Thomas Merton

Thomas Merton and Ernesto Cardenal were both poets and priests, wholly committed to a life of spiritual contemplation which was never far from the gritty work that lead them to risk life and reputation in order to raise worldwide consciousness concerning issues of social justice and the abuse of human rights.

This unique reflection was prompted by an invitation Matthew Fox received to speak on the centennial of Thomas Merton's birth.

First published in 2003 and now available in paperback to celebrate the one hundredth anniversary of Thomas Mertons birth, When the Trees Say Nothing has sold more than 60,000 copies and continually inspires readers with its unique collection of Mertons luminous writings on nature, arranged for reflection and meditation.

With the publication of The Seven Storey Mountain in 1948, Thomas Merton became a bestselling author, writing about spiritual contemplation in a modern context.

Merton's biographer, George Woodcock, once wrote that "almost from the beginning of his monastic career, Thomas Merton tentatively began to discover the great Asian religions of Buddhism and Taoism." Merton, a longtime social justice advocate, first approached Eastern theology as an admirer of Gandhi's beliefs on non-violence.