MERTON'S CORRESPONDENCE WITH:
Barry, Colman J., Fr., O.S.B., 1921-1994
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Descriptive Summary
Record Group: Section A - Correspondence
Dates of materials: 1960-1967
Volume: 13 item(s); 20 pg(s)
Scope and Content
This group of letters contains early letters mainly from Barry to Merton, and later letters from Merton to Barry. There is one letter from Fr. Oliver from St. Vincent's Abbey in Pennsylvania discussing obtaining book for Merton on Dom Calmet. Most are original letters from both men with a few later carbon copies of Merton's. Earlier letters discuss articles and book ideas for Merton to publish with the American Benedictine Review and plans to help publish and contribute to a book by Serge Bolshakoff. In the last letter, Merton gives a lengthy description of his views on monasticism at the time and its likely prospects for the future.
Biography
Fr. Colman Barry is writing as Editor of the American Benedictine Review (American Benedictine Academy) and involved with the Liturgical Press at Collegeville, Minnesota. He was later to be president of St. John's University.
Usage Guidelines and Restrictions
Related Information and Links
See also "Oliver, Fr." and "Bolshakoff, Serge" files and one published letter from Merton in The School of Charity, p. 153.
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
| Series | Date | Type | To/From | First Lines | Pub | Full Text | Notes |
| | 1960/10/25 | TLS | from Barry, Colman / to Fr. Oliver, O.S.B. | If Father Louis O.C.S.O. is getting interested in Dom Calmet to the extent of preparing an essay on | |
| limited sources for Merton's interest in Dom Calmet and for other sources of French and Spanish Benedictina at St. John's (Collegeville, MN) and St. Vincent's (Latrobe, Pennsylvania), or anywhere in the United States / compiling of bibliography |
| | 1960/11/06 | HALS | to Merton | Thank you for your kind letter. I am so happy the censors approved your excellent ABA paper (I'm | |
| Teilhard de Chardin paper and censors / interview of Br. Antoninus, O.P. / sources on Dom Calmet - sent interlibrary loan list to Fr. Oliver of St. Vincent Archabbey / attached are lists of books about Calmet with Merton's annotations of what he wants |
| | 1960/11/22 | TLS | to Merton | Under separate cover you are receiving three complimentary copies of the last issue of THE REVIEW in | |
| thanks for article submission |
| | 1962/02/20 | HLS | to Merton | Thank you very much for your kind and generous letter and its contents. We read thru all the | |
| running 2 of Merton's articles "Target" and "A Christian Approach" / censors / Dr. Sylvester Theisen - reader's comment on Merton's article / suggests a spiritual title rather than on nuclear war for <u>Benedictine Studies</u> / Merton's notes to novices / would like an American, rather than European, commentary on monastic life |
| | 1962/04/27 | TLS | to Merton | Thank you for your letter and for the article for THE AMERICAN BENEDICTINE REVIEW. We appreciate | |
| idea of Merton writing a book of commentary on John Cassian to accompany a Benedictine Studies translation of Cassian's <u>Conferences</u> and <u>Institutes</u> / uniting Benedictines and Cistercians through this common heritage |
| | 1962/05/28 | TALS | from Merton | Sorry, bad news. My higher superiors have judged that it is not quite fitting for a Cistercian monk | |
| nuclear war censorship of Merton's writings - obligation for obedience despite book already at Macmillan [<i>Peace in a Post-Christian Era</i>] / Merton must take back article sent to Barry on nuclear war / Cassian / article on Adam of Perseigne would not sit well with the "Black Benedictines" / Dutch mystic Hadewijch |
| | 1962/11/13 | TLS | from Merton | I believe I did not yet answer your letter about the publication of my letter to Fr Ronald. But as | Yes |
| Merton's abbot not in favor of publishing letter to Fr. Ronald concerning monastic formation and the priesthood / Serge Bolshakoff manuscript / Merton offering a review article on Dom Adalbert de Voguë's French book on the Rule of St. Benedict and the Rule of the Master |
| | 1962/12/04 | HLS | from Merton | I got your good letter this morning and I think it is a good idea to get started on the typing, so I | |
| Merton sending partial Serge Bolshakoff manuscript |
| | 1963/12/04 | HPCS | to Merton | Your letter reached me here where I am on a research tour. Thank you for sending the ms. on Anselm. | |
| [verso: St. Peter's Basilica] writing from Rome / preface for the Bolshakoff volume / Helicon Press / Second Vatican Council |
| | 1964/05/22 (#01) | TLS | from Merton | Here is the Bolshakoff ms and the preface with it. I understand that the whole thing is to be | |
| suggestions about the revisions needed to publish the Bolshakoff manuscript / rumor that Herder is coming out with a book on Cassian |
| | 1964/05/22 (#02) | TAL[c] | from Merton | Here is the Bolshakoff ms and the preface with it. I understand that the whole thing is to be | |
| suggestions about the revisions needed to publish the Bolshakoff manuscript / rumor that Herder is coming out with a book on Cassian |
| | 1964/05/25 | HPCS[x] | from Bolshakoff, Serge | Since I received your letter nearly a year ago I had no more news from you and do not know whether | |
| mentions Thomas Merton |
| | 1967/08/15 | TL[c] | from Merton | Thanks for your letter. Sounds interesting. I gladly contribute what ideas I can, and here they | |
| hope for monasticism - African, Indian ashram of Dom Bede Griffith, Taize, the Little Brothers, and the Brothers of the Virgin of the Poor / less hope for traditional orders / "milieu Catholicism" / progressivism a monastic charism or secular apostolic witness? / contemplative life / Merton's current areas of interest |
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