Ordination as
Christian Zen Minister
Link to pictures:
Sensei Ann Ankai Wagner, a lineage-holding was ordained as the first Christian Zen Minister in the Zen Garland Order. The ceremony took place Sunday, October 17, 2010 at the Padavano Peace Pavilion, Ramapo College of New Jersey. Roshi Paul Genki Kahn, the Founder and Spiritual Director of Zen Garland, ordained her.
Among those in attendance, along with Zen Garland members, teachers and ;riests, were Sr. Susan Golas CSJP, Executive Director of Water Spirit and an NGO representative at the United Nations, Prof. Kieran Scott PhD, Fordham Universty, Frank McCann CSJPA, Director of Just Friends, Sr. Kristin Funari CSJP, Director of Sisters of St. Joseph’s of Peace, Sr. Ann Marie Rimmer, Director of Stella Maris Retreat Center, Rev. Anna Shankey, Fr. Joseph Murphy.
Christian Zen is a Practice Path in Zen Garland, a Zen Buddhist and interfaith center for spiritual development with headquarters in Wyckoff, NJ. Christian Zen offers practices to realize Christ Conciousness, following Jesus’s intimacy with Being and compassion for humanity. The emphasis is two-fold: an inward journey to awaken to truth, and an outward effort to establish justice and compassion on earth.
Sensei Ann Ankai Wagner, a Wyckoff resident, founded Christian Zen in 2004. She works in the tradition of Thomas Merton, integrating the teachings of Jesus with the transformational methods of Zen. She is a Dharma Successor of Roshi Paul Genki in the lineage of Hakuyu Taizan Maezumi Roshi.
She began contemplative practice with Fr. Thomas Keating and trained as a Spiritual Director with the Archdiocese of NY. She has been a member for 27 years, and was Co-Director for 7 years, of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace Lay Associates.
Sensei Ankai has a deep commitment to Fr. Thomas Berry’s spiritual ecology, and has served for the past 6 years on the Board of Waterspirit, an environmental center in Elberon, NJ.
Her work in social service has included directing the Food Program at Eva’s Kitchen, providing hot meals to scores of homeless and addicted individuals in Paterson, NJ, 7 days a week.
In 1997 she Co-Founded Oasis: A Haven for Women and Children, also in Paterson, NJ, a nonprofit dedicated to feeding and clothing needy women and children and to offering them educational resources to obtain meaningful employment. She served as Director for many years, continues as a member of the board, and directs the interfaith Oasis Peace room.
Here are a few words from Rev. Ann, Sensei herself :
Dear Zen Garland friends:
How grateful I am to be part of this open, wonderful, alive, group. I want to thank each one of you for giving your time to serve and support me, Christian Zen and its mission . Sunday was a day I will cherish. This morning I am still absorbing it all.
I can still hear the beautiful music Tosan composed and through a small window see the blue sky and a orange leaf falling, feel your presence and your love.
I thank Genki for saying yes to the challenge of his vision and assisting me with mine. I thank each of you for your gifts, cards, phone calls and e-mails. Also your concern for Ron and offers to help.
It seems I have received my first involvement as a Zen Garland Christian Minister. I was invited by Fr. Joe to process with him as a Zen Minister to the sanctuary for the memorial liturgy for my dear friend Doris Lavery . This is being held Saturday at St. Elizabeths Church Wyckoff. A different Creed will be read this is truly a first.
In Gassho
Rev Ann Ankai Wagner Sensei