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Merton's Correspondence with:

Msgr. John Tracy Ellis

Ellis, John Tracy, Msgr., 1905-1992  printer

 
 

Descriptive Summary

Record Group: Section A - Correspondence
Dates of materials: 1947-1984
Volume: 23 item(s); 39 pg(s)

Scope and Content

In this exchange of letters with a noted Catholic historian, Merton discusses the state of the pre-conciliar Church and his hopes for what may lie ahead. There is also a discussion of Merton's essays against war and nuclear proliferation. Ellis states he is not qualified to handle all of the theological ramifications, but provides some feedback.

Biography

In Monsignor John Tracy Ellis' biographical note in The Hidden Ground of Love, William H. Shannon states that "Ellis may well be called the dean of American Catholic historians (The Hidden Ground of Love, p. 174). He was professor at Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., while in correspondence with Merton.

Usage Guidelines and Restrictions

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

Related Information and Links

See also Cold War Letters #6, #29, #53, #55, and other letters published in The Hidden Ground of Love, pp. 174-180.

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

Click icons for links: ✓="Published | Library Record", ✉="Scanned" | 🗷="Scanned, Viewable Only at Merton Center"

#DateFrom/ToFirst LinesPub ✓Notes
 y/m/dMerton Scan ✉ 
1. 1947/12/18 TLS[x] from Merton Thank you for your kind and appreciative letter. The reference you want is: A.A.S. vol.xvi, n.10 «detailed view»
2. 1961/10/10 HLS[x] from Merton Dan Walsh passed on to me your articles, including the very kind review of the Seven Storey Mountain ✓ «detailed view»
3. 1961/12/07 (#01) TLS[x] from Merton A quiet morning on the Vigil of Our Lady's Immaculate Conception gives me a few moments to answer ✓ «detailed view»
4. 1961/12/07 (#02) transcript from Merton The thing that strikes me is that at a time where there are formidable and very basic issues ✓ [Cold War Letters #6 - copy from bound set] «detailed view»
5. 1961/12/20 TLS to Merton Your interesting letter of December 7 with the enclosures came several days ago. I read both «detailed view»
6. 1962/02/04 (#01) TLS[x] from Merton One reason for my delay in replying to your very fine letter of Dec. 20th was that I passed it ✓ «detailed view»
7. 1962/02/04 (#02) transcript from Merton One reason for my delay in replying to your very fine letter of Dec. 20th was that I passed it ✓ [Cold War Letters #29 - copy from bound set] «detailed view»
8. 1962/02/27 (#01) TLS to Merton Your letter of February 4 was appreciated even if the long silence might indicate otherwise. I can [enclosed are reactions to Merton's articles on nuclear war] «detailed view»
9. 1962/02/27 (#02) other to Merton Here are merely some reflections from one who claims no special competence in the field of Father [reactions to Merton's articles on nuclear war - enclosed with 1962/02/27 letter] «detailed view»
10. 1962/03/10 (#01) TL[c] from Merton Thank you for your letter of the 27th of February and for the enclosed notes from your two ✓ «detailed view»
11. 1962/03/10 (#02) transcript from Merton Thank you for your letter of the 27th of February and for the enclosed notes from your two ✓ [Cold War Letters #53 - copy from bound set] «detailed view»
12. 1962/03/19 (#01) TLS[x] from Merton Many thanks for your kindness in sending me the editorial from the Washington Standard. ✓ «detailed view»
13. 1962/03/19 (#02) transcript from Merton Many thanks for your kindness in sending me the editorial from the Washington Standard. ✓ [Cold War Letters #55 - copy from bound set] «detailed view»
14. 1971/02/08 TLS[x] to Center from Ellis, John Tracy I am enclosing xerox copies of six letters of Father Louis which were written to me between December «detailed view»
15. 1971/03/10 TL[c] from Center to Ellis, John Tracy Thank you for sending the Merton letters to us. I read them with great interest, and I know they «detailed view»
16. 1973/11/30 TALS[x] from Center to Ellis, John Tracy Mr. Victor Kramer at Georgia State University has requested permission to look at your «detailed view»
17. 1973/12/04 TLS to Center from Ellis, John Tracy Mr. Kramer is quite at liberty to examine my correspondence with the late Father Merton. «detailed view»
18. 1973/12/12 TL[c]  from Treece, Raymond J. / to John Tracy Ellis After my year's stint as acting president of Bellarmine College I have retired to half dozen jobs «detailed view»
19. 1973/12/18 TLS to Center from Ellis, John Tracy Only about three months ago I promised to leave my papers to the archives of the Catholic University «detailed view»
20. 1984/04/06 TLS[x]  from Shannon, William / to Anthony Zito This is a follow-up of our conversation of this morning regarding the letters that Thomas Merton seeking copies of other letters written to Msgr Ellis by Merton «detailed view»
21. 1984/04/13 TLS  from Zito, Anthony / to William Shannon In response to your letter of April 6, 1984, I must tell you that both the card index to the John no letters found and Msgr's memory is vague as to correspondence «detailed view»
22. undated/no/no (#01) other   Ellis, John Tracy, b. Seneca, ILL, July 30, 1905. biographical information / source ? «detailed view»
23. undated/no/no (#02) other   JOHN TRACY ELLIS biographical notes by x Wm. Shannon «detailed view»
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