The son of artists, Trappist monk and writer Thomas Merton (1915–1968) was born in Prades, France. His best-selling autobiography, *The Seven Storey Mountain* (1948), chronicled his journey into monastic life and his search for connection with the world through God.

“There is in all visible things a hidden wholeness,” Merton once wrote.

Brilliant and passionate, he converted to Catholicism in 1938 and entered the monastery of Our Lady of Gethsemani in Kentucky. He called it “the four walls of my new freedom” and shared its quiet wisdom with the world.

"Perhaps I am stronger than I think," he reflected.

Merton authored more than 60 books—writing of spirituality, love, and peace. He illuminated the sacred path through prayer, meditation, and the long arc of inner truth.

His poetry, inspired by James Joyce, explored the beauty of many faiths. Tibetan and Zen Buddhism shaped his deeper reflections.

"We have what we seek. It is there all the time, and if we give it time, it will make itself known to us," he wrote. His journals remain gentle guides, radiant as the morning sun.

His words are a lifelong invitation: pause, listen, and seek the light within.