He was acutely aware of the dangers that labels could bring and that some people were so frightened by homosexuality that they would dismiss the most talented of gay people out of hand, possibly as a way of protecting themselves from realities they would rather not face. Chris Glaser, a former student of Nouwen's and a prominent gay activist, asked to dedicate to him a book of prayers, Coming Out to God, but Henri declined. ‘He was driven by his passion for communion and he felt called by his vocation not to express that sexually but to direct it spiritually,’ said Glaser. ‘If you read his
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