The Thomas Merton Center at Bellarmine University



Advanced Search 


Merton's Correspondence with:

Fr. Vernon Robertson

Robertson, Vernon, Fr.  printer

Vernon Robertson sent Merton this photograph of his ordination to the priesthood at the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican in the presence of Pope Paul VI.  Robertson was 44 years old in 1967.  He graduated from the Pontifico Collegio Beda and was the only one from the United States at this ordination.  
Vernon Robertson sent Merton this photograph of his ordination to the priesthood at the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican in the presence of Pope Paul VI. Robertson was 44 years old in 1967. He graduated from the Pontifico Collegio Beda and was the only one from the United States at this ordination. 

Descriptive Summary

Record Group: Section A - Correspondence
Dates of materials: 1967
Volume: 3 item(s); 4 pg(s)

Scope and Content

Biography

Fr. Vernon Robertson was a priest of the Louisville Archdiocese in Kentucky. He converted to Roman Catholicism, having been an Episcopalian. He thanks Merton for celebrating a Mass for him on the occasion of his ordination to the priesthood after finishing studies at the Pontifico Collegio Beda in Rome. Robertson was ordained at the Sistine Chapel of the Vatican in the presence of Pope Paul VI. Robertson went on to become a social justice advocate in Louisville. He was concerned about poverty and education in the inner city. He founded Montessori schools in the city and helped to revitalize some declining churches in Louisville's downtown, including his long-time parish of St. Martin of Tours. He also helped found the city's first residence for people living with AIDS. (Source: Cahill, Elizabeth Kirkland. "Vernon Robertson is in heaven - late priest remembered." The Commonweal. 17 July 1998. Online from Findarticles.com. Accessed 23 Feb. 2006. ‹http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1252/is_n13_v125/ai_20968211›.)

Usage Guidelines and Restrictions

Please click here for general restrictions concerning Merton's correspondence.

Related Information and Links

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

Click icons for links: ✓="Published | Library Record", ✉="Scanned" | 🗷="Scanned, Viewable Only at Merton Center"


#DateFrom/ToFirst LinesPub ✓Notes
 y/m/dMerton Scan ✉ 
1. 1967/04/12 TLS to Merton We have never met; however from Fr. John Loftus at Bellarmine I have learned that you offered mass «detailed view»
2. undated/no/no other   [black and white photograph of Fr. Vernon Robertson's ordination to the priesthood at the Sistine Chapel of the Vatican - Pope Paul VI is seated at the center of the photo] «detailed view»
3. undated/no/no other   PLEASE PRAY FOR THE FOLLOWING [-] ORDAINED TO THE PRIESTHOOD [-] Europe Edmund [card containing the names of those ordained to the priesthood with Robertson, grouped by continent and country - verso contains the crest and name "Pontificio Collegio Beda [-] 1967" and a quote from I Corinthians 4:1] «detailed view»

Printer-Friendly Version   Return to the Top of the Page