Individual Series View, Merton's Correspondence with:

Fox, James, Dom, O.C.S.O., 1896-1987

Series 16, Special Merton File: Correspondence with Archbishop Giovanni Montini (later Pope Paul VI)

Descriptive Summary

Record Group:	Section A - Correspondence
Dates of materials:	1948-1969
Volume:	949 item(s); 1432 pg(s)

Herein is a large collection of letters spanning most of Merton's time at Gethsemani. Letters between Fox and Merton concern Merton's vocation to the monastery, his constant desires for greater solitude, thoughts about leaving Gethsemani and joining the

Biography

Dom James Fox came to Gethsemani in 1927. He was serving as guestmaster when Merton's younger brother, John Paul, visited the monastery, and Fox made arrangements for John Paul's baptism. In 1948, Fox was elected abbot after the death of Dom Frederic Du

Usage Guidelines and Restrictions

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

Series List

Series Number	Series Name	Total Records
1	Correspondence from original Merton papers (some later additions): Dom James Fox with Merton, Fr. Charles Dumont, Edward Glenn Hinson, Msgr. Alfred Frederick Horrigan, Fr. Giovanni Montini, James Morrissey, Naomi Burton Stone, etc.	93
2	Correspondence from Gethsemani Archives: Dom James Fox with the Abbot of Melleray, Dom Louis de Gonzague Le Pennuen.	21
3	Correspondence from Gethsemani Archives: Dom James Fox with the Abbot of Melleray, Dom Colomban Bissey.	6
4	Correspondence from Gethsemani Archives: Dom James Fox with Abbot General Dominique Noques.	4
5	Correspondence from Gethsemani Archives: Dom James Fox with Abbot General Gabriel Sortais.	202
6	Correspondence from Gethsemani Archives: Dom James Fox with Abbot General Ignace Gillet.	38
7	Correspondence between Dom James Fox and Merton: Special Binding (Archive - Stack 5).	101
8	Correspondence between Dom James Fox and Marie Tadié: (see "Tadié, Marie" file for all physical holdings).	153
9	Special Merton File: Correspondence between Dom James Fox and Abbot General Gabriel Sortais	30
10	Special Merton File: Notes concerning Merton's relationship with "M," from folder labeled "Clyde"	1
11	Special Merton File: Correspondence between Fox and Fr. John Eudes Bamberger concerning a biography of Merton, from folder labeled "Clyde"	2
12	Special Merton File: Correspondence concerning French translator Marie Tadié's grievance with Gethsemani after Merton's death, from folder labeled "Clyde"	6
13	Special Merton File: Correspondence between Dom James Fox and the Sacred Congregation for Religious at the Vatican, earlier with Arcadio Cardinal Larraona and then with Archbishop Paul (later Cardinal) Philippe	6
14	Special Merton File: Correspondence between Dom James Fox and Monsignor Loris Francesco Capovilla, Secretary to Pope John XXIII	5
15	Special Merton File: Correspondence with Fr. Heinrich Dumoulin, S.J., Sophia University in Japan, regarding Merton studying Zen and proposed trip to Japan	4
16	Special Merton File: Correspondence with Archbishop Giovanni Montini (later Pope Paul VI)	7
17	Special Merton File: Correspondence with Fr. Riccardo Lombardi, S.J.	18
18	Special Merton File: Correspondence between Dom James Fox and Abbot General Ignace Gillet, regarding Merton as novice master, studying Zen and proposed trip to Japan	4
19	Naomi Burton Stone, Doubleday, Inc. (earlier correspondence with Fox can be found in the "Curtis Brown, Ltd." file and in Series 1 of this file)	102
20	Publishers' Correspondence: Herder and Herder, Inc.	18
21	Publishers' Correspondence: Farrar, Straus and Cudahy, Inc.; and Farrar, Straus and Giroux, Inc.	34
22	Publishers' Correspondence: New Directions	38
23	Publishers' Correspondence: Foreign Rights	2
24	Merton Publicity File: Correspondence with film makers, book clubs, radio stations, etc.	21
25	Curtis Brown, Ltd. [See "Curtis Brown" file in Section A, correspondence from 1963 continues with Series 19 in this file]	1
26	Correspondence between Gregory Zilboorg and James Fox from Gethsemani Archives	22
27	Correspondence with Bishop Matthew A. Niedhammer, OFM Cap., Apostolic Vicar of Bluefields, Nicaragua, regarding Merton's character	3
28	Correspondence with Bishop James Peter Davis of San Juan, Puerto Rico, regarding Merton's character	3
29	Special File of Dom James on Thomas Merton, 70 Numbered Entries (click here)	1
30	Correspondence with Dom Baldwin Dworschak, O.S.B., Abbot of Saint John's Abbey, Collegeville, Minnesota	3

Container List

Series#	Date	From/To	First Lines	Pub ✓	Notes
	y/m/d	Merton		Scan ✉
Series 16 #1. «All Series«	1955/05/16 (#01)	TL[c] to Montini, Giovanni	This is the first letter I have ever written to you, Your Excellency, but we have received many	✓	Merton's vocational crisis - interest in Carthusians or Camaldolese - desire for solitary life / Merton's background, conversion history, entry into monastery, life as a writer, Master of Novices / Fr. Barnabas Mary, C.P. and Gabriel Sortais - negative effect of Merton leaving «detailed view»
Series 16 #2. «All Series«	1955/05/16 (#02)	TL[d] to Montini, Giovanni	Thisis [sic] the first letter I have ever written to you, Your Excellency, but we have received many	✓	[see also a copy in Series 1] Merton's vocational crisis - interest in Carthusians or Camaldolese - desire for solitary life / Merton's background, conversion history, entry into monastery, life as a writer, Master of Novices / Fr. Barnabas Mary, C.P. and Gabriel Sortais - negative effect of Merton leaving «detailed view»
Series 16 #3. «All Series«	1955/08/20 (#01)	HLS from Montini, Giovanni	Profittando di un momento di quiete oggi ho scritto a Father Louis:	✓	recommends that Fox give Merton his requested additional time for silence and solitude, and that his writing should be limited and on a fixed schedule - agrees with Fox that Merton is better to stay at Gethsemani «detailed view»
Series 16 #4. «All Series«	1955/08/20 (#02)	transcript from Montini, Giovanni	Taking advantage of a moment's quiet today, I have written to Father Louis. I also think he would	✓	[English translation of letter from Montini to Fox] recommends that Fox give Merton his requested additional time for silence and solitude, and that his writing should be limited and on a fixed schedule - agrees with Fox that Merton is better to stay at Gethsemani «detailed view»
Series 16 #5. «All Series«	1955/08/20 (#03)	HLS[x] from Montini, Giovanni / to Merton	Le scrivo con fauto ritardo, lo so, e su una Sua questione che	✓	[see "Paul VI" file for original] regarding whether Merton should leave Gethsemani and join the Camaldolese / advises against this change for practical reasons - Camaldolese unstable at present, leaving Gethsemani would scandalize readers - Merton should listen to his heart but obey his abbot «detailed view»
Series 16 #6. «All Series«	1955/08/20 (#04)	transcript from Montini, Giovanni / to Merton	I am writing to you with a good deal of delay, I know, and on your one question which would have	✓	[English translation of letter of the same date from Montini to Merton] regarding whether Merton should leave Gethsemani and join the Camaldolese / advises against this change for practical reasons - Camaldolese unstable at present, leaving Gethsemani would scandalize readers - Merton should listen to his heart but obey his abbot «detailed view»
Series 16 #7. «All Series«	1955/10/20	TL[c] to Montini, Giovanni	We have just returned from Our General Chapter in Europe. Please pardon the delay in answering your	✓	«detailed view»

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