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The Franciscan Heart of Thomas Merton: A New Look at the Spiritual Inspiration of His Life, Thought, and Writing
Daniel Horan, O.F.M., popular author of Dating God and other books on Franciscan themes—and expert on the spirituality of Thomas Merton—masterfully presents the untold story of how the most popular saint in Christian history inspired the most popular spiritual writer of the twentieth century, and how together they can inspire a new generation of Christians. Millions of Christians and non-Christians look to Thomas Merton for spiritual wisdom and guidance, but to whom did Merton look? In The Franciscan Heart of Thomas Merton, Franciscan friar and author Daniel Horan shows how, both before and after he became a Trappist monk, Merton’s life was shaped by his love for St. Francis and for the Franciscan spiritual and intellectual tradition. Given recent renewed interest in St. Francis, this timely resource is both informative and practical, revealing a previously hidden side of Merton that will inspire a new generation of Christians to live richer, deeper, and more justice-minded lives of faith.
289 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2014
35 people are currently reading
95 people want to read
About the author
Daniel P. Horan
33 books12 followersDaniel P. Horan, OFM, is a Franciscan friar of Holy Name Province (The New York province), a columnist for America magazine, and the author of several books including, most recently, The Last Words of Jesus: A Meditation on Love and Suffering (2013); Francis of Assisi and the Future of Faith: Exploring Franciscan Spirituality and Theology in the Modern World (2012); and Dating God: Live and Love in the Way of St. Francis (2012). His next two books, both scheduled for release this Fall, are titled: The Franciscan Heart of Thomas Merton: A New Look at the Spiritual Influence on his Life, Thought, and Writing (Ave Maria Press) and Postmodernity and Univocity: A Critical Account of Radical Orthodoxy and John Duns Scotus (Fortress Press). He is the author of dozens of scholarly and popular articles in journals including Theological Studies, New Blackfriars, The Heythrop Journal, Worship, Cistercian Studies Quarterly, among others, and a frequent lecturer and retreat director around the United States and Europe. He has previously taught in the Department of Religious Studies at Siena College and in the Department of Theology at St. Bonaventure University. Fr. Dan is currently completing a PhD in Systematic Theology in the Theology Department at Boston College, is the Catholic Chaplain at Babson College in Wellesley, Mass., and serves on the Board of Directors of the International Thomas Merton Society.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
March 5, 2015
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Father Horan book on the Franciscan influences on Thomas Merton and his writings. I learned more about St. Francis of Assisi, Franciscan spirituality, as well as about Thomas Merton. A very worthwhile book to have.
April 30, 2018
Author sets out wonderful parallels between lives of St. Francis and Thomas Merton. Makes both more accessible to modern reader. While primarily a limited biography on Merton, it does address the issues he grappled with (i.e. civil disobedience, war, modernism) and how they are not dissimilar to issues that the reader may face today.
November 12, 2014
An outstanding study of Merton's Franciscan influence. Well conceived, researched, and written, this book is an absolute necessity for any fan of Thomas Merton. Highly recommended!
March 23, 2015
This is scholarly and not for the average reader.
March 11, 2020
I picked up this book because (a) I know Fr. Dan Horan and adore him, (b) I love Thomas Merton, and (c) my brother recommended it. So trifecta!
I decided to read some "spiritual" books during Lent this year and by "spiritual" I mean books that lead me to think more deeply about life and love and God and all that is good, particularly as I work on the depths of grief. Looking at the intersection of Francis and Merton THE best place to start.
First of all, I appreciated Fr. Dan's look at the brief overview history/biography of each man. I learned more about Merton and his "rejection" by the friars, of which my knowledge pretty much ended with what he wrote in Seven Story Mountain.
My biggest takeaway, which is not likely what Fr. Dan intended, is to look more closely at Merton's notion of the "true self." This is a place I personally want to look at more in depth. His writing on true self (though I didn't remember it called that or really recognize that as a theory when I read it the first time) was something I instinctively felt called to when I first read "New Seeds of Contemplation." And it has Franciscan roots? No wonder I loved it!
"It is not about putting Francis on a pedestal in order to laud him as so exceptional that we cannot possibly relate but instead about seeing in his example what it means to so deeply reflect on scripture and the love of God that his WHOLE LIFE, mentally and physically, was transformed by the experience of prayer, solitude, and reflection."
"It is not what we do, what we have, or how we act that makes us loved by God and worthy of love from others. Rather, it is WHO WE ARE -- individually created, willed, and loved into being by God -- that is the source of our dignity and value."
"William Shannon explains that there are, according to Merton, only two ways to discover the true self. The discovery of the real self is achieved (1) through death, which Merton conceives not so much as the separation of the soul from the body, but the disappearance of the external self and the emergence of the real self, or (2) through contemplation, which is the renouncing of our "petty selves" to find "our true selves beyond ourselves in others and above all in Christ." Contemplation is the letting go of the false self -- which is why it is a kind of death, a death that takes place during life."
And I finally learned something about Scotus:
"Scotus makes the point that the reason for the Incarnation rests in the need for all creation to be glorified and share in God's goodness."
"It is through Christ that we are able to see God as God truly is -- humble, loving, forgiving, and poor. To say 'Christ' is, at one and the same time, to say this is who God is and this who WE ARE CALLED TO BE."
"Contemplation in a Franciscan key is not about our searching for God in particular times and dedicated places. Rather, Franciscan contemplation is about learning to see how God is always ready right before us, reflected in all aspects of creation. ... A Franciscan approach to contemplation challenges us not to let contemplation, the gazing at God, become just another thing we have to do. We need to let our relationship with God Transform us to see the whole world in new and life-giving ways."
"Through contemplation and openness to ongoing conversion from false self, we discover who we really are in who God really is. To live the life of the Gospel is to live a life of self-emptying service, finding God in our emptiness and poverty. From that position of minority, we, like Merton and Francis, are able to authentically encounter the "stranger' and to hear his or her voice."
"At the core of Francis' understanding of what it means to be a peacemaker is the commitment to take down any barriers we intentionally or inadvertently put up between ourselves and others that prevent us from entering into honest, humble, and meaningful relationships with others."
I decided to read some "spiritual" books during Lent this year and by "spiritual" I mean books that lead me to think more deeply about life and love and God and all that is good, particularly as I work on the depths of grief. Looking at the intersection of Francis and Merton THE best place to start.
First of all, I appreciated Fr. Dan's look at the brief overview history/biography of each man. I learned more about Merton and his "rejection" by the friars, of which my knowledge pretty much ended with what he wrote in Seven Story Mountain.
My biggest takeaway, which is not likely what Fr. Dan intended, is to look more closely at Merton's notion of the "true self." This is a place I personally want to look at more in depth. His writing on true self (though I didn't remember it called that or really recognize that as a theory when I read it the first time) was something I instinctively felt called to when I first read "New Seeds of Contemplation." And it has Franciscan roots? No wonder I loved it!
"It is not about putting Francis on a pedestal in order to laud him as so exceptional that we cannot possibly relate but instead about seeing in his example what it means to so deeply reflect on scripture and the love of God that his WHOLE LIFE, mentally and physically, was transformed by the experience of prayer, solitude, and reflection."
"It is not what we do, what we have, or how we act that makes us loved by God and worthy of love from others. Rather, it is WHO WE ARE -- individually created, willed, and loved into being by God -- that is the source of our dignity and value."
"William Shannon explains that there are, according to Merton, only two ways to discover the true self. The discovery of the real self is achieved (1) through death, which Merton conceives not so much as the separation of the soul from the body, but the disappearance of the external self and the emergence of the real self, or (2) through contemplation, which is the renouncing of our "petty selves" to find "our true selves beyond ourselves in others and above all in Christ." Contemplation is the letting go of the false self -- which is why it is a kind of death, a death that takes place during life."
And I finally learned something about Scotus:
"Scotus makes the point that the reason for the Incarnation rests in the need for all creation to be glorified and share in God's goodness."
"It is through Christ that we are able to see God as God truly is -- humble, loving, forgiving, and poor. To say 'Christ' is, at one and the same time, to say this is who God is and this who WE ARE CALLED TO BE."
"Contemplation in a Franciscan key is not about our searching for God in particular times and dedicated places. Rather, Franciscan contemplation is about learning to see how God is always ready right before us, reflected in all aspects of creation. ... A Franciscan approach to contemplation challenges us not to let contemplation, the gazing at God, become just another thing we have to do. We need to let our relationship with God Transform us to see the whole world in new and life-giving ways."
"Through contemplation and openness to ongoing conversion from false self, we discover who we really are in who God really is. To live the life of the Gospel is to live a life of self-emptying service, finding God in our emptiness and poverty. From that position of minority, we, like Merton and Francis, are able to authentically encounter the "stranger' and to hear his or her voice."
"At the core of Francis' understanding of what it means to be a peacemaker is the commitment to take down any barriers we intentionally or inadvertently put up between ourselves and others that prevent us from entering into honest, humble, and meaningful relationships with others."
November 11, 2025
Sometimes when I read a book like this I think that maybe someday I'll convert to Catholicism.
I mean, that won't happen, for lots and lots of reasons.
But when I read Thomas Merton or Meister Eckhart or any of those other great Catholic mystics I find myself very much drawn in. So much appeals to me-- the "tangibility" of the faith, in the sense that it engages the body, the senses, as much as the mind and emotion. For me, a spiritual practice has to have a bodily element. Give me incense and bowing and chants and meditation all the rest.
I've read a good amount of Merton over the years and absolutely love most of what I've come across. And how can one not love St. Francis? Though I'm less familiar with Francis than with Merton, I do remember studying him a bit back when I was a Theology and Philosophy major in college.
This book connects the two, is a discussion of the ways in which Thomas Merton was inspired and influenced by St. Francis and Franciscan thought. It's not a tough thesis to sell; the similarities are right out there, to the extent that when I first came across Merton I thought he was a Franciscan (and still sometimes forget that he wasn't).
There's more to this book than just drawing a connection between the two, though.
If this was just a line-by-line "explanation" of the ways Francis influenced Merton, it would be somewhat interesting.
In discussing the connection, though, the author is really giving a call to action. Or, perhaps more accurate, a call to "transformation."
He presents Francis, the things he believed, the choices he made, his understanding of himself and God and the world and other people.
He presents Merton, with his similar beliefs, choices, concepts of God and the world and humanity.
And he encourages readers to situate themselves similarly, to follow (in their own ways, not necessarily in a monastery) their examples.
Echoing Thomas Merton, he writes "we cannot simply go about living our lives in the ways we always have." He calls on readers to live somewhat "outside" the world by working for peace, welcoming the stranger, caring for the poor (more than just caring; "standing in solidarity" is probably the better way to put it). He writes of finding the "true self" that Merton spoke of so beautifully, cutting through our "worldly" self full of anger and sin and fear and shame and finding that underlying self-ness at the hear of it all. He encourages readers to find joy and common ground in working and living with people of other faiths.
Lots of "Jesus-y" stuff that doesn't really sell in many American Evangelical churches, stuff that is at the heart of the Gospels.
Stuff that is at the heart of the best Buddhist writing, the best Jewish writing, the best writing of all faiths.
I heard someone say on a podcast recently that when you put mystics of different faiths together you'll find them essentially speaking the same language, joining together in a mutual understanding. When you put fundamentalists of different faiths together they'll destroy each other.
This is the mystic tradition.
The tradition that has no interest in "certainty" and lives in the transformative unknown.
Definitely worth the read.
I mean, that won't happen, for lots and lots of reasons.
But when I read Thomas Merton or Meister Eckhart or any of those other great Catholic mystics I find myself very much drawn in. So much appeals to me-- the "tangibility" of the faith, in the sense that it engages the body, the senses, as much as the mind and emotion. For me, a spiritual practice has to have a bodily element. Give me incense and bowing and chants and meditation all the rest.
I've read a good amount of Merton over the years and absolutely love most of what I've come across. And how can one not love St. Francis? Though I'm less familiar with Francis than with Merton, I do remember studying him a bit back when I was a Theology and Philosophy major in college.
This book connects the two, is a discussion of the ways in which Thomas Merton was inspired and influenced by St. Francis and Franciscan thought. It's not a tough thesis to sell; the similarities are right out there, to the extent that when I first came across Merton I thought he was a Franciscan (and still sometimes forget that he wasn't).
There's more to this book than just drawing a connection between the two, though.
If this was just a line-by-line "explanation" of the ways Francis influenced Merton, it would be somewhat interesting.
In discussing the connection, though, the author is really giving a call to action. Or, perhaps more accurate, a call to "transformation."
He presents Francis, the things he believed, the choices he made, his understanding of himself and God and the world and other people.
He presents Merton, with his similar beliefs, choices, concepts of God and the world and humanity.
And he encourages readers to situate themselves similarly, to follow (in their own ways, not necessarily in a monastery) their examples.
Echoing Thomas Merton, he writes "we cannot simply go about living our lives in the ways we always have." He calls on readers to live somewhat "outside" the world by working for peace, welcoming the stranger, caring for the poor (more than just caring; "standing in solidarity" is probably the better way to put it). He writes of finding the "true self" that Merton spoke of so beautifully, cutting through our "worldly" self full of anger and sin and fear and shame and finding that underlying self-ness at the hear of it all. He encourages readers to find joy and common ground in working and living with people of other faiths.
Lots of "Jesus-y" stuff that doesn't really sell in many American Evangelical churches, stuff that is at the heart of the Gospels.
Stuff that is at the heart of the best Buddhist writing, the best Jewish writing, the best writing of all faiths.
I heard someone say on a podcast recently that when you put mystics of different faiths together you'll find them essentially speaking the same language, joining together in a mutual understanding. When you put fundamentalists of different faiths together they'll destroy each other.
This is the mystic tradition.
The tradition that has no interest in "certainty" and lives in the transformative unknown.
Definitely worth the read.
September 24, 2024
The author’s approach is to reveal the extent to which Thomas Merton was influenced by Francis of Assissi. Merton first applied to a Franciscan religious order before he became a Trappist monk. And before becoming a monk, he also taught at a Franciscan college, St. Bonaventure’s NS was intellectually well-grounded in Franciscan spirituality as reflected in the writings of Bonaventure, Scotus, William of Ockham, all in the Franciscan tradition.
Horan writes that Francis is often seen as a simple lover of birds, animals and plants , but in fact his most famous writing, “The Canticle of the Creatures” expresses a radical view of the interconnections of all creation which is seen as emanating from a good and loving God. Francis, he writes, “transcended the boundary of “us” and “them” and embraced the marginalized and abused outcasts of his day.” An example of this transcendence was his meeting with the Muslim sultan, Mahammed Al-Kamil in 1219 during the Crusades. He saw him, not as a mortal enemy of Christianity, as did the Church at the time, but as a human being with whom he had much in common.
Toward the end of his life, Merton, too, was reaching out to other religions, not for proselytizing or evangelization, but because he saw that spiritual truth can exist in all traditions and that similarities can be found in them. He was particularly interested in Buddhism, and how its truths, and those of Christianity, were mutually instructive. Merton at one point specifically referred to Francis’ meeting with the Sultan as a personal crusade, not one of exerting power, but of meeting another human being in humility, simplicity and love.
Merton, on other issues in the spirit of Francis, turned toward the world from his monastery and began to write about his opposition to war, particularly the war in Viet Nam, and challenged his readers to take responsibility, in a related way, to the justice of the civil rights movement. He called on Christians to “sacrifice and restrain our own instinct for violence and aggressiveness in our relations with other people.” Violence, in Merton’s view, is always an instance of breaking relationship with another.
Nonviolence, on the other hand, was an essential dimension of what it means to be a Christian. Merton wrote nonviolence “is not out for the conversion of the wicked to ideas of the good, but for the healing and reconciliation of man with himself, man the person and man the human family.”
Horan’s book deepens an appreciation of Thomas Merton and what he was trying to accomplish by locating him in a tradition of actions taken by Francis of Assissi in the 13th century, and those in turn based on Christ’s example twelve centuries earlier.
Horan writes that Francis is often seen as a simple lover of birds, animals and plants , but in fact his most famous writing, “The Canticle of the Creatures” expresses a radical view of the interconnections of all creation which is seen as emanating from a good and loving God. Francis, he writes, “transcended the boundary of “us” and “them” and embraced the marginalized and abused outcasts of his day.” An example of this transcendence was his meeting with the Muslim sultan, Mahammed Al-Kamil in 1219 during the Crusades. He saw him, not as a mortal enemy of Christianity, as did the Church at the time, but as a human being with whom he had much in common.
Toward the end of his life, Merton, too, was reaching out to other religions, not for proselytizing or evangelization, but because he saw that spiritual truth can exist in all traditions and that similarities can be found in them. He was particularly interested in Buddhism, and how its truths, and those of Christianity, were mutually instructive. Merton at one point specifically referred to Francis’ meeting with the Sultan as a personal crusade, not one of exerting power, but of meeting another human being in humility, simplicity and love.
Merton, on other issues in the spirit of Francis, turned toward the world from his monastery and began to write about his opposition to war, particularly the war in Viet Nam, and challenged his readers to take responsibility, in a related way, to the justice of the civil rights movement. He called on Christians to “sacrifice and restrain our own instinct for violence and aggressiveness in our relations with other people.” Violence, in Merton’s view, is always an instance of breaking relationship with another.
Nonviolence, on the other hand, was an essential dimension of what it means to be a Christian. Merton wrote nonviolence “is not out for the conversion of the wicked to ideas of the good, but for the healing and reconciliation of man with himself, man the person and man the human family.”
Horan’s book deepens an appreciation of Thomas Merton and what he was trying to accomplish by locating him in a tradition of actions taken by Francis of Assissi in the 13th century, and those in turn based on Christ’s example twelve centuries earlier.
June 7, 2017
While Merton was undoubtedly influenced by Franciscans, I believe Horan overstates the indebtedness.
June 21, 2021
I really enjoyed learning about the influences from the Franciscan tradition that moved Thomas Merton. I was not terribly familiar with this influence one Merton before reading this. I thought chapters 7 and 8 were especially interesting and helpful to me. Thank you Fr Horan for a wonderful book.
September 10, 2022
Loved it.
Read
March 12, 2024DNF for the time being. Will come back to it at another time.
June 21, 2024
Learned a lot about Thomas Merton and St. Francis.
I appreciated Merton's prayer to Francis at the end of the book the most.
I appreciated Merton's prayer to Francis at the end of the book the most.
June 26, 2025
The challenge that all humans have is being a peacemaker. It is what makes us human. That is the best lesson I learned from this book. Of course, Daniel Horan puts it much more eloquently.
Read
August 30, 2016This is a very readable book on the influence of St. Francis and the Franciscan on one of the most important religious thinkers of the 20th century. If you have even a fleeting desire to know more about Thomas Merton, spend time with Fr. Horan's work.
November 5, 2016
solidarity with poor, poverty act of love and liberation,
February 3, 2017
Answered a lot of questions I had about Thomas Merton. Spiritual inspiring....a must read....
July 2, 2017
I am so filled with joy after reading The Franciscan Heart of Thomas Merton. What a beautiful masterpiece and call to authentic living in the spirit of masters like Francis and Merton.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews