"Monks want to give God more room in their lives," according to Frank Bianco in Voices of Silence: Lives of the Trappists Today. In this well-written and informative work, the author, a former Holy Cross abbot turned journalist, visits 12 Trappist monasteries in the United States to draw a bead on the individuals there who have devoted themselves to prayer, solitude, and service of others.
Mac, an abbot at Gethsemani in Kentucky, the monastery where Thomas Merton lived, tells Bianco about the joy of being called by God to this life: "The grace he gives you makes this life happy for you, like your favorite pair of shoes. The longer you wear them, the better they feel." The author participates in religious services, talks to conservative and liberal monks, and joins them in their manual labors.
Although the number of Trappists has decreased over the years, there doesn't seem to be any diminishment in the ardor of their attempts to draw closer to God. This appeals to Bianco who yearns to renew his faith after the tragic death of one of his children in an automobile accident. One day in church he realizes, "God was in the silence. You listened to the music of your heart and found yourself dancing with life." No wonder the guest houses at Trappist monasteries are becoming more and more popular.