From a reader:
A parish close to us (not our parish, but one we go to for confession) has a centering prayer “ministry.” My understanding was that this was an extremely dangerous, if not forbidden practice, rooted in Buddhism.
The parish website says that it focuses on finding God within us.
Seems quite wrong for Catholics to be doing this, when we have God just over there in the tabernacle. Do you have any insight into this?
Should I bring this to the Bishop’s attention?
I don’t really know what “centering prayer” is. It is uninteresting, as far as I am concerning.
Some people say it is “extremely dangerous”.
It seems to me that it would be bad even if it were simply “dangerous” we might want to know what our bishop thinks about it.
There is not one exclusive method of Catholic prayer. Some seem to be effective for people, some less so. Some seem to be more in line with our Catholic traditions and the experience of saints, some less so.
People always have the right to request instruction from a bishop. That’s, among other things, what bishops are for. A respectful, super brief letter with a question, including a copy of the program or bulletin, is not out of line.
The bishop will, I am sure, appreciate your promise of prayers as well. They have a very heavy burden.
