McDonnell, Kilian, Fr., O.S.B., 1921-

Scope and Content

This is a file in the correspondence of Thomas Merton under the heading: "McDonnell, Kilian, Fr., O.S.B.".

Fr. Kilian McDonnell is a Benedictine monk of St. John's Abbey in Collegeville, Minnesota. He is founder and president of the Institute for Ecumenical and Cultural Research. He had the rare distinction for a Catholic monk in the early 1960's to do advanced studies in a Protestant faculty in Germany. He also studied under Catholic theologian Hans Küng. He was editor of Sponsa Regis, (later known as Sisters Today) to which Merton contributed. (Source: "Father Kilian McDonnell, OSB". Website of the Institute for Ecumenical and Cultural Research. Accessed 9 November 2005. ‹http://www.iecr.org/kilianosb.htm›.)

#	Date	From/To	First Lines	Pub ✓	Notes
	y/m/d	Merton		Scan ✉
1.	1958/03/14	TL[x] from Merton	I wonder if you can do me a favor. The novices here have their breviaries full of very sad holy	✓	[copied 2016 from Sub-Section H.7, Hart Working Files, Accession 2] «detailed view»
2.	1958/06/08	TLS[x] from Merton	Another SOS. I am putting out a little book on Sacred Art. We are doing the job here, at least	✓	[copied 2016 from Sub-Section H.7, Hart Working Files, Accession 2] sacred art book, Merton's proposed book Art and Worship (was not published) - asking for samples of sacred art from various styles and era and some "'really bad' sacred art" «detailed view»
3.	1958/06/18	TL[x] to Merton	I am sending off a package of art material which I think perhaps you might be able to use.		«detailed view»
4.	1958/07/21	TLS[x] from Merton	This has been my first chance to thank you for your wonderful help in getting such a fine selection	✓	[copied 2016 from Sub-Section H.7, Hart Working Files, Accession 2] «detailed view»
5.	1958/08/14	TLS[x] from Merton to Mr. Giniger	I am really abashed by the splendor of your gift, "my copy" of THE CATHOLIC BIBLE IN THE ST PETER'S		[copied 2016 from Sub-Section H.7, Hart Working Files, Accession 2 - filled with the Kilian McDonnell letters because Merton had mentioned McDonnell's name to Bible project affiliated with Giniger - likely Mr. Giniger refers to Kenneth Seeman Giniger, head of the Layman's National Bible Committee, publisher of "The Catholic Bible in the St. Peter's Edition"] «detailed view»
6.	1958/10/13	TLS[x] from Merton	Thanks for your kind letter-- you have my sympathy in your new editorial job. I would like to help		[copied 2016 from Sub-Section H.7, Hart Working Files, Accession 2] «detailed view»
7.	1958/11/24	TALS[x] from Merton	Here are the proofs of ART AND WORSHIP which I promised you some time ago.		[copied 2016 from Sub-Section H.7, Hart Working Files, Accession 2] «detailed view»
8.	1958/12/04	TL[x] to Merton	Thank you very kindly for your proofs of ART AND WORSHIP. I haven't had time to read over the galley		«detailed view»
9.	1958/12/11	HLS[x] from Merton	There is no hurry the book Art and Worship is not to be published before next		[copied 2016 from Sub-Section H.7, Hart Working Files, Accession 2] «detailed view»
10.	1958/12/23	HCS[x] from Merton	+The censors are making trouble about the Art and Worship material. I am not sure what it is		[copied 2016 from Sub-Section H.7, Hart Working Files, Accession 2] «detailed view»
11.	1959/01/26	TLS[x] from Merton	At long last the permission to use these articles has come through. All our routine censorship is	✓	[copied 2016 from Sub-Section H.7, Hart Working Files, Accession 2] «detailed view»
12.	1959/03/07	TL[x] to Merton	Greetings from sunny Bahamas. This is just a short note to tell you that I am asking the Secretary		sending "Thanksgiving After Holy Communion" by Father Pascal published in Sponsa Regis «detailed view»
13.	1959/07/31	TALS to Merton	The articles you wrote for SPONSA REGIS on spiritual direction have been extremely well received.		[writing from St. John's Abbey in Collegeville, Minnesota] «detailed view»
14.	1959/08/06	TLS[x] from Merton	I am happy that you want to make a pamphlet out of the Direction artciles. I am making some		[copied 2016 from Sub-Section H.7, Hart Working Files, Accession 2] «detailed view»
15.	1959/08/22	TLS[x] from Merton	After a little delay I am sending you the new version of the Spiritual Direction material.	✓	[copied 2016 from Sub-Section H.7, Hart Working Files, Accession 2] «detailed view»
16.	1959/08/26	TL[x] to Merton	This is to acknowledge and thank you for the new version of the Spiritual Direction material,		[from the secretary to Fr. Kilian McDonnell] «detailed view»
17.	1959/09/15	TLS to Merton	I just returned from about a month's leave of absence and was happy to find your manuscript		«detailed view»
18.	1959/10/03	TLS[x] from Merton	Here is the little piece on meditation that I referred to in my letter from the hospital.		[copied 2016 from Sub-Section H.7, Hart Working Files, Accession 2] «detailed view»
19.	1959/10/03	TLS[x] from Merton	Here we are with the note for nuns on sacred art. It turned into a little article on its own.		[copied 2016 from Sub-Section H.7, Hart Working Files, Accession 2] «detailed view»
20.	1959/10/14	TL[x] to Merton	I want to thank you very kindly for your article on art and the spritiaul life. I have no regrets		«detailed view»
21.	1959/11/05	TL[x] to Merton	I am delighted to get the manuscript "What is Meditation?" and I am also very grateful to you		«detailed view»
22.	1959/11/28	TLS to Merton	Enclosed are the galleys for the book. As far as I know there is no great rush. And you can add		«detailed view»
23.	1959/12/04	TLS[x] from Merton	Here are the proofs. I have made some additions actually on the galleys, at the bottom where		sending proofs for Spiritual Direction and Meditation to be published by Liturgical Press / sending a collection of Christmas sermons from the 12th century «detailed view»
24.	1959/12/08	TLS[x] from Merton	I ran across a very nice quotation from Dom Augustine Baker and I think it is too good to passover.		addition to "Spiritual Direction" (quote from Augustine Baker) for Spiritual Direction and Meditation - clearance for "Meditation" by censor has not arrived «detailed view»
25.	1959/12/21	TLS[x] from Merton	I have just heard with pleasure that Harcourt Brace is considering the publication		[copied 2016 from Sub-Section H.7, Hart Working Files, Accession 2] «detailed view»
26.	1959/12/29	TALS to Merton	Just after receiving your letter sent up here to take the place of one of our fathers who is in the		[written while on temporary assignment at Mount Saint Benedict Convent in Crookston, Minnesota] «detailed view»
27.	1960/01/05	TL[x] to Merton	Under separate cover I am sending you the page proofs. I inserted the section that you sent me		asking to decide on title for what will be Spiritual Direction and Meditation «detailed view»
28.	1960/01/13	TLS[x] from Merton	The latest Sponsa Regis has arrived and I have just read it from cover to cover.	✓	[copied 2016 from Sub-Section H.7, Hart Working Files, Accession 2] «detailed view»
29.	1960/01/20	TLS to Merton	I am delighted at your reaction to the January issue. I worked rather hard on it and I am really		[writing from St. John's Abbey in Collegeville, Minnesota] «detailed view»
30.	1960/01/29	TLS[x] from Merton	The censor has finally come through. As I rather anticipated, there were a lot of picayune	✓	[copied 2016 from Sub-Section H.7, Hart Working Files, Accession 2] «detailed view»
31.	1960/02/04	TLS[x] from Merton	These page proofs reached me in a roundabout way through Curtis Brown. I am returning them to you		[copied 2016 from Sub-Section H.7, Hart Working Files, Accession 2] «detailed view»
32.	1960/03/07	TLS to Merton	I don't know how WHAT IS MEDITATION will be received as a book, but from the comments received		«detailed view»
33.	1960/03/14	TLS[x] from Merton	It was a surprise for me to get the "Meaning of Love" back from Curtis Brown, all the more since I		[copied 2016 from Sub-Section H.7, Hart Working Files, Accession 2] «detailed view»
34.	1960/03/30	TLS to Merton	I am afraid that the galleys misled you. They sent me the manuscript of the POWER AND MEANING		«detailed view»
35.	1960/05/31	TLS[x] from Merton	We are now typing out the ms of "Liturgy and Spiritual Personalism" and I hope to get it off to you,		[copied 2016 from Sub-Section H.7, Hart Working Files, Accession 2] «detailed view»
36.	1960/06/08	TLS to Merton	Yesterday I talked to Father William who came home for retreat about putting out your book,		«detailed view»
37.	1960/08/03	TLS[x] from Merton	How are you? I hope the summer course you gave was not too arduous and that the Sisters were not		[copied 2016 from Sub-Section H.7, Hart Working Files, Accession 2] «detailed view»
38.	1960/08/17	TLS[x] from Merton	About those dates. There is nothing special scheduled in the middle of September but Frank and Bob		[copied 2016 from Sub-Section H.7, Hart Working Files, Accession 2] «detailed view»
39.	1960/09/01	TLS[x] from Merton	I have gone and misplaced your temporary address so I hope this reaches you all right. According		[copied 2016 from Sub-Section H.7, Hart Working Files, Accession 2] «detailed view»
40.	1960/09/19	TLS[x] from Merton	Too bad you could not make it. However, it was just as well, as the other ones got sick for some	✓	[copied 2016 from Sub-Section H.7, Hart Working Files, Accession 2] «detailed view»
41.	1960/10/18	HLS to Merton	It never occurred to me that the Canadian would celebrate their Thanksgiving on a day other than		[writing from Ottawa, Canada] «detailed view»
42.	1960/11/27	HLS to Merton	Is there anything doing during the weeks after Christmas. If so this would be the best time for me.		«detailed view»
43.	1960/12/10	HCS[x] from Merton	Forgive me for delaying to answer your letter of Nov 27. Father Abbot was away on a long trip		[copied 2016 from Sub-Section H.7, Hart Working Files, Accession 2] «detailed view»
44.	1961/02/11	HLS to Merton	I wrote to the head of the Liturgical Press about "Spiritual Direction and Meditation"		«detailed view»
45.	1961/03/06	TLS[x] from Merton	It is an awullong time, relatively, since your letter of February 11th. I wish I had been able		[copied 2016 from Sub-Section H.7, Hart Working Files, Accession 2] «detailed view»
46.	1961/12/no?	TLS to Merton	I could not get to sleep last night so I picked up the latest issue of Sponsa which had just came in		«detailed view»
47.	1962/02/01	HLS to Merton	Probably you have not yet received the books on Metzger and the Una Sancta which I sent		[writing from Trier, Germany] «detailed view»
48.	1962/03/no	transcript from Merton	I certainly envy you going to study under Kung at Tubingen. I am finishing his book now and it is	✓	[Cold War Letters #59 - transcript from bound set] «detailed view»
49.	1963/10/03	HLS to Merton	I had thought that I would be finished with my work by now and be back at St. John's, but it will be		[written from Paderborn, Germany] «detailed view»
50.	1963/12/20	TAL[c] from Merton	It is always good to hear from you, though I get guilt feelings for letting so much time go by		«detailed view»
51.	undated/no/no	HNS[x] from Merton	Here are the extra pages that I promised to send. They fit in to Galley 2, after line 11.		[copied 2016 from Sub-Section H.7, Hart Working Files, Accession 2] «detailed view»
52.	undated/no/no	other from Merton	LITURGY AND SACRED ART [-] Liturgy: Definition: Liturgy may be defined as the worship		«detailed view»

The Thomas Merton Center at Bellarmine University

Merton's Correspondence with:

McDonnell, Kilian, Fr., O.S.B., 1921-

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