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Individual Series View, Merton's Correspondence with:

Cardenal, Ernesto, 1925-2020


Series 2, Correspondence between Cardenal and others


Descriptive Summary

Record Group: Section A - Correspondence
Dates of materials: 1947-1996
Volume: 192 item(s); 351 pg(s)

Scope and Content

This large and important group of letters between two priests and writers is crucial in understanding Merton's interest in Latin America and how his view was developed and changed through interaction with Cardenal. Merton dreamed of founding an experimen

Biography

Ernesto Cardenal was a poet and priest from Nicaragua who had studied as a novice under Merton at Gethsemani from 1957-1959. While in seminary in Cuernavaca, Mexico, in 1959, Cardenal began a correspondence with Merton. Cardenal later returned to his nat

Usage Guidelines and Restrictions

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

Related Information and Links

All Cardinal letters to and from Merton (except 1959/10/27; see memo in item description) are published in D

Series List

Series NumberSeries NameTotal Records
1 Merton-Cardenal Correspondence 128
2 Correspondence between Cardenal and others 52
3 Correspondence between Cardenal and his family 12

Container List

Series#DateFrom/ToFirst LinesPub ✓Notes
 y/m/dMerton Scan ✉ 
Series 2 #1.
«All Series«		 1947/12/31 TLS[x] to Cuadra, Pablo Antonio Te escribo esta breve carta de año nuevo para saber algo de ustedes, ya que desde que me vine no he «detailed view»
Series 2 #2.
«All Series«		 1956/08/23 TLS[x] from Fox, James We received you very kind letter of July 31, in regard to entering a Trappist Monastery. details about Cardenal entering the novitiate at Gethsemani Abbey - mention to Cardenal that Merton was an alumnus of Columbia University and that he is "something of a poet" «detailed view»
Series 2 #3.
«All Series«		 1956/no/no TLS[x] from Finnian, Br., O.C.S.O. Enclosed you will find a letter from Fr. M. Louis, the Master of the Choir Novices. details about Cardenal entering the novitiate at Gethsemani Abbey - mention to Cardenal that Merton was an alumnus of Columbia University «detailed view»
Series 2 #4.
«All Series«		 1957/06/02 HLS[x] from Coronel Urtecho, José Mi hermoso domingo este, en que Dios me ha favorecido con una carta suya, references to Merton «detailed view»
Series 2 #5.
«All Series«		 1958/04/10 TLS[x] to Cuadra, Pablo Antonio Me tiene muy intrigado que no me contestan mis amigos. Ni Coronel ni Carlos ni Mejía ni el P. Angel «detailed view»
Series 2 #6.
«All Series«		 1958/05/19 TLS[x] to Cuadra, Pablo Antonio El P. Louis me ha dado tu carta que nos escribiste de New Orleans y cuanto me references to Merton «detailed view»
Series 2 #7.
«All Series«		 1958/12/25? TC[x] to Cuadra, Pablo Antonio Recibimos LA PRENSA y los 2 libritos que estan magnificos. Te felicito. Envianos todos los demas que references to Merton - Merton's interest in Cuadra's anthology of indigenous poetry - Thomas Merton's "Tower of Babel" «detailed view»
Series 2 #8.
«All Series«		 1959/10/04 TALS from Cuadra, Pablo Antonio Querido Ernesto: contesto tu carta con mucho retraso porque he estado enfermo con un Dengue «detailed view»
Series 2 #9.
«All Series«		 1959/10/29 HLS[x] to Cuadra, Pablo Antonio Recibí tu carta con las ilustraciones. Las ilustraciones me parecen estupendas references to Merton «detailed view»
Series 2 #10.
«All Series«		 1959/12/11 TLS[x] from Laughlin, James Thank you for your letters of October 29th and December 6th. I feel very guilty that I have not references to Merton «detailed view»
Series 2 #11.
«All Series«		 1960/05/13 TLS[x] from Cuadra, Pablo Antonio al lado izquierdo te copio el sumario o plano del prmer numero de la revista que voy a comenzar reference to Merton «detailed view»
Series 2 #12.
«All Series«		 1961/04/08 TLS[x] from Cuadra, Pablo Antonio estoy sumamente preocupado por el atraso del ensayo del Hn.Antonino; falla que me toma cuando estoy reference to Merton «detailed view»
Series 2 #13.
«All Series«		 1961/04/27 HLS[x] from Coronel Urtecho, José He estado todo este tiempo para poder references to Merton «detailed view»
Series 2 #14.
«All Series«		 1961/10/12 TLS[x] from Laughlin, James I feel most ashamed of myself to have let such a long time drift by without writing you, especially «detailed view»
Series 2 #15.
«All Series«		 1961/11/15 TL[x] from Laughlin, James Thank you so much for your letters of October 14th and November 7th. I had not realized that you [missing a page or pages, first page only] references to Merton «detailed view»
Series 2 #16.
«All Series«		 1961/11/19 HLS[x] from Lax, Robert Thanks very much for your letter and kind words about the book - I'm very glad that you liked [letterhead of Pax] references to Merton «detailed view»
Series 2 #17.
«All Series«		 1962/05/20 HLS[x] from Frankl, Howard Thank you for your letter of April 6. I am so glad that you are happy in the seminary. I want you reference to Merton «detailed view»
Series 2 #18.
«All Series«		 1962/05/20 TL[x] from Frankl, Howard Thank you for your letter of April 6. I am so glad that you are happy in the seminary. I want you reference to Merton's New Seeds of Contemplation «detailed view»
Series 2 #19.
«All Series«		 1962/06/06 TALS[x] from Paz, Octavio Tu carta me alegró me entristeció. Conocía la situación de Martínez Rivas. Le escribí proponiéndole references to Victoria Ocampo and Sur - no reference to Merton «detailed view»
Series 2 #20.
«All Series«		 1962/09/25 TLS[x] from Laughlin, James I'm afraid I have been very bad again about not writing to you. Life just seems to be far too busy, references to Merton «detailed view»
Series 2 #21.
«All Series«		 1963/06/27 TLS[x] from Laughlin, James I hope that this letter will find you in good health and spirits. Except for the best of summer, references to Merton «detailed view»
Series 2 #22.
«All Series«		 1963/07/17 TLS[x] from Grinberg, Miguel Vuelo, poco tiempo, ha salido para allíel 5o Eco con uno de tus salmos (34), reference to Merton «detailed view»
Series 2 #23.
«All Series«		 1963/11/27 TLS[x] from Grinberg, Miguel Me he portado un poco mal contigo, te he dado silencio y sin embargo llegaban tus cartas, reference to Merton «detailed view»
Series 2 #24.
«All Series«		 1964/01/06 TLS[x] from Laughlin, James I am pleased to report that Father Merton's new books of poems, "Emblems of a Season of Fury," has references to Merton «detailed view»
Series 2 #25.
«All Series«		 1964/01/15 TALS[x] from Grinberg, Miguel Un abrazo- Muy complicado todo esto pero sigo adelante. references to Henry Miller and Thomas Merton «detailed view»
Series 2 #26.
«All Series«		 1966/05/03 other from Cortés, Alfonso Al Padre Ernesto Cardenal. ( en su retiro de Solentiname). [-] Con paz contesto tu parta, padre, [poem written for Ernesto Cardenal by Alfonso Cortés - see original in "Cortés, Alfonso" file] «detailed view»
Series 2 #27.
«All Series«		 1968/12/13 TLS[x] from Laughlin, James No doubt you will have heard the sad and dreadful news of Father Merton's death in faraway Bangkok. references to Merton «detailed view»
Series 2 #28.
«All Series«		 1968/12/16 HLS[x] from Coronel Urtecho, José Ja se imagina cómo me references to Merton «detailed view»
Series 2 #29.
«All Series«		 1968/12/18 HLS[x] from Coronel Urtecho, José Su carta en que me references to Merton «detailed view»
Series 2 #30.
«All Series«		 1969/04/25 TALS[x] from Day, Dorothy Thank you for your delightful letter. How good to think of the CW being read on an island in Lake her grandchildren reading Thomas Merton and "Zen Catholicism" «detailed view»
Series 2 #31.
«All Series«		 1969/08/16 HLS[x] from Day, Dorothy I'm to be in Honduras and Guatamala [sic] next Jan. or Feb. and maybe I can see you. reference to her grandchildren attending Woodstock Music Festival «detailed view»
Series 2 #32.
«All Series«		 1969/09/04 TLS[x] from Laughlin, James I must indeed apologize for letting such a long time run by without thanking you for your letter references to Merton «detailed view»
Series 2 #33.
«All Series«		 1971/06/03 TLS[x] from Laughlin, James I want to thank you so much for sending me your recent book, and also the magazine which contains references to Merton «detailed view»
Series 2 #34.
«All Series«		 1972/06/07 TLS[x] from Laughlin, James I do hope that this finds you well, and that your work is bringing you much satisfaction. references to Merton «detailed view»
Series 2 #35.
«All Series«		 1974/11/08 TLS[x] from Bailey, Raymond Please forgive this intrusion into your valuable time; I shall be as brief as possible. Doubleday «detailed view»
Series 2 #36.
«All Series«		 1975/06/03 HLS[x] from Kocka, David Greetings from another land. I feel most clumsy in writing this letter to you as I have only met references to Merton «detailed view»
Series 2 #37.
«All Series«		 1977/01/22 other   Letters from Thomas Merton Notes based on photocopies kindly made available to R.D.F. Pring- [notes / synopsis by R. D. F. Pring-Mill of letters from Merton to Cardenal - see letters with the source as "Cardenal, Ernesto" for included letters, and ones marked "Pring-Mill, R. D. F." for some transcriptions of those difficult to read or in Spanish] «detailed view»
Series 2 #38.
«All Series«		 1981/04/18 HLS[x] from Coronel Urtecho, José Tus buenas líneas y la Canto I de tu poema cósmico, y la biografía de Merton y la revista references to Merton «detailed view»
Series 2 #39.
«All Series«		 1996/10/29 (#01) TLS[x] to Hart, Patrick Cuando yo iba a fundar mi comunidad de Solentiname el P. Merton me ofreció que nos escribiría «detailed view»
Series 2 #40.
«All Series«		 1996/10/29 (#02) transcript to Hart, Patrick When I was founding my community at Solentiname, Fr. Merton offered to write us a Spiritual [English translation of 1996/10/29 letter] «detailed view»
Series 2 #41.
«All Series«		 undated/01/18 TL[x] to Griffin, John Howard Perdone que no le haya escrito antes. Se me hacia doloroso escribir sobre Merton. Su muerte es reflections on Merton's death and Merton's significance to Cardenal - 2 photocopies, one with annotations «detailed view»
Series 2 #42.
«All Series«		 undated/no/no (#01) TLS[x]  from Cuadra, Pablo Antonio / to Constantino Lacayo Fiallos estoy sumamente preocupado por el atraso del ensayo del Hn.Antonino; falla que me toma cuando estoy [from Cuadra to Constantino Lacayo Fiallos of Bogota, Colombia - letterhead of La Prensa, Managua, Nicaragua] references to Merton «detailed view»
Series 2 #43.
«All Series«		 undated/no/no (#02) TLS[x] from Cuadra, Pablo Antonio te escribo ante todo para decirte que tu poema ORACION POR MARILYN es extraordinario: [letterhead of La Prensa, Managua, Nicaragua] references to Merton «detailed view»
Series 2 #44.
«All Series«		 undated/no/no (#03) TLS[x] from Cuadra, Pablo Antonio Aprovecho el viaje de Rolando para contestar tu última carta. La anterior de que me hablas, junto [letterhead of La Prensa, Managua, Nicaragua] references to Merton «detailed view»
Series 2 #45.
«All Series«		 undated/no/no (#04) TLS[x] from Cuadra, Pablo Antonio estoy llegando de Europa y quiero informate rápida y esquemáticamente de lo que hice. [letterhead of La Prensa, Managua, Nicaragua] references to Merton «detailed view»
Series 2 #46.
«All Series«		 undated/no/no (#05) TLS[x] from Cuadra, Pablo Antonio José Coronel me mandó una larga carta, entusiasta y hermosa como todo lo dél, sobre la revista. [letterhead of El pez y la serpiente] references to Merton «detailed view»
Series 2 #47.
«All Series«		 undated/no/no (#06) TLS[x] from Cuadra, Pablo Antonio Le remite para su artículo en la GACETA dos fotografías. Una de Joaquín Pasos que debes conservar-- [letterhead of El pez y la serpiente] reference to Merton «detailed view»
Series 2 #48.
«All Series«		 undated/no/no (#07) TLS[x] from Cuadra, Pablo Antonio Por medio de Toto Lacayo te hago llegar 'con la prudencia del caso- la adjunta carta (fotocopia) references to Merton as "T.M." «detailed view»
Series 2 #49.
«All Series«		 undated/no/no (#08) HLS[x] from Coronel Urtecho, José Por alguna razon que no acabo de references to Merton «detailed view»
Series 2 #50.
«All Series«		 undated/no/no (#09) TL[x] from Coronel Urtecho, José Tus buenas líneas y el Canto I de tu poema Cósmico, y la biografía de Merton y la revista de poesía references to Merton «detailed view»
Series 2 #51.
«All Series«		 undated/no/no (#10) HLS[x] from Lax, Robert I am looking forward to Estaciones and your translation which Father Louis says is wonderful. [letterhead of Jubilee] references to Merton «detailed view»
Series 2 #52.
«All Series«		 undated/no/no (#11) HLS[x] from Lax, Robert Father Merton had sent Estaciones but it was hidden in the office. Now I've found it and am [letterhead of Jubilee] references to Merton «detailed view»

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