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
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
Please click here for general restrictions concerning Merton's correspondence.
See also published letters from Merton to Fox in The School of Charity and
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 |
Series# | Date | From/To | First Lines | Pub ✓ | Notes |
| y/m/d | Merton | | Scan ✉ | |
Series 3 #1.
«All Series« |
1960/02/16 (#01) |
TL[x] to Bissey, Colomban |
We have more pleasant news for you now than in our last letter in regard to the book AELRED DE |
|
Aelred of Rievaulx book by Fr. Amédée (Amadeus of Bricquebec) translation into English - Fox giving consent for Merton to write preface under specified conditions
«detailed view» |
Series 3 #2.
«All Series« |
1967/01/24 (#01) |
TLS[x] from Bernard, Fr., O.C.S.O. |
Vous n'êtes pas sans savoir que notre Père Abbé vient d'être nommé Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur, |
|
invitation for Merton to travel to France for Dom Colomban Bissey's induction into the Legion of Honor
«detailed view» |
Series 3 #3.
«All Series« |
1967/01/24 (#02) |
TLS[x] from Bernard, Fr., O.C.S.O. / to Merton |
Vous savez déjà par une indiscrétion de mon Père Prieur (mon frère de sang) la nomination de notre |
|
[see also item number three of the same date, a note from Merton to Dom James Fox, which was typed onto the same page] invitation for Merton to travel to France for Dom Colomban Bissey's induction into the Legion of Honor
«detailed view» |
Series 3 #4.
«All Series« |
1967/01/24 (#03) |
TNS[x] from Merton |
What about it? How about a nice birthday present? --You yourself often say it is good for monks |
|
[see also item number two of the same date] invitation for Merton to travel to France for Dom Colomban Bissey's induction into the Legion of Honor
«detailed view» |
Series 3 #5.
«All Series« |
1967/02/01 (#01) |
TLS[x] to Bissey, Colomban |
I would not want you to misinterpret my letter which I have written to good Father Bernard |
|
complaint to Dom Colomban Bissey, Abbot of Melleray Abbey in France that one of the monks of Melleray, Fr. Bernard, was trying to "induce Father Louis to make a trip across the Atlantic" for Bissey's induction into the French Légion d'honneur (Legion of Honor)
«detailed view» |
Series 3 #6.
«All Series« |
1967/02/01 (#02) |
TLS[x] to Bernard, Fr., O.C.S.O. |
I presume that you can read english, I hope. I know you have acted in all innocence-- good will-- |
|
«detailed view» |
|