Comments on: Brother Paul Quenon on Thomas Merton

By: stephanie

stephanie — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 03:57:06 +0000

I love Thomas Merton and his works, and I love it there at Gethsemane.

Sumiko Honda maintains that “Their dialogue with Buddhists and Hindus is an excessive outreach which is contrary to Catholic tradition, and is being questioned in the Vatican.” As a Catholic, a US citizen and a citizen of the world with deep appreciation for all the World’s Great Religious Traditions, I must digress.

Contrary to American tradition and questioned by many at the time, dialogue between blacks and whites about racial segregation and discrimination led to African Americans winning their civil and political rights.

Contrary to both nations’ traditions and questioned by many experts at the time, dialogue between the US and the USSR succeeded in ending the Cuban missile crisis and averting another nuclear holocaust.

Contrary to tradition in the region and questioned by many experts at the time, dialogue between Egypt and Israel and between Jordan and Israel led to peace between Egypt and Israel and between Jordan and Israel.

And today, with many wars being fought within and between and among nations, groups, peoples and tribes, dialogue–contrary to tradition and questioned by many–is needed now more than ever to achieve peace.

Finally, contrary to tradition and likely to be questioned by the Vatican, I think Jesus, the Prince of Peace, would give this kind of dialogue his blessing.

By: Michael S. Bever

Michael S. Bever — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 00:37:04 +0000

“All the disiplines (sic) and traditions of 600 years were washed away with Vatican II, and replaced with ad lib, fabricated liturgy and relaxed lifestyle.”

Beg to disagree with Sumiko Honda. True, there has been a relaxation of “discipline,” if you will, but people who know Cistercians know how deeply and often subtly their life of prayer is expressed.
Second, vocations have indeed increased since Mr. Honda has checked. You will find Gethsemani a most vital and healthy house, not remotely close to being closed. As Br. Paul indicates, they are rather popular in a world that cries out for peace. And quiet.
Finally, the outreach to the East has enhanced the great Gethsemani tradition of work and prayer. Thomas Merton would be pleased without doubt.

By: Sumiko Honda

Sumiko Honda — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 01:08:52 +0000

What this monk fails to mention, it that since Vatican II, and largely due to the generally liberal reforms introducted in it’s “Spirit”, very much of Catholic religious life, observance, and the traditions of the Church have been altered and manipulated with negative results.
When the traditions of monastic Trappist like was strong, and the Latin Mass said in the Catholic Church, there were close to 250 monks at Gethsemani Abbey during Thomas Merton’s early years in the Trappist Order (1940-1962). The religious observance, the traditions were very strong, and there were many vocations….young men drawn to cloistered monastic life, inspired by “The Seven Story Mountain” and Thomas Merton. And of course inspired by monastic life.
All the disiplines and traditions of 600 years were washed away with Vatican II, and replaced with ad lib, fabricated liturgy and relaxed lifestyle. Many monks quit, and vocations disappeared.
Today, Gethsemani is down to about 46 aged monks, with no vocations and an average age of about 70+.

Their dialogue with Buddhists and Hindus is an excessive outreach which is contrary to Catholic tradition, and is being questioned in the Vatican.

Unless these Trappists return to the tradition they had 60 years ago, in very short time, their monastery will be closed and they will be gone.
And so will the legacy of Thomas Merton.