Gerry Pierse (1940-1999) was a Redemptorist priest from County Kerry in Ireland. He went to the Philippines in 1961 at the age of 21. In the early years of his ministry, he served primarily in rural missions, in while in later years he specialized in giving retreats. This ministry coincided with his becoming more deeply involved in contemplative prayer. He was greatly inspired by the teaching of Benedictine monk John Main. Pierse had a gift with words that made his teaching simple, clear and effective. He produced several books to help others persevere on the path of Christian meditation. Communities in the Philippines, Ireland, Singapore, Australia, Malaysia and Mauritius benefited greatly from his teaching.