The Thomas Merton Center at Bellarmine University

MERTON'S CORRESPONDENCE WITH:
Goss-Mayr, Hildegard, 1930- (and Jean Goss)

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Descriptive Summary

Record Group: Section A - Correspondence

Dates of materials: 1962-1967

Volume: 31 item(s); 53 pg(s)

Scope and Content

Most letters in this file are from Hildegard Goss-Mayr to Merton or Merton to Hildegard. Some of the letters are also co-signed by Jean Goss, but it seems that Hildegard was the author of the letters. There are original letters from Hildegard Goss-Mayr and carbon copies of Merton's letters.

Biography

Jean and Hildegard Goss-Mayr have long been advocates of non-violence and pillars of the peace movement. Hildegard was born in Vienna, and Jean was originally from France. They worked with Cardinal Ottaviani to craft documents of the Second Vatican Council in opposition to modern war. They shared with Merton an interest in Latin America and worked to bring non-violence change. In the 1980's, they promoted a peaceful end to the Marcos dictatorship in the Philippines. Members of the Fellowship of Reconciliation, Hildegard was named honorary president of the International Fellowship of Reconciliation (IFOR). Jean and Hildegard visited Merton at Gethsemani in 1965. (Source: The Hidden Ground of Love, pp. 324-325.)

Usage Guidelines and Restrictions

Related Information and Links

See also Cold War Letters #19 and other letters from Merton published in The Hidden Ground of Love, pp. 324-338; and see also "Day, Dorothy" file.

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

SeriesDateTypeTo/FromFirst LinesPubFull TextNotes
 1962/01/08 TLSto MertonWe are very grateful for the material on War and Peace that you have sent to us. All the packages   
 1962/01/no transcriptfrom MertonYour very welcome letter has been received and I have been waiting for some time to getYes [Cold War Letters #19 - copy from bound set]
 1962/10/02 TLSto MertonFrom John Heidbrink of the FOR we recently got the good news that you have joined the FOR. We are   
 1962/10/14 TLS[x]from MertonI am actually expecting John Heidbrink here today or tomorrow, and we will speak of you.Yes  
 1962/10/31 TLSto MertonThank you very much for your letter of October 14th, which we received on our arrival in Rome   
 1962/11/30 TL[c]from MertonThank you so much for having John Heidbrink pass on your letter to me. It had many goodYes  
 1962/12/05? HLSto MertonFor over two weeks I have been wishing to write to you to tell you about the visit we have had with  [no year noted - had been previously dated 1961, but context of the letter points more to 1962]
 1962/12/17 TAL[c]from MertonUnder separate cover I am sending you three envelopes full of materials more or less related toYes  
 1963/01/15 TAL[c]from MertonThanks for your good letter of January 8th. I am glad you can make some use of the material.Yes  
 1963/03/04 (#01)TLSto MertonA few days ago we received your excerpt from a letter about Sonoma, and the poems you translated   
 1963/03/04 (#02)TL[c]to Day, DorothyWe have read with great interest your articles on Cuba, and we are glad to notice how many contacts  [letter of 1963/02/27 from Hildegard Goss-Mayr to Dorothy Day - carbon copy enclosed with 1963/03/04 letter to Merton]
 1963/03/04 (#03)other To the European and American IFOR Committee: To our proposals on Latin America (circulated  [dated September 1962 - enclosed with 1963/03/04 letter to Merton]
 1963/03/21 TL[c]from MertonThank you for your good letter, which brings exciting news of your proposed plan for Brazil.Yes  
 1963/10/28 TLS[x]from MertonThanks for your warm and kind letter of August. Soon after getting it I went into the hospitalYes  
 1964/11/21 HLSto MertonYesterday we received your letter of Nov. 11 with the good news about your book on non-violence   
 1964/12/02 TL[c]from MertonDear friends, it was so good to hear from you. I pray much for your work in Brazil and am veryYes  
 1964/12/31 TALSto MertonForgive that we have not answered much faster to your kind letter of December 2. Soon after I had   
 1965/01/19 HLSto MertonWe are finally back in São Paulo, having spent some time in Salvador de Bahia on the way back   
 1965/10/25 HLSto MertonIt has been a deep joy and privilege to be with you, a real "pilgrimage   
 1965/11/10 TL[c]from MertonFor the last week I have been wanting to answer your letter so as to reach you before you leave thisYes  
 1965/11/29 TLSto MertonJust before I left the United States I received your kind letter of November 10 when you bring up   
 1965/12/08 TL[c]from MertonYour letter arrived yesterday, and I want to say I will gladly try an article on "Demut" for you.Yes  
 1965/12/29 TLSto MertonJust a few lines to thank you very warmly for your present of "Seasons of Celebration" and   
 1966/01/14 TL[c]from MertonIt is the feast of St Hilary, Doctor of the Church who said: "The best way to solve the problemYes  
 1967/03/29 (#01)TALSto MertonYou have not heard from us for a long time, Jean and I hope, that you are well and that your life   
 1967/03/29 (#02)other <u>Kapitelfolge</u> [-] Vorwort [-] Prolog [-] 1. Kapitel: <u>Ein Kontinent im Umbruch</u>  [table of contents for a proposed book by Goss-Mayr called <i>The Strength of the Poor</i>]
 1967/04/22 TL[c]from MertonThanks for your nice letter of March 29th. I had been wondering what had happened to you.Yes  
 1983/07/26 TALS from Goss-Mayr, Hildegard / to William ShannonThank you for your letter of July 18. I am glad that you are working on the writings of Thomas   
 undated/no/no other <u>STATUS QUO ET REVOLUTION</u> [-] En juin dernier avait lieu en Europe un grand congrès  [typed and annotated typescript]
 undated/no/no other Hildegarde Goss-Mayr Letters to Merton [-] December, 1961 [-] For over two weeks I have been wishing  [typescript of Goss-Mayr correspondence (both sides) with Merton]
 undated/no/no other November 30, 1962 [-] My Dear Jean and Hildegard Goss-Mayr: Thank you so much for having  [typescript of Merton's letters to Jean and Hildegard Goss-Mayr with a note to Hildegard stating gaps in the extant correspondence and the need for copies of certain letters - 1963/10/28 and 1962/10/14 were sent in response]
        

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