The impact of this interfaith meeting went both ways. Merton, a Catholic priest and mystic, was deeply moved by their connection. In a staggering statement, this Catholic priest wrote that Nhat Hanh “is more my brother than many who are nearer to me by race and nationality, because he and I see things exactly the same way. He and I deplore the war that is ravaging his country. We deplore it for exactly the same reasons: human reasons, reasons of sanity, justice and love.”
