Pierce, Brian J. (Brian Pierce)

PERSONAL:

Male.

ADDRESSES:

Home—Rome, Italy.

CAREER:

Writer, spiritual advisor, itinerant preacher, and Dominican friar. Works with the friars, sisters, laity, and contemplative nuns of the Dominican family (Order of Preachers) in Latin America and worldwide.

WRITINGS:

Martin De Porres: A Saint of the Americas, Liguori Publications (Liguori, MO), 2004.

We Walk the Path Together: Learning from Thich Nhat Hanh and Meister Eckhart, Orbis Books (Maryknoll, NY), 2005.

Author's works have been translated into Spanish.

SIDELIGHTS:

Brian J. Pierce is a writer and Dominican friar based in Rome, Italy. Among his duties, Pierce works with the Dominican family, in particular with the Dominican contemplative nuns, throughout Latin America and worldwide. As an author, Pierce is interested in tying together spiritual thought and wisdom from some of the world's most prominent religions. In We Walk the Path Together: Learning from Thich Nhat Hanh and Meister Eckhart, Pierce offers readers a "deep introduction to some of the most pressing issues of contemporary spirituality," commented a reviewer in Tikkun. "Thich Nhat Hanh and Meister Eckhart give us a model for abundant and attentive living. They also reveal the benefits of openness as a spiritual practice," noted reviewers Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, writing on Spirituality & Practice. Hanh, a Vietnamese Zen Buddhist master and Eckhart, a medieval Christian Mystic, provide a deep resource of spiritual wisdom for Pierce to draw upon. Pierce stresses the importance of meaningful dialogue between branches of spiritual practices, earnestly seeking those areas where different religions are united in common thought, practice, and goals. For Pierce, this type of exchange of ideas and concepts would help eliminate the conflicts that divide the various religions of the world, and would reduce the fierce disagreements that lead to deadly confrontations and belligerent relations. "Dialogue is a mutual giving and receiving, a sharing of our respective insights into the music of the Great Mystery. It is an opening up of ourselves to the unique gift of the other," Pierce stated within the book. "Do we dare dream of the day when the world conflicts will be solved through mutual sharing of our spiritual riches?" he further asked.

Throughout the book, Pierce "skillfully identifies (but never forces) analogies between Buddhist and Catholic spirituality and offers striking comments on biblical passages that will enrich the readers' meditations," observed Rachelle Linner, writing on Catholic.org. Pierce explores how his own religious thinking has been influenced by the works and concepts of Hanh. He stresses suffering, detachment, and compassion as components of an effective religious practice. He endorses a deep mutual exposure not only to the wisdom and benefits of Buddhism and Catholicism, but also to the challenges faced within reach religion. Pierce's discussion of Catholic and Buddhist issues stands as "a model for respectful listening to another tradition," Linner remarked. Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat found Pierce's book to be "thought-provoking and soul-stretching." Linner called We Walk the Path Together a "richly textured, beautifully written book on Buddhist-Christian dialogue that is at once scholarly and pastoral, suitable for both study and prayerful meditation."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

BOOKS

Pierce, Brian J., We Walk the Path Together: Learning from Thich Nhat Hanh and Meister Eckhart, Orbis Books (Maryknoll, NY), 2005.

PERIODICALS

Tikkun, March-April, 2007, review of We Walk the Path Together: Learning from Thich Nhat Hanh and Meister Eckhart, p. 81.

ONLINE

Catholic.org,http://www.catholic.org/ (May 8, 2006), Rachelle Linner, "Lessons on Meditation from Spiritual Masters Old and New," review of We Walk the Path Together.

Maryknoll Mall Web site,http://www.maryknollmall.org/ (January 28, 2007), biography of Brian J. Pierce.

Spirituality & Practice,http://www.spiritualityandpractice.com/ (January 28, 2008), Frederic Brussat and Mary Ann Brussat, review of We Walk the Path Together.

Word,http://word.op.org/ (January 28, 2008), biography of Brian J. Pierce.