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MERTON, Thomas Papers of 20

Finding Aid for the Thomas Merton Papers

Finding Aid Prepared by Patrick LawlorPublished October 2001

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Date Range: 1923-1989Size of Collection: 20 linear ft. (ca. 10,250 items in 40 boxes)Organization of the Material: Cataloged Material (Boxes 1-20); Arranged Material (Boxes 21-40)Source & Date of Acquisition: Gift of Thomas Merton, 1964. Purchase 1982 & 1988.Terms of Access: Available for faculty, students, and researchers engaged in scholarly publication projects.Restrictions on Use or Access: Permission to quote or publish must be obtained from Thomas Merton's literary executor, Peggy Fox: [[email protected]], New Directions Publishing Corp., 80 Eighth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10011. This permission is required for Ph.D. dissertations if they are microfilmed by University Microfilms or published in hard copy.Permission to quote or publish must be obtained in writing from the Director of The Rare Book and Manuscript Library, as well as the copyright holder.Location of Material: Entire collection is on-site and in-sequence.Processing Information: Processed by the staff of The Thomas Merton Center and Patrick Lawlor; on-line version revised 10/2005.Bib Id: 4079099Extent of Finding Aid: 19 pages

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BIOGRAPHYThomas Merton (Father Louis), M.A. Columbia 1939, was a widely read Catholic author and social critic who lived as a member of the Cistercian Order of the Strict Observance, the Trappists, from 1941 till his death in Bangkok in 1968.

SUMMARYCorrespondence, manuscripts, documents, photographs, art work, audio cassette, printed materials by and about Thomas Merton.

The correspondence covers the years from his study at Columbia to his death in Bangkok. Among the cataloged correspondence are: Daniel Berrigan, Mark Van Doren, Luis Somoza, Jacque Maritain, Aldous Huxley, James Laughlin, Robert Lax, Grover Cleveland Smith, John Howard Griffin, William Henry Shannon and Victoria Ocampo.

The extensive manuscript collection was assembled primarily by Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr, Mark Van Doren, and Robert Shepherd. Among the more significant manuscripts are: corrected typescript of The Seven Storey Mountain; fragments of his Novitiate Journal; notebooks and journals used in The Sign of Jonas; numerous draft of poems; most of his lecture and conference notes which he used while serving as master of scholastics and, later, master of novices. There is an extensive collection of mimeographed articles, many inscribed to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr; four watercolors by his father, Owen Merton, and many humorous and devotional drawings by Merton; many photographs of Merton, as well as photographs taken by Merton. There is an audio cassette of the radio play by Bruce Stewart entitled Me and My Shadow, produced by the BBC in 1989. The printed material consists of numerous clippings and some offprints, pamphlets, and books.

ORGANIZATION OF THE PAPERSI. CATALOGED

1.1 CORRESPONDENCE PAGE 31.2 MANUSCRIPTS PAGE 3


1.3 DOCUMENTS PAGE 31.4 PHOTOGRAPHS PAGE 31.5 ART PAGE 41.6 AUDIO-VISUAL PAGE 4

II. ARRANGED MATERIAL2.1 CORRESPONDENCE PAGE 42.2 MANUSCRIPTS PAGE 92.3 LECTURES & CONFERENCES PAGE 102.4 DOCUMENTS PAGE 142.5 PHOTOGRAPHS PAGE 152.6 ART PAGE 16

III. PRINTED MATERIAL3.1 GENERAL PAGE 173.2 CLIPPINGS PAGE 173.3 REVIEWS OF: PAGE 173.4 ARTICLES, POEMS, ETC. PAGE 183.5 OFFPRINTS PAGE 183.6 OFFPRINTS & ARTICLES RE. MERTON PAGE 193.7 BOOKS & ORAL HISTORY PAGE 19

ADDED ENTRIES:

Berrigan, Daniel. Merton, Owen, d1887-1931.Laughlin, James, d1914-Griffin, John Howard, d1920-Maritain, Jacques, d1882-1973. Rice, Edward. Ocampo, Victoria, d1891Lax, Robert. Smith, Grover Cleveland, d1923-Pennington, M. Basil. Van Doren, Mark, d1894-1972.Waugh, Evelyn, d1903-1966. Somoza Debayle, Luis, d1922-1967.Mason, Herbert,d1932-American literaturey--20th century. Authors, American--20th century. Religious poetry. Religious literature. Catholics. Catholic authors--20th century. Monks. Poets, American--20th century. ClergyPhotoprintsAudio cassettesDrawings.Paintings.Poems.


I CATALOGED

1.1 CORRESPONDENCEBOX1 Berrigan, Daniel1 Griffin, John Howard, 1920-19801 Huxley, Aldous1 Laughlin, James1 Lax, Robert1 McDonell, Tom1 Maritain, Jacques, 1882-19731-3 Merton, Thomas3 Ocampo, Victoria, 1891-3 Rice, Edward E.1918-3 Shannon, William H.3 Smith, Grover Cleveland, 1923-3 Somoza, Luis A.3 Van Doren, Mark3 Waugh, Evelyn, 1903-1966

1.2 MANUSCRIPTS

4 Berrigan, Daniel4 Cortes, Alfonso4 Lax, Robert4 Lentfoehr, Sister Thérèse4 MA Political Action for Peace4-19 Merton, Thomas19 Pennington, Basil19 Pessoa, Fernando

1.3 DOCUMENTS

19 Artists and Writers for Hughes

1.4 PHOTOGRAPHS

20 Berrigan, Daniel20 Dalai Lama20 Griffin, John Howard20 Lax, Robert


BOX20 Maritain, Jacques20 Merton, Thomas20 Rice, Edward E.20 Sheen, Fulton John, 1895-20 Van Doren, Mark20 Walsh, Daniel

1.5 ART

MAPCASE13/8/6 Antonucci, Emil

MAPCASE13/8/6 Hammer, Victor

Photograph of his portrait of Merton MAPCASE13/8/6 Merton, Owen

Art [4 oversize watercolors]Note: Three shelved in the Map Case, the fourth is hanging in the Vault

1.6 AUDIO-VISUAL

MAPCASE13/8/6 Gray, Richard

The Poems of Thomas Merton Read by Richard GreyNew York: Spirit Records, [n.d.]

1 record album Technical Specs: Plays at 33 1/3 r.p.m.

20 Stewart, BruceMe and My Shadow[Bristol], 1989

Audio CassetteNote:Radio play on the life of Thomas Merton;accompanying t.l.s. from John Stanley)

II ARRANGED MATERIAL

2.1 CORRESPONDENCE

21 Merton, Thomas Letters to Lax, Gibney and other close friends

ca.1941Carbon copiesNote: Unsigned and arranged A-Z.


BOX21 Merton, Thomas

Letters to various people2 folders (Carbon copies, photocopies, etc.)

21 Merton, ThomasMimeographed circular letters: "Advent-Christmas letters, Asian Letters

[v.p.], 1967-19682 folders

21 McInerny, DennisLetter to Brother Patrick Hart

[v.p.], [v.d.]

21 American Broadcasting CompanyLetters to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr

21 Bamberger, Abbot John EtudesLetters to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr

21 Bellarmine College

Letters to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr

21 BerniceLetters to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr

21 Berns, Dorothy A.Letters to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr

21 Biering, RenéLetters to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr

21 The CashionsLetters to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr

21 Father ChristopherLetters to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr

21 Dinter, Father PaulLetters to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr

21 Doubleday "&" Co.Letters to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr

21 Durback, RobertLetters to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr

21 Flood, Brother MauriceLetters to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr

21 Ford, John J.


Letters to Sister Thérèse LentfoehrBOX21 Forest, Jim


21 Fox, Dom JamesLetters to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr

21 Gnass, George, S.J.Letters to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr

21 Father Gerard, O.C.S.O.Letters to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr

21 Hart, Brother PatrickLetters to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr14 folders

21 Horvath, AdamLetters to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr

21 Jeffs, Joseph E.Letters to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr

21 Jellema, RodLetters to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr

21 Lax, RobertLetters to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr

21 McQuilkin, FrankLetters to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr

21 Father MagsamLetters to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr

21 Maloney, Stephen R.Letters to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr

21 Martin, Father M.Letters to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr

21 New DirectionsLetters to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr

21 O'Callaghan, TommieLetters to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr

21 O'Neil, HarryLetters to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr

21 Pick, Dr. John



BOX21 Father Roseliep


21 Schusky, Mary SueLetters to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr

21 Seitz, RonLetters to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr

21 Stark, Philip, S.J.Letters to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr

21 Stone, Naomi BurtonLetters to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr3 foldersNote: With 1 t.l.s. from Sister Thérèse.

22 Andrade, JaimeLetters to Thomas Merton

22 Andrade, Jorge CarreraLetters to Thomas Merton

22 Arrés, ThérèseLetters to Thomas Merton

22 Boutoute, Abbè LouisLetters to Thomas Merton

22 Cavero, Carlos DueloLetters to Thomas Merton

22 Conferencia Episcopal ArgentinaLetters to Thomas Merton

22 Curtis Brown, Ltd.Letters to Thomas Merton

22 de Hueck, CatherineLetters to Thomas Merton

22 Dell'Isola, FrankLetters to Thomas Merton

22 Editorial Sur S.A.Letters to Thomas Merton

22 Sister Emmanuel

Letters to Thomas Merton


22 Gibney, BobLetters to Thomas Merton

BOX22 Keegan, Daniel Josè

Letters to Thomas Merton

22 Libra, ClaraLetters to Thomas Merton

22 Maritain, Jacques Letters to Thomas Merton [Photocopies]

22 Moutini, J. B.Letters to Thomas Merton

22 Phillipe, Monsignor PaulLetters to Thomas Merton

22 Pick, Dr. JohnLetters to Thomas Merton

22 Reinhardt, AdLetters to Thomas Merton

22 Ricuarte, Jose EuselioLetters to Thomas Merton

22 Rueda G., Marco V.Letters to Thomas Merton

22 Salazar, JuiloLetters to Thomas Merton

22 UnidentifiedLetters to Thomas Merton

22 Vigolle, GermaineLetters to Thomas Merton

22 Laughlin, Brother Patrick Hart, Dan Walsh, et al.Letters relating to Thomas Merton

22 Telegrams (2) re Merton's deathCircular letter from GethsemaniHomily at the mass for Father M Louis

22 Friends of Gethsemani Circular letters

22 Envelopes 3 folders


2.2 MANUSCRIPTS

BOX23 Butterworth, Mrs. O. L.

"Gnothi Seauton"Poem

23 Caputi, Ilaria"Il Primo Thomas Merton: The Seven Storey Mountain"

Ph.D. dissertation.

23 Giroux, Robert. Notes on the manuscript of "The Seven Storey Mountain"

23 Kramer, Victor"Thomas Merton Oral History"

1 Bound volumeNote: in Box 35 of the collection

23 Lentfoehr, Sister ThérèseClassification of some of Merton's poems

23 Lentfoehr, Sister ThérèseExtracts of Merton poems

23 Lentfoehr, Sister Thérèse"Merton and Education"

23 Lentfoehr, Sister ThérèseMiscellaneous manuscript material

23 Lentfoehr, Sister ThérèseNotes on Evelyn Waugh letters to Merton

23 Lentfoehr, Sister Notes on Merton's life and works for talks

3 folders

23 Lentfoehr, Sister Thérèse"A Response to Thomas Merton: The Dimensions of Solitude"

23 Lentfoehr, Sister Thérèse"Thomas Merton: Poet in his Time"

23 Lentfoehr, Sister ThérèseTranscription of Merton's letter to Time re James Joyce

23 Merton, ThomasCurriculum Vitae


2.3 LECTURES & CONFERENCES

BOX24 Ascetical and Mystical Theology

Gethsemani, KY, 19611 volume Mimeograph

24Background and Attitude of Monastic Postulants, in Relation to the Failure of Vocation

Gethsemani, KY, [n.d.]12 Typeseript (carbon)

24 Conferences: See follwing records for a detailed description of this material2 manilla folders

Note: Contents removed and re-foldered

24 Conferences: Two envelopes which contained the material sent to Sister Thérèseby Merton in November of 1958. One inscribed "The Mystery of Mary and the Church -- Conference" and the other "Conference - Liturgical Feasts and Seasons".

24 "All Saints"5 page Typescript (carbon, with ms. correction)

Note: Sent by Merton to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr 11/10/195824

"The Angels"4 page Typescript (carbon)


24 "The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary"2 page Typescript (carbon)


24 “The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary”1 page Typescript (carbon)

Note: Sent by Merton to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr, 11/3/1958

24 “The Assumption of Our Lady in the Byzantine Rite”1 page Typescript (carbon)


24 “Candlemas”3 page Typescript (carbon)


24 “Conference on Prayer”6 page Typescript (mimeograph, with ms corrections)


24 “Exaltation of the Holy Cross”


1 page HolographNote: Sent by Merton to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr, 11/10/1958

BOX24 “Feast of all the Saints of the Order”

2 page Typescript (carbon)Note: Sent by Merton to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr, 11/10/1958

24 “Feast of the Dedication of the Church”5 page Typescript (carbon)


24 “Feast of the Holy Name of Mary”1 page Typescript


24 "Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary"1 page Typescript


24 "Feast of the Nativity of Our Lady"2 page Typescript


24 "Feast of Our Holy Father St Benedict"2 page Typescript


24 "Feast of Our Lady’s Presentation"4 page Typescript (with ms. correction)


24 "Feast of Saint Anne"2 page Typescript


24 "Feast of the St Joseph"3 page Typescript


24 "Feast of Saint Luke II"1 page Typescript


24 "Feast of the Seven Dolors"3 page Typescript


24 "Feast of the Transfiguration"1 page Typescript (with ms. correction)


24 "Feast of the Visitation"1 page Typescript



BOX24 "Holy Rosary II"

1 page TypescriptNote: Sent by Merton to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr, 11/10/1958

24 "May – Consecration to Our Lady"1 page Typescript


24 "Mary in the Passions"1 page Typescript (carbon)


24 "Monroe Conference on Contemplative Living"13 Mimeograph

Note: With cover letter. Sent by Merton to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr, 11/3-/1958

24 "The Mystery of Mary and the Church"3 page Typescript (carbon)


24 "Nativity of Our Lady II"2 page Typescript (with ms. corrections)


24 "The Nativity of Saint John the Baptist"4 page Typescript


24 "Office of the Feast of Saint Bernard"3 page Typescript


24 "Pax Huic Domui: Monastic Peace"3 page Typescript


24 "The Priest in the Monastery – Feast of Saint Thomas the Apostle"3 page Typescript


24 "The Reception of the Holy Crown of Thorns"1 page Typescript


24 "The Rosary and Its Mysteries"6 page Typescript (carbon)


24 "Saint Alfred – Cistercian Life on His Time"2 page Typescript (with ms. correction)



BOX24 "Saint Bernard’s Sermons for the Feast of Saint Andrew"

4 page Typescript (carbon, with ms. corrections)Note: Sent by Merton to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr, 11/3/1958

24 "Saint Lawrence"1 page Typescript


24 "Saint Martin"2 page Typescript (carbon)


24 "Saint Mary Magdalen"3 page Typescript


24 "Saint Robert and the Foundation of Citeaux"3 page Typescript (with ms. addition)


24 "Saint Stephen Harding"3 page Typescript


24 "Saint Stephen Harding (Comm Of Confessors)"1 page Typescript


24 "Saints Peter and Paul"1 page Typescript (with ms. addition)


24 "Saints Simon and Jude"4 page Holograph


24 "Scripture and the Cistercian"1 page Mimeograph


24 Gallo Roman Monasticism/Cassian/The Regula Magistri/and the Background to the Rule of Saint Benedict

Trappist, KY, 196396 Mimeograph

24 An Introduction to Cistercian TheologyTrappist, KY, 1950-19522 volumes Mimeograph

24 An Introduction to Cistercian Theology


Trappist, KY, 1950-195271 Typescript (with ms. corrections)

BOX25 Liturgical Feasts and Seasons

25 Monastic Fathers

25 Monastic Orientation

26 Monastic Orientation Series III - V

27 Monastic Orientation Series V (cont) - VI

27 Pre-Benedictine Monachism

27 A Program of Studies: The virtues of the common life as helps to the religious life

27 The Spiritual Doctrine of St Ammonas

28 Miscellaneous: Poems3 folders

Note: Photocopies, mimeographed, etc., A-Z.

28 Reviews by Merton

28 Merton Center

28 Miscellaneous material relating to Merton

28 Miscellaneous manuscript material

28 Lawlor, PatrickThomas Merton: The Poet and the Contemplative Life

Manuscript of catalog, galleys, page proofs, etc.

2.4 DOCUMENTS

28 Merton, Thomas Last will and testament

Photocopy.

28 Merton Legacy Trust Agreement

29 Lentfoehr, Sister ThérèseCatalog information for the material in her Thomas Merton collection and the original folders used by her to secure the manuscript of "The Seven Storey Mountain"

30 Merton Center


Card catalogue (incomplete) of its holdings

2.5 PHOTOGRAPHS

MAPCASE13/8/6 Merton, Thomas

Framed photograph "&amp and " matted photograph of MertonBOX31 Thomas Merton

Childhood and family

31 Thomas Merton at Columbia University

31 Ordination, first mass etc

31 Bangkok conference

31 Funeral mass

31 Grave

31 Bust

31 Greenwich Village apartment

31 Monastery of Gethsemani

31 Hermitage

31 Funeral mass in Bangkok

31 Hart, Brother Patrick et al.

31 Walsh, Daniel

31 Zilboorg, Gregory

31 Chairs, room etc

31 Desert rocks, New Mexico

31 Houses

31 School House, Pleasant Hill

31 Shrine of St Thérèse

31 Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr at Merton exhibit

31 Miscellaneous

31 Merton, Thomas


Photographs by Thomas Merton

2.6 ART

BOX32 Manessier, Alfred.

"Crown of Thorns"1 Photograph

32 Merton, ThomasCalligraphies: Series of sixNote: 1 of the 6 retained by William H. Shannon

32 Merton, ThomasCalligraphies Series of fourNote: 3 of the 4 retained by William H. Shannon

32 Series of eight: "La Vida Politica" Calligraphies8 folders

Note: 1 retained by William H. Shannon

32 Lentfoehr, Sister ThérèseDrawings by Sister Thérèse

32 Merton, ThomasDrawing of a CrossNote: Shelved in mapcase 13/8/6

32 Merton, ThomasDrawings of Figures

45 folders

32 Merton, ThomasCalligraphic drawings of figures

5 folders

32 Merton, ThomasDrawing of a guitar

32 Merton, ThomasDrawings of Heads

30 folders

32 Merton, ThomasFeast Day Card

32 Merton, ThomasWatercolor: "A Pastoral"

32 Shannon, William H.


Calligraph

32 Sissons, GracePencil and crayon drawing

III PRINTED MATERIAL

3.1 GENERAL

BOX33 Beecher, John.

"On Acquiring a Cistercian Breviary" [Poem]

3.2 CLIPPINGS

33 Archibald MscLeish & Lewis Mumford

33 Art Exhibit

33 Gethsemani and other monasteries

33 Father Irenaeus Herscher "&amp and " St Bonaventure

33 Merton

33 Merton's death

3.3 REVIEWS OF:

33 Ascent to Truth 33 Asian Journal 33 Bread in the Wilderness 33 Clement of Alexandria 33 Collected Poems 33 Conjectures of a Guilty Bystander 33 Contemplation on a World of Action 33 Disputed Questions 33 Elected Silence 33 Figures for an Apocalypse 33 A Hidden Wholeness 33 Life and Holiness 33 The Living Bread 33 Love and Living 33 My Argument with the Gestapo 33 Mystics and Zen Masters 33 The New Man 33 No Man is an Island


33 Secular Journal 33 Seeds of Contemplation 33 Seeds of Destruction BOXBOX33 The Seven Storey Mountain 33 Sign of Jonas 33 The Strange Islands 33 Tears of the Blind Lions 33 Thomas Merton, Monk33 Thomas Merton on Peace 33 Thomas Merton Reader 33 Waters of Silence 33 Waters of Siloe 33 What Are These Wounds? 33 Zen and the Birds of Appetite

3.4 ARTICLES, POEMS, ETC.

33 The Shakers

33 Ed Rice

33 Miscellaneous

33 Lax, Robert"A Poem for Thomas Merton"

34 Merton, ThomasArticles and essays

3 folders

34 Merton, Thomas"Five Drawings by Thomas Merton"

34 Merton, Thomas"Four Freedom Songs"

34 Merton, ThomasPoems

34 Miscellaneous

3.5 OFFPRINTS

35 The Christmas Sermons of Bl Guerric

35 The Climate of Monastic Prayer

35 Conversatio Morum


35 Examination of Conscience

35 For a Renewal of Eremitism in the Monastic State BOX35 Liturgical Renewal

35 The Pasternak Affair in Perspective

35 La vida solitaria

35 The Zen Koa

3.6 OFFPRINTS & ARTICLES RE. MERTON

35 Pamphlets: Miscellaneous2 folders

35 Pamphlets: The Monk in the Diaspora

35 Pamphlets: Thomas Merton BooksFall 1988Catalog

35 Pamphlets: Two Articles by Thomas Merton

35 Columbia Yearbook1937 Tearsheets

35 "The Jester"Tearsheets

35 Vespers Funeral Mass & Burial Mass for Thomas Merton

3.7 BOOKS & ORAL HISTORY

36 Books by Merton and others

36 Victor Kramer's"Thomas Merton Oral History"

37-40 Translations of books by Thomas Merton

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