat house here called “Morning Star Zendo”:

kennedyzen.tripod.com/details.htm

What I can’t understand is how he can write books like “Zen Gifts to Christians”… “Zen Spirit Christian Spirit”, have a Zen retreat house, be a Roshi Zen Master and still call himself a Jesuit Priest???

Add to this, a quote I found on the website attributed to The Superior General of the Society of Jesus :ehh: remarking on the initiation of another Father as a “Sensei”:

For the occasion of Fr. Hunt’s installation, the Superior General of the Society of Jesus, Peter-Hans Kolvenbach, S.J., wrote:

“Because of the long preparation and training required to become a master of the demanding Zen training, Fr. Hunt’s achievement is one that we can all celebrate in thanksgiving to God … Jesuits and other Christians 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 God’s immediate loving presence.”

Just how far does this syncretism of Zen with Catholicism go within the Jesuits? I see other Zen retreat houses mentioned on this website run by other Jesuits as well… How sad…

I was into Buddhism for a time some years back and can see how it can appeal to some people…, but, how can you reconcile the blending of Zen with Catholic teachings and the emptying of oneself in imitating Christ as I see in a quote by this Father Robert?

God bless all

 

[Ahimsa]

Have you actually practiced Zen?

 

[Maryam]

Ahimsa
Well, a long time ago I tried sitting for a prolonged period of time doing “zazen” (if I remember the term correctly) with a friend of mine in a group she was a part of…

I didn’t have the discipline to sustain such a long period in zazen and so that is as far as my experience with Zen goes…

For the most part I was more into Thai Theravadan Buddhism and would attend talks given by monks at a monastery here in NJ. Seems like a lifetime ago…

But, anyways… this isn’t about me… more about Father Robert Kennedy.

God bless

 

[Ahimsa]

As far as I know, the Zen master under which Fr. Robert Kennedy studied did not demand that the good father renounce Christ or the Catholic Church, in order to be ordained a Zen master himself. Perhaps Fr. Kennedy practices a tradition of Zen in which one need not renounce one’s non-Buddhist heritage in order to practice?

Of course, the situation might be different among Theravada, who tend to be very concerned about doctrinal orthodoxy; I know of no Theravadan monk-Jesuit priest combinations. Zen, though, tends to cultivate the wordless silence – and silence is compatible with any religion.