At its June meeting, the Board of Directors of the International Thomas Merton Society approved the program for the ITMS Eleventh General Meeting, to be held June 11-14, 2009 at Nazareth College, Rochester, NY. The theme of the meeting is “Bearing Witness to the Light: Merton’s Challenge to a Fragmented World.” Major speakers include James Conner, OCSO, Herbert Mason with Sidney Griffith, Rachel Fell McDermott and Judith Simmer-Brown. The program will also feature an address by ITMS President Donald Grayston, thirty-five concurrent sessions, workshops and guided prayer sessions, meditation, liturgy and entertainment.

    James Conner, OCSO is a monk of the Abbey of Gethsemani, student and former undermaster of novices under Thomas Merton, and former abbot of Assumption Abbey, Ava, MO. He is a member of the Board of Directors of Monastic Interreligious Dialogue and former editor of the MID Bulletin, and has written and spoken widely on Thomas Merton and on dialogue with other religious traditions.

    Herbert Mason is William Goodwin Aurelio professor of history and religious thought at Boston University. A friend and correspondent of Thomas Merton, he was also a friend and student of Louis Massignon, of whom he wrote in Memoir of a Friend: Louis Massignon, and he edited and translated Massignon’s masterwork, The Passion of Al-Hallaj. His translation of the Gilgamesh epic was a finalist for the National Book Award. His presentation will be conducted in dialogue with Sidney H. Griffith, professor in the Department of Semitic and Egyptian Languages and Literatures at the Catholic University of America and author most recently of The Church in the Shadow of the Mosque: Christians and Muslims in the World of Islam.

    Rachel Fell McDermott is associate professor and chair of the Asian and Middle Eastern Cultures Department at Barnard College, specializing in South Asia, especially India. She is the author of Singing to the Goddess: Poems to Kali and Uma from Bengal and Mother of My Heart, Daughter of My Dreams: Kali and Uma in the Devotional Poetry of Bengal.

    Judith Simmer-Brown is professor and former chair of the Department of Buddhist studies at Naropa University and director of the Ngedon School of Higher Studies. She was a contributor to the volume Merton and Buddhism and is author of Dakini’s Warm Breath: The Feminine Principle in Tibetan Buddhism.

    Opening sessions on Thursday afternoon of the conference will include a “First-Timers’ Orientation” with Bob Grip; “ITMS Chapters Workshop” with Tony Russo; “Merton’s Photography as Witness and Technology” with Anthony Bannon; “Another Witness: A Tribute to Dom John Eudes Bamberger” with Morgan Atkinson; and “Merton, Young People and Self-Discovery” with Matthew Herbst, Daniel Horan, OFM and Jeffrey Kiernan. “Merton in Asia: A Conversation” with Harold Talbott and Bonnie Thurston will follow. A roundtable discussion on Abraham Heschel featuring Heschel biographer Edward Kaplan and Rabbi Shaul Magid is scheduled for Sunday morning. The closing liturgy will be celebrated by ITMS founding president Fr. William Shannon. John King will emcee an “I Think I Really Know a Lot about Thomas Merton” quiz show on Thursday evening. Singer Kate Campbell will return as featured entertainment on Saturday evening; the Nazareth College Jazz Ensemble will also perform. Meditation sessions will be coordinated by Veronica Dagher and Rebecca Barnes.

    Concurrent sessions include:
• “Merton and Buddhism”: Mario Aguilar & Matthew Cressler;
• “Merton and Friends”: Ian MacNiven & J. S. Porter;
• “Merton and German Thinkers”: John P. Collins & David Golemboski;
• “Merton and Hinduism”: David Belcastro & Timothy Fullerton;
• “Merton and Interfaith Dialogue”: Joseph Raab & Ryan Scruggs;
• “Merton and Monasticism”: Paul Dekar & Andrea Neuhoff;
• “Merton and Social Justice”: Mark C. Meade & Cristóbal Serrán-Pagán y Fuentes;
• “Merton and Spiritual Integration”: Nass Cannon & Fiona Gardner;
• “Merton and Sufi Wisdom”: Erlinda G. Paguio & Patrick F. O’Connell;
• “Merton and Taoism”: James Beckman;
• “Merton and the Beat Poets”: Mary Chinery & Scott Grapin;
• “Merton and the New Atheism”: Christine M. Bochen & Walt Chura;
• “Merton and Thich Nhat Hanh”: William Apel & Robert King;
• “Merton: Beyond Silence”: Roger Lipsey & Lynn Szabo;
• “Merton: Fragmentation and Dialogue”: Vaughn Fayle & Gray Matthews;
• “Merton’s Ecology”: Deborah Kehoe & Christopher Pramuk;
• “Merton’s ‘Rain and the Rhinoceros’”: Chip Long & David Odorisio;
• “Merton, Wholeness and Healing”: Jessica Funk & Timothy Shaffer;
• “Emerging Merton Scholars Sessions”: Patrick Cousins, Kimberly Morey & Rob Peach; Tyson Anderson, Shirley Frey & Mark Murray.

    Workshops include:
• “Being Contemplative Interreligiously”: Patrick Eastman;
• “‘Lightheartedness in Bearing Light’ Merton’s Humor in Interreligious Dialogue”: Sylvia Maddox;
• “Merton and the ‘I am spiritual but not religious’ generation”: Ted Bergh;
• “Merton in the Marketplace: Ecumenism for the Professional”: Anne-Taylor Cahill;
• “Telling Our Stories with Uncle Louie”: Mark Filut, OCSO.
Guided Prayer sessions include:
• “Awakening Sacred Heart: An Experimental Method in Christian-Buddhist Contemplation”: Toni Sorgi;
• “‘Desecrated Sanctuary’ Thomas Merton and Thomas Berry in Dialogue on Healing the Natural World”: Kathleen Deignan;
• “Exploring the Heart of Merton and Nature”: Monica Weis;
• “Studying the Truth in Prayer and Meditation: Echo-Meditation with a Text of Thomas Merton”: Detlev Cuntz & Maria Reichel;
• “A Zen Camera: Meditating with the Photographs of Thomas Merton”: Paul M. Pearson.

    The program committee for the Eleventh General Meeting is chaired by ITMS Past President Paul M. Pearson, with Christine M. Bochen as site coordinator; other members of the committee include Jamie Fazio, ITMS President Donald Grayston, Gray Matthews, Patrick O’Connell, Bonnie Thurston and Monica Weis, SSJ.

    Registration materials, with further information on the schedule, costs and accommodations for the conference will be included in the Winter 2008 issue of The Merton Seasonal. Update information is available at the Merton Center/ITMS web site merton.org/Rochester.

     At its June meeting, the ITMS Board of Directors awarded 2008-2009 Shannon Fellowships to three scholars: Marilyn F. Hendricks, for a project on “The Spirituality and Ethics of Thomas Merton”; David M. Odorisio, for a project on “Thomas Merton and Philoxenus: The Novitiate Conference Tapes”; and Jan Sheridan, for a project on “Seeing through the Eyes of Thomas Merton: The New York Years.”

The Shannon Fellowship program was established in 1997 in honor of Fr. William H. Shannon, the founding president of the ITMS, to promote scholarship on Merton and his work. Up to five annual awards, of a maximum of $750 each, are granted to scholars for research on primary-source Merton materials at the Merton Center at Bellarmine University or other archival collections. This year’s selection committee includes Joseph Quinn Raab, chair; John Collins, Robert Grip, Angus Stuart and Bonnie Thurston.

    The deadline for applications for Shannon Fellowships for 2009-2010 is March 15, 2009. Awards must be used between July 1, 2009 and June 30, 2010. Awards will be based on the quality of the proposal submitted and on the need for consulting archival materials at the site proposed. Applicants must be members of the ITMS; they may join the Society at the time of application by including a check for $25, made out to “ITMS”, along with their proposals. Current officers and Board members of the ITMS, as well as grant committee members, are not eligible for fellowships during their term of office.

    Application for Shannon Fellowships must include the following:
• a detailed proposal of 500-750 words explaining the subject and goals of the applicant’s research and the rationale for consulting primary sources at the Merton collection selected by the applicant;
• a letter of recommendation from a scholar familiar with the applicant’s qualifications and research interests;
• a proposed expense budget: grants will cover costs of travel to and from collections; expenses for accommodations and food during time of research at archives; costs of photocopying;
• disclosure of any other sources of funding awarded or applied for, with amounts received or requested.

    Applications are encouraged from established scholars, from researchers without academic affiliation, and from students and younger scholars, including those engaged in research for theses and dissertations.
Completed applications for fellowships should be sent to Dr. Paul M. Pearson, Director, Thomas Merton Center, Bellarmine University, 2001 Newburg Road, Louisville, KY 40205; email: [email protected]. The committee’s recommendations will be presented at the June, 2009 meeting of the ITMS Board of Directors, who will make the final decisions on awards, and results will be communicated to applicants shortly thereafter.

Daggy Scholarships Available

     The International Thomas Merton Society will once again sponsor the Daggy Youth/Student Scholarship Program to make it possible for young people to participate in the ITMS General Meeting. The program is named in honor of the late Dr. Robert Daggy, founding member and second president of the ITMS and longtime director of the Thomas Merton Center at Bellarmine University. Up to fifteen scholarships will be awarded, covering all costs (except transportation) of attendance at the Eleventh General Meeting of the ITMS, to be held at Nazareth College, Rochester, NY, June 11-14, 2009. The awards will also include one year’s free membership in the ITMS. Young people between the ages of fourteen and twenty-nine, and full-time undergraduate students up to the age of forty, are invited to apply.

Scholarship applicants should submit a statement explaining why they are interested in learning more about Thomas Merton and how they think they would benefit from attending the ITMS General Meeting. They should also obtain a recommendation from a youth minister, campus minister, pastor, teacher, or other qualified adult explaining in what capacity he/she knows the applicant and why the applicant should be considered as a qualified candidate for an ITMS scholarship. Application forms are available on the ITMS website at: https://merton.org/ITMS/scholarships.htm

Completed applications, including the recommendation, must be submitted by March 15, 2009, to the scholarship committee chair, Dr. Virginia Ratigan: [email protected]. Applications should include the age of the applicant, proof of educational status (if applicable), telephone number and email address (if available) as well as a return address.

Any ITMS member who knows an eligible young person / student that would benefit from attending the 2009 General Meeting in Rochester should encourage him or her to apply for a scholarship.

Donations to the program may be sent to the Thomas Merton Center, Bellarmine University, 2001 Newburg Road, Louisville, KY 40205; checks should be made out to “ITMS” with “Daggy Fund” in the subject line

New Abbot at Gethsemani

    On April 29, Father Elias Dietz was elected as tenth abbot of the Cistercian Abbey of Gethsemani, Trappist, KY, for a six-year term.  Forty-five members of the Gethsemani community, along with abbots from three of Gethsemani’s six daughter monasteries, took part in the election.  He succeeds Abbot Damien Thompson, who resigned March 30 after serving as abbot for eight years.  Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz of Louisville conducted an abbatial blessing of Abbot Elias on June 15 in the abbey church.

     Raymond C. Dietz was born in St. Louis, MO, in 1959, the fourth child of the late Raymond and Mildred Dietz.  He attended Immaculata Grammar School, St. Louis Preparatory School South, and Cardinal Glennon College, the seminary for the St. Louis archdiocese, graduating in 1982.  He then studied theology as a layperson at the University of Louvain, Belgium, earning a licentiate degree.  He entered the Abbey of Gethsemani in 1988, taking the name Elias, and made solemn profession in 1993.  He was ordained to the priesthood by Archbishop Thomas C. Kelly on January 25, 2003.  At the time of his election, he was serving as secretary to the Abbot General of the Order of Cistercians in Rome, a post he had previously held from 1998 to 2002.  He also has served as editor of Cistercian Studies Quarterly from 2002 to 2007, and as sub-master of novices, director of vocations and choir master at Gethsemani.

Robert Giroux (1914-2008)

    Robert Giroux, Columbia classmate of Thomas Merton and editor of his autobiography The Seven Storey Mountain and numerous subsequent Merton works, died Friday, September 5, 2008 in Tinton Falls, NJ, at the age of 94.

     Born April 8, 1914 in Jersey City, the son of Arthur J. and Katharine Lyons Giroux, Robert Giroux attended St. Aloysius School and Regis High School in New York City.  At Columbia University he edited The Columbia Review and became friends with Merton, the poet John Berryman and other future literary figures.  After graduating from Columbia in 1936, he joined the CBS public relations department for four years, and from 1940 until 1955, with time out for service in the Second World War, he worked for the publishing firm Harcourt, Brace, becoming executive editor in 1948.  In 1955 he moved to Farrar, Straus and Cudahy, becoming a partner in 1964 when the publishing firm’s name became Farrar, Straus and Giroux, as it still is today; he became chairman of the company in 1973.

     Giroux is considered one of the most distinguished editors and publishers of the twentieth century.  He edited works by ten Nobel Prize winners, including Hermann Hesse, T. S. Eliot, Pablo Neruda, Isaac Bashevis Singer, Derek Walcott, William Golding and Seamus Heaney, as well as five volumes that won the Pulitzer Prize and ten National Book Award winners.  Among his many authors were Berryman, Elizabeth Bishop, E. M. Forster, Robert Lowell, Bernard Malamud, Flannery O’Connor, Walker Percy and Eudora Welty.

     He was the author of three books: The Education of an Editor, the Bowker lecture of 1981; The Book Known as Q, a study of Shakespeare’s sonnets (1982); and A Deed of Death, the story of an unsolved Hollywood murder (1990), as well as numerous introductions, articles and reviews.

Merton Institute Sponsors Conference

     The Merton Institute for Contemplative Living is sponsoring a conference on October 24-26 entitled “Contemplative Living: Recovering the Inner Life of Humanity” at the Kentucky International Convention Center in Louisville, to commemorate the fortieth anniversary of the death of Thomas Merton.  The conference honors Merton’s personal vision that concerned individuals would gather to dialogue in a contemplative way on the major issues confronting humanity.

     Major presenters at the conference include Douglas Burton-Christie, Associate Professor of Theological Studies and Graduate Director of Theological Studies at Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, and founding editor of Spiritus: A Journal of Christian Spirituality; Ibrahim Kalin, Assistant Professor of Islamic Studies at the Prince Alwaleed Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding, Georgetown University, and associate editor of Resources on Islam and Science, a web-based project of the Center for Islam and Science, which provides a comprehensive database on Islam and science; Stephanie Kaza, Professor of Environmental Studies at the University of Vermont, current President of the Society for Buddhist-Christian Studies and co-editor of Dharma Rain: Sources of Buddhist Environmentalism; and David Tacey, Associate Professor in the School of Critical Enquiry, La Trobe University, Melbourne and author of eight books including The Spirituality Revolution: The Emergence of Contemporary Spirituality.

     On the four days preceding the conference, sixteen people representing a wide range of interests and perspectives will convene at the Abbey of Gethsemani to dialogue on the conference theme.  At the opening session of the conference they will share their insights and experience of the retreat.  Several of these individuals will also serve on a panel that will reflect on and respond to the conference presentations on Saturday and Sunday; panelists include Dr. David Addis, Senior Program Officer, The Fetzer Institute; Imam Plemon El Amin, Masjid Iman of the Atlanta Masjid of Al Islam; Rabbi Phyllis Berman, Director, Elat Chavvim Center for Jewish Spirituality; Rev. Joan Campbell, Director of Religion, Chautauqua Institution; Rev. Alan Jones, Dean of Grace Cathedral, San Francisco, CA; Rev. J. Cletus Kiley, Executive Director, Faith and Politics Institute; Rob Lehman, Board Chair, The Fetzer Institute; Elaine McCoy, Senator, Province of Alberta, Canada; Martin Hakubai Mosko, Zen Buddhist monk; Dr. Steven Rockefeller, Co-Chair, Earth Charter International Council; Dr. Avideh Shashaani, President, Fund for the Future of Our Children; Rabbi Arthur Waskow, Founder and Director, Shalom Center, Philadelphia, PA; Dr. Phyllis Woolley, Director, Government Interchange Program, University of Alberta.  On Saturday afternoon conference attendees will have an opportunity to dialogue in small groups with the presenters, panelists and one another.

Scott Awarded Lambeth Degree

    On July 1, Dr. Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, awarded the Revd. Canon David Scott one of ten 2008 Lambeth Degrees, academic awards that have been given since 1533 for outstanding contributions to religious, academic and public life.  Canon Scott is a founding member of the Thomas Merton Society of Great Britain and Ireland, and has spoken widely at Merton Conferences and other events.  The D.Litt. degree was awarded in recognition of his contribution to deepening the spiritual life of the Church of England through his standing as a poet and his teaching ministry, particularly on the work of Thomas Merton but also on a range of other writers from Anglo-Saxon times to the present, including his recent work, The Mind of Christ.  .

Calls for Papers

The Thomas Merton Society of Canada and Canadian Memorial Church & Centre for Peace will co-host a conference entitled “Peace: A Transforming Vision” March 6-7 in Vancouver, British Columbia.  Plenary speakers will be Jim Forest, Merton biographer and peace activist, and Peter Dale Scott, political writer and poet.  Proposals are invited for presentations and workshops at one of the concurrent sessions of the conference.  The sessions will run for 75 minutes; talks should take about 45 minutes, leaving 30 minutes for discussion.  While papers can be read, it is hoped that speakers will adapt them, in whole or in part, to the style of an oral presentation.  Proposals may be submitted on any aspect of the topic, and should include as well, in a brief or an extended fashion, some attention to the writings of Thomas Merton.  The proposal should be limited to one page and include information on whether the session would be a talk, a workshop or other form of presentation.  Proposals should be submitted by November 1 to TMSC Program Director, Judith Hardcastle at [email protected] (preferred) or by mail to Judith Hardcastle, Thomas Merton Society of Canada, #705 – 700 Chilco St., Vancouver, BC, Canada, V6G 2R1.

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     Proposals are invited for presentations at the 2009 College English Association Conference session entitled “‘Raids on the Unspeakable’: Design in the Writing of Thomas Merton.”  The seventieth anniversary conference of the CEA, an organization of scholar/teachers in English Studies, will take place March 26-28, 2009 at the Omni William Penn Hotel, 530 William Penn Place, Pittsburgh, PA 15219.  Presentations of 15 minutes (7-8 pages) should explore Merton’s use of design in his essays, poetry, letters, journals, and/or the visual arts.  Proposals should be sent by November 1 to Monica Weis at [email protected]. All presenters at the 2009 CEA conference must be members of the Association by January 1, 2009; information on membership is available at www2.widener.edu/~cea/membership.htm; further information on the conference may be found at: www2.widener.edu/~cea/conference2009.htm.

New Merton Center Planned

    As part of its Vision 2020 Capital Campaign, Bellarmine University, Louisville, KY is planning to construct three new buildings in front of and connected to the present Horrigan Hall.  The project calls for the addition of more than 65,000 square feet of new space and approximately 39,000 square feet of remodeled space in the existing building.  Part of the new space will house a relocated Thomas Merton Center, currently housed in the W. L. Lyons Brown Library.  The proposed new space would triple the size of the Center, the major repository of Merton’s papers and other materials.  According to Merton Center Director Paul M. Pearson, the new building would provide increased storage space, improved archival preservation conditions, space for additional staff offices and better arrangements for researchers, and increased space for exhibits.  A timetable for construction of the new buildings has not been determined, but projections indicate implementation within the next five years.

 On October 3-4, the Thomas Merton Society of Canada and St. Thomas University are sponsoring a conference entitled “Disarming the Heart: Pathways to Peace” at the university, 51 Dineen Drive, Fredericton, New Brunswick.  The keynote speaker is Michael Higgins, president of St. Thomas University and author of Heretic Blood: The Spiritual Geography of Thomas Merton, who will speak on “Thomas Merton and the Post 9/11 Landscape.”  Other plenary presentations will be given by Ron Dart, on “Thomas Merton and Milton Acorn: Prophetic Canaries in a Hawkish Mineshaft,” and Paul Pearson, on “Thomas Merton’s Zen Photography:  A Pathway to Peace and Mindfulness.”  Concurrent session presenters include Allen Bentley, on “Thomas Merton, William Blake and Miller Brittain”; Judith Hardcastle, on “Thomas Merton: A Film Biography”; John Porter, on “Thomas Merton: Always a Beginner”; and Lynn Szabo, on “Thomas Merton and the Aesthetics of Peace: ‘That Beautiful Terror.’”  The conference will conclude with a contemplative interfaith gathering on peace.  Cost is $75 (Canadian); students admitted free.  For more information or registration, contact Debbie Hudson: phone: 506-452-0645; email: [email protected]

Conversatio, a limited-edition portfolio of signed original photographs and letterpress printed text focused on the monastic community of Holy Cross Abbey, Berryville, VA, is now available.  The forty-page portfolio features interviews with six of the monks by two-time National Book Award finalist Carolyn Coman; twelve original 8'' x 10'' photographs by internationally recognized graphic designer Lance Hidy; and contributions by Thomas Merton, from his essay “Conversatio Morum,” along with his poem “All Theology Is a Kind of Birthday”; Abbot Flavian Burns; and portfolio editor Br. Benedict Simmonds of the Berryville community.  The edition is limited to 250 numbered and 50 lettered copies, in a handmade portfolio box by Andrew and Ellen Eddy of Élan Bindery.  The portfolio is available for a contribution of $1500, a portion of which is tax-deductible.  Further information can be found at www.conversatio.org.

    The inaugural event of the E. Glenn Hinson Annual Lecture Series, which will feature Dr. Hinson himself as the speaker, will take place March 6, 2009 at the Baptist Seminary of Kentucky in Lexington, to commemorate Dr. Hinson’s fiftieth year of teaching. 

     Dr. Hinson was a friend and correspondent of Thomas Merton, and is a founding member and former vice president of the International Thomas Merton Society.  One of the outstanding Church historians in America, he has authored or edited more than two dozen books and written hundreds of articles and reviews, including contributions to The Merton Annual and other publications on Merton.

     Dr. Hinson will present two lectures.  The first, entitled “What I Have Learned in My Fifty Years of Teaching,” will be followed by a panel discussion led by former students and colleagues.  The second, “What I See for the Future of Theological Education,” will take place following dinner.  On the following day, Dr. Hinson will lead a visit to the Abbey of Gethsemani.

The Board of Directors of the Aquinas Center of Theology at Emory University has appointed Dr. Phillip M. Thompson as executive director of the Center, beginning in August 2008.  Dr. Thompson has published on Merton and technology in The Merton Annual, The Merton Seasonal and elsewhere.  He was previously Director of the Leadership Program in Public Policy at Georgia Tech University and Patricia A. Hayes Professor of Ethics and Director of the Center for Ethics and Leadership at St. Edward’s University, Austin, TX.  His book, Between Science and Religion: How Catholic Intellectuals Engaged Science and Technology in the Twentieth Century, is forthcoming from Rowman and Littlefield.  He is the second Merton scholar to lead the Center; Victor A. Kramer, founding editor of The Merton Annual, is a former director.

An expanded edition of Ron Dart’s Thomas Merton and the Beats of the North Cascades (reviewed in the Summer 2006 issue of the Seasonal) has recently been published by Prospect Press.  The new edition includes two additional chapters, as well as more illustrations by Arnold Shives.  For further information see the publisher’s web site: www.prospectpress.ca

       On April 8, Frank Tuoti gave a presentation on “Thomas Merton: The Jesus Lama” at the Episcopal Church of the Apostles in Tucson.

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     On April 11, Kathleen Deignan, CND spoke on “The Spiritual Legacy of Thomas Merton” at the Milltown Institute for Theology, Philosophy and Applied Spirituality in Dublin, Ireland.

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     On April 15, Nathan Gunn, baritone, and Julie Gunn, pianist, joined by colleagues in video and dance, presented a multi-media concert on the life of monks which included the world premiere of “Merton Songs,” settings of five poems by Thomas Merton, composed by Frank Ferko, as well as the Ferko setting of Merton’s “For My Brother: Reported Missing in Action, 1943.”  The concert took place in Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall in New York City, and was preceded by a pre-concert talk with Jeremy Geffen.

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     On May 6-8, a retreat entitled “Thomas Merton: Contemplative and Prophet,” led by Gordon Matthews and Andrew Spurr, was held at the Woodbrooke Quaker Study Centre, Birmingham, UK.

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     On May 15, Robert Whalley gave a presentation entitled “Thomas Merton: Postmodern Monk” at the Carleton Library in Melbourne, Australia, sponsored by the Melbourne Sea of Faith Network.

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     On June 14, Keith Griffin led reflections and thoughts on the writings of Thomas Merton at the Mirfield Centre, Community of the Resurrection, Near Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, UK.

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     On June 21, Sr. Colleen O’Sullivan directed a day-long program on “Thomas Merton and the Contemplative Way” for the John Main group in Newcastle, New South Wales.

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     On June 30-July 2, Esther de Waal led a retreat on “Thomas Merton: Poet and Prophet, Teacher and Contemplative,” at the Launde Abbey Retreat House and Conference Centre, East Norton, Leicestershire, UK.

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     On July 7-11, a course entitled “Thomas Merton:  Poet, Monk, Prophet” was presented at the Chalmers Institute of Vancouver School of Theology, by Paul M. Pearson, with the assistance of Ron Dart and Lynn Szabo. 

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     On August 21, a program entitled “A Summer Evening: Merton by Heart” was held at Still Point Farm near Madison, WI, sponsored by the Wisdom’s Well Interfaith Spirituality Center, led by center co-director Alita Lisbeth, OP, with the assistance of  her co-directors Paula Hirschboeck & Maureen McDonnell, OP. 

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     On Sept. 14, Paul Pearson spoke to the Greater St. Louis Chapter of the Catholic Library Association at the Kenrick-Glennon Seminary Library in St. Louis on the Merton Center at Bellarmine University, other archival collections of Merton’s material and Merton’s concern with preserving his own legacy.

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     On September 15, Kathleen Deignan, CND spoke on “The Spiritual Legacy of Thomas Merton” to the Merton Community of Palo Alto, CA.

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     On Sept. 19-21, Esther de Waal led a retreat on “Thomas Merton: Artist and Monk,” at the Ammerdown Centre, Ammerdown Park, Radstock, Somerset, UK.

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     On September 21, Kathleen Deignan, CNS gave a presentation on “Thomas Merton and the Benedictine Charism in the Ecological Age” at the Benedictine Grange, Redding, CT.

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     On September 22, Kathleen Deignan, CND led a retreat on “The Spiritual Legacy of Thomas Merton” at the Mariandale Spirituality Center, Ossining, NY.

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       “Bridges to Contemplative Living” retreats at Bethany Spring, The Merton Institute Retreat Center in New Haven, Kentucky, will be held September 29-October 1, October 6-8, 17-19, 27-29, November 3-5, 7-9, 10-12, 17-19, December 1-3, 5-7, 8-10, 12-14, 15-17.  Other programs include “Karl Barth Had a Dream about Mozart: Dreams, Dreamwork, and Contemplative Living” on October 31-November 2; “Creativity, Contemplation and Intuition” on November 14-16; “There Are No Strangers: Contemplative Living and Solidarity with the World's Poor” on November 21-23; “Thanksgiving at Bethany Spring with Jonathan Montaldo” on November 25-28;  “Christmas at Bethany Spring Retreat with Jonathan Montaldo” on December 23-26.  For further information, phone: 502-899-1991; email: [email protected]; website: www.mertoninstitute.org.

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     A program entitled “Thomas Merton: A Contemplative Prophet for Interfaith Dialogue,” sponsored by the Wisdom’s Well Interfaith Spirituality Center, will be held on three evenings this fall to explore the interfaith contributions of Thomas Merton, in recognition of the fortieth anniversary of his death.  On Sept. 25, the topic is “Merton’s Call to Prayer and Contemplation”; on Oct. 16, the focus will be “Merton’s Call for Peace and Justice”; on Nov. 13, the final meeting will be on “Merton’s Vision of the Divine Feminine.”  Each evening will include a presentation, time for silent meditation, dialogue and social sharing of light refreshments.  The program will be held at the Friends Meeting House in Madison, WI.  The cost is $20 for a single evening; $50 for the series.  For more information, contact Paula Hirschboeck at: [email protected].

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     On October 22, Gerald Schiffhorst will lead a day of recollection on “Finding Our True Selves: The Legacy of Thomas Merton” at the Duncan Retreat Center, Delray Beach, FL.  For further information, phone: 561-496-4130; email: [email protected].

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    On October 29th at 7 pm Morgan Atkinson will be signing copies and talking about his book Soul Searching: The Journey of Thomas Merton. This will take place at Carmichael's Bookstore, 2720 Frankfort Avenue, Louisville. Tel: 502-896-6950.

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     On November 2, Kathleen Deignan, CND will speak on “Thomas Merton and Creation Spirituality” at St. Luke Parish, Westport, CT; for further information, phone: 203-227-7245; fax: 203-226-8063.

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     On November 2, the Gregorian Concert Choir and Festival Orchestra, under the direction of Father Anthony Mancini, will perform a concert in remembrance of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Thomas Merton and Dr. C. Alexander Peloquin on Sunday, November 2nd, All Souls Day, at 3:00 p.m. in the Cathedral of SS. Peter and Paul, Providence, RI. The concert is free and open to the public.
 

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     On November 6, Joyce Hollyday will speak on “Truth and Reconciliation: The Witness of Thomas Merton” at Frazier Hall, Bellarmine University, Louisville, KY, sponsored by the Thomas Merton Center.  For further information, see merton.org.

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     On November 9-11, Kathleen Deignan, CND will lead a weekend program on “The Spiritual Legacy of Thomas Merton” for the Office of Justice and Peace of Appalachia; for further information, contact Sr. Jackie Hanrahan, CND: phone: 276-762-5050; email:  [email protected].

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     On November 14-15, a conference entitled “Reading Thomas Merton: The Atlanta Fortieth Anniversary Celebration” will be held at Our Lady of the Assumption Church, Atlanta, GA.  Speakers will include: Glenn Crider, Emile Farge, Fr. Tom Francis, Victor and Dewey Kramer, Paul Pearson and others.  For further information contact Glenn Crider: [email protected].

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     On November 16,Tony Russo will make a presentation entitled “The Seven Storey Mountain and Beyond” at the Mary Ann Mongan Branch of the Kenton County Public Library, 502 Scott Blvd., Covington, KY 41011; for further information, contact library Adult Services Coordinator John Graham: phone: 859-962-4076; email: [email protected].

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     On Nov. 21-22, Gerald Schiffhorst will lead a retreat entitled “The Way of Silence: An Advent Retreat with Thomas Merton” at the Canterbury Retreat Center, Oviedo, FL.  For further information, phone: 407-365-5571; email: [email protected].

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    On Nov. 21-23, 2008 Sister Mary Matthias Ward, OSU will lead a retreat entitled "Bridges to Contemplative Living with Thomas Merton" at Mount Saint Joseph Conference and Retreat Center, Maple Mount, KY. For further information contact: Kathy McCarty: 270-229-0200 ext. 413 or www.msjcenter.org
 

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     An exhibit entitled, “Thomas Merton after Forty Years,” featuring Merton photographs and material from the Special Collections Library of the University of Kentucky will be held at the library, in Lexington, KY, beginning on November 23 and continuing through the end of the year.  The opening reception will feature a lecture by Paul M. Pearson entitled “A Hidden Wholeness:  The Zen Photography of Thomas Merton.” For further information, see  http://www.warwickfoundation.org

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     On November 23, James Finley will speak on “Falling into Silence: An Exploration of Thomas Merton's Relevance for Our Time” at Westminster Cathedral Hall in London.   For further information, see: www.silenceinthecity.org.uk/booking-info.htm.

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     The Fifth Lake Erie Merton Celebration will be held on the four Sunday evenings of Advent at Gannon University, Erie, PA.  Speakers will include J. S. Porter on November 30, Mary Anne Rivera on December 7, Patrick F. O’Connell on December 14, and Bonnie Thurston on December 21.  For further information contact Pat O’Connell: phone: 814-871-5497; email: [email protected]. 

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     On December 5-6, Joseph Chamberlin will lead a retreat entitled “Living Your Deepest Desires: Bridges to Contemplative Living with Thomas Merton” at the Bon Secours Spiritual Center, Marriottsville, MD.  For further information, phone: 410-442-1320; website: www.bonsecoursspiritualcenter.org.

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     On December 8, Kathleen Deignan, CND will lead an Advent retreat day on “Thomas Merton and Magnificat Spirituality” at Holy Family Parish, New Rochelle, NY; for further information phone: 914-632-0673.

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     On December 10, Patrick Collins will present a lecture on “Thomas Merton as Social Critic” at the  Dominican Center at Marywood, Grand Rapids, MI; for further information, phone: 616-454-1241; website: www.dominicancenter.com.

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     On December 10, Bill Leonard will give a presentation on “Why Thomas Merton Still Matters” at the Episcopal Cathedral of All Souls, Asheville, NC; for further information contact Brian Cole:  [email protected].

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     On December 10, Archbishop Rowan Williams and Dr. Paul M. Pearson will give a presentation commemorating the fortieth anniversary of the death of Thomas Merton at St. Cyprian's Church, Glentworth Street, London; for further information, see www.thomasmertonsociety.org.

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     On December 10, a conference will take place at the Cistercian Abbey of Fiastra, Italy, in commemoration of the fortieth anniversary of the death of Thomas Merton and the sixtieth anniversary of the publication of The Seven Storey Mountain.  The morning program will include a presentation by Jim Forest entitled “Thomas Merton: Monk of the Undivided Church,” as well as discussion and readings from The Seven Storey Mountain by Matteo Giardini.  The afternoon session will feature a presentation by Guido Dotti, monk of Bose, or by the Abbot of the Tre Fontane Monastery in Rome, along with readings from Merton on peace, social issues, Buddhism and other topics by Prof. Giardini, information on the Italian chapter of the ITMS presented by Maurizio Renzini, and concluding celebration of vespers.  Coordinator of the conference is Father Mario Zaninelli.  For further information, contact Maurizio Renzini, Via Ombrone 13, 06034 Foligno (PG), Italia; phone:  0742.44737; cell: 338.1642693; e-mail : [email protected].

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     On December 11, Kathleen Deignan, CND will speak on her book Thomas Merton: A Book of Hours at St. Paul’s Parish, Ramsey, NJ; for further information, phone: 201-327-0976.

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     On December 12, Kathleen Deignan, CND will present “Magnificat – An Advent Evening of Reflection” at St. Jean Baptiste High School, New York City; for further information, phone: 212-288-1645.

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    “Living Contemplatively in the World: Lessons of Thomas Merton,” a retreat at Bethany Spring - January 5th – 9th. Please register by email and send payment to Bob Silvanik, 800 Palomino Lane, Lexington, KY, 40503. If you have ANY questions you can email Bob or call him directly at 859.351.9585.

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     On January 16-17, 2009, Gerald Schiffhorst will direct a retreat entitled “Encountering Silence: A Retreat with Thomas Merton” at the San Pedro Spiritual Development Center, Winter Park, FL; for further information, phone: 407-671-6322; email: [email protected].

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     On January 25, 2009, Morgan Atkinson will screen his documentary Soul Searching: The Journey of Thomas Merton at the Mary Ann Mongan Branch of the Kenton County Public Library, 502 Scott Blvd., Covington, KY 41011; for further information, contact library Adult Services Coordinator John Graham: phone: 859-962-4076; email: [email protected].

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On February 20-22, St. Scholastica Retreat Center, Fort Smith, AR will present a Thomas Merton Retreat. This retreat will be focused on strengthening a person’s prayer life. It draws content from the contemplative writings and talks of Thomas Merton. Presenter, John King, taught Social Work and Religious Studies at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. He is a Merton scholar and author of several articles on Merton’s contributions to peace, contemplation and prayer.

The retreat will begin at 6:30 p.m. on Friday the 20th and conclude at noon on Sunday the 22nd. The retreat fee is $150, which includes accommodations and meals. A $35 deposit is required. For more information, or to register, call the Retreat Center at (479) 783-1135, e-mail [email protected], or visit our website at www.stscho.org
 

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     On March 3, 2009, Kathleen Deignan, CND will speak on “The Spiritual Legacy of Thomas Merton” at the St. Teresa of Avila Parish Community, Summit, NJ; for further information phone: 908-277-3700; email: [email protected].

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    July 12-24, 2009, Bonnie Thurston – Thomas Merton & Contemplative Living. For more about this retreat and our other offerings, please visit www.ringlake.org or contact us at 888.458.5253 toll free –– [email protected]
 

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