The Thomas Merton Center at Bellarmine University

MERTON'S CORRESPONDENCE WITH:
Kowalski, Frank, 1907-1974

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Descriptive Summary

Record Group: Section A - Correspondence

Dates of materials: 1962

Volume: 4 item(s); 7 pg(s)

Scope and Content

Biography

Frank Kowalski was a United States Representative for Connecticut. He writes from his office in Washington, D.C. Kowalski retired from the military as a colonel in 1958 and had served under Dwight Eisenhower in World War II. He was a Democrat and voted pro-labor and against improper utilization of the armed forces. In 1962, inspired by "Original Child Bomb", he asks Merton to write a peace prayer to be read in Congress. Later, Kowalski would serve on the Subversive Activities Control Board. (Source: "Kowalski, Frank." New York Times obituary. 1974. Online. Biography Reference Bank. H.W. Wilson. Bellarmine University Library, Louisville, KY. 2005/05/24. ‹http://vnweb.hwwilsonweb.com›.)

Usage Guidelines and Restrictions

Related Information and Links

See also "Perkins, Anne" file for a copy of Merton's "Prayer for Peace".

Other Finding Aids

If the person in correspondence with Merton has full text records in the Merton Center Digital Collections, there will be a numeric link to them below.
   

Series List

This Record Sub-Group is not divided into Series and is arranged chronologically.

Container List

SeriesDateTypeTo/FromFirst LinesPubFull TextNotes
 1962/04/11 TALSto MertonI write to enlist your aid in bringing to Congress and the American public the immorality,   
 1962/04/18 other[x] A PRAYER FOR PEACE BY THOMAS MERTON, HOLY WEEK 1962 Mr. ALBERT. Mr. Speaker, I ask unaminous  [photocopy of pages from <u>The Congressional Record</u>, Volume 108, Part 5, 6937-38]
 1962/04/20? TLSto MertonI am deeply moved by your prayer for peace and I have presented it to the Congress. The tentative  [no date - written soon after the 1962/04/11 letter - seems to fall between 1962/04/11 and 1962/04/26, on April 26, in his journal, Merton notes that the prayer has been read, which Kowalski relates in this message]
 1962/no/no other[x]from MertonPrayer for Peace [-] Almighty and merciful God, Father of all men, Creator and Ruler of the Universe  [copy of a prayer (see "Perkins, Anne" file for an original) later published in <i>Thomas Merton Essential Writings</i> and elsewhere - note at end of the last page: "This prayer, written by T. Merton, was read in the House of Representatives by Congressman Frank Kowalski (D. Connecticut) on April 12, 1962. (Wednesday in Holy Week.)" / Wednesday, April 18, is the correct date of the Wednesday of Holy Week, 1962, and the date that the prayer appears in the Congressional Record (Vol. 108, Part 5, pp. 6937-6938]
        

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