29: Dom James Fox files from Gethsemani Abbey, files on Merton's vocation crisis and reaction to Monica Furlong's biography, transferred to Merton Center 2018. - Fox, James, Dom, O.C.S.O., 1896-1987 (Series 29, numbered entries)

Scope and Content

This collection consists of folders kept by Dom James Fox on Thomas Merton. It contains mostly correspondence, some during Merton's life and some after his death, and some related articles and essays. Other Gethsemani monks (possibly Fr. Patrick Hart and/

Biography

Dom James Fox came to Gethsemani in 1927. He was serving as guestmaster when Merton's younger brother, John Paul, visited the monastery, and Fox made arrangements for John Paul's baptism. In 1948, Fox was elected abbot after the death of Dom Frederic Du

Usage Guidelines and Restrictions

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

Series List

Series Number	Series Name	Total Records
29	Dom James Fox files from Gethsemani Abbey, files on Merton's vocation crisis and reaction to Monica Furlong's biography, transferred to Merton Center 2018.	70

Container List

Series#	Date	From/To	First Lines	Pub ✓	Notes
	y/m/d	Merton		Scan ✉
Series 29 #1. «All Series«	001 1950/04/no?	HNS[x] from Merton	in appreciation and thanks for 'Reproachfully Yours' which is now being read in our refectory -		[beginning of Folder 1 of 6 in series- see also Section A, "Hasley, Lucile" and see also letter from Merton to his abbot general, Dom Gabriel Sortais, of October 19, 1953 referring to scandal caused when Merton's endorsement of Reproachfully Yours read by the Abbess of Staplehill] copy of inscription inside an unknown book given by Merton to Hasley and written before her April 23, 1950 to which it refers / Merton's use of Trappist sign language to indicate he knew Hasley, the author of the book being read in the monastic refectory «detailed view»
Series 29 #2. «All Series«	002 1998/no/no?	other by Merton	I know a young author named Ray [-] whom the editors edit away.		[manuscript for The Merton Seasonal (Summer 1998) of Thomas Merton's poem, "Five Limericks for Father Raymond" with footnotes] «detailed view»
Series 29 #3. «All Series«	003 1968/03/17	TLS from Botteman, Robert / to Merton	Sachant que vous vous intéressez aux religion non-chrétiennes et au monachisme d'Extrême-Orient,		[one page letter (French) from Fr. Robert A. Botteman, O.C.S.O. from the Abbey of Orval, Belgium, and a seven page proposal (English) regarding plans for "A Monastic Study Center" bringing together monks of different religious traditions - no file in Merton letters nor reference in journal, so letter may have been kept from Merton] Fr. Raimundo Panikkar (Raymond Panikkar / Raimon Panikkar Alemany) «detailed view»
Series 29 #4. «All Series«	004 1973/01/no?	other	The bronze head of Father Louis is the work of W. Brown Morton III, an American artist and architect		[a one-page typed note about the creation of a bronze bust of Thomas Merton with white marble base (currently on display in the Thomas Merton Center and featured on the cover of The Merton Seasonal Vol 3, #2) and about the artist and a doubled-sided note concerning the care and cleaning of the bronze] «detailed view»
Series 29 #5. «All Series«	005 1964/04/17	TLS[x] from Merton to Lorraine Karpowich	You ask how a Catholic writer can have "the greatest possible influence on his public". A seemingly		[see also "Karpowich, Lorraine" in Section A - Lorraine Karpowich was Editor-in-chief of the 1964 issues of Blueprint, a quarterly publication of the National Honor Society of the Academy of the Holy Angels, Fort Lee, New Jersey - copy from Blueprint] «detailed view»
Series 29 #6. «All Series«	006 1971/02/08	TLS from Chatham, Josiah / to Alfred Pooler	I have your recent communication concerning possible copies of letters that I may have from Fr.		[see also "Chatham, Josiah" file in Section A] «detailed view»
Series 29 #7. «All Series«	007 1963/11/27	TLS from Merton to Jacqueline Kennedy	Thinking that one more letter might be a burden to you I refrained from writing, though instinct		[see also "Kennedy, Jacqueline Lee Bouvier" file in Section A] «detailed view»
Series 29 #8. «All Series«	008 1952/no/no?	other by Merton	La publication d'une traduction en langue française de notre ouvrage Waters of Siloe demande		["A propos de la traduction française de Waters of Siloe" - statement explaining circumstances leading the publication of the French edition of The Waters of Siloe, "Aux sources du silence" and later "Silence dans le ciel"] «detailed view»
Series 29 #9. «All Series«	009 undated/no/no	other by Stark, Philip	It was on a July sixth that I first met Thomas Merton. Since I had been thinking about Faulkner,		[a reminiscence of meeting Merton called "A Summer at Gethsemani" - see also "Stark, Philip" file in Section A] «detailed view»
Series 29 #10. «All Series«	010 1963/10/02	TL[c] from Horrigan, Alfred / to Merton	As I believe you have heard from Dan Walsh and Jim Wygal, the college		[beginning of Folder 2 of 6 in series- Msgr. Alfred F. Horrigan discusses plans for the inauguration of the Merton Room and Merton Collection at Bellarmine College - see also "Horrigan, Alfred" file in Section A] «detailed view»
Series 29 #11. «All Series«	011 1965/08/03	TPCS[x] from Eshleman, Clayton / to Merton	I wish you were journeying down with me to S.A. You wld [sic] be a welcome companion.		[to poet Clayton Eshleman writing from Bloomington, Indiana - original postcard moved to "Eshleman, Clayton" file in Section A / having been kept in files by Dom James, it might have been given by Merton to Dom James or more likely kept from Merton by Dom James Fox] «detailed view»
Series 29 #12. «All Series«	012 1965/04/no?	other by Merton	I must apologize for aiming another salvo in the direction of your editorial correspondence column,		[see also "Commonweal, to the editors of the" in Sub-Sections D.2 and E.1] «detailed view»
Series 29 #13. «All Series«	013 1967/01/25	TLS[x] from Poulin, Clarence / to Thomas Merton	I am sending you herewith a little book of poems that I have recently published under the title,		[orginal transferred to Section A, "Poulin, Clarence" / poet Clarence Poulin wrote to Merton from Penacook, New Hampshire] Clarence Poulin published a book of poems, In Wonder and Unknowing, and asks Merton for a dust jacket blurb for the book «detailed view»
Series 29 #14. «All Series«	014 1967/11/13	TLS[x] from Charon, Marie / to Merton	Only about 75 pages to go on the manuscript. Any time is a busy time for me, but I'm so sincerely		[orginal transferred to Section A, "Charron, Marie" - Merton employed Marie Charron for some of his typing after he had problems with his arm and back] «detailed view»
Series 29 #15. «All Series«	015 1961/04/08	HLS[x] from Favry, Gustave / to Marie Tadié	Excusez-moi de la liberté que je prends de vous écrire, pal l'intermédiàire des Editións Albin		[a letter from Gustave Favre to Marie Tadié, a traslator of Merton's books into French - original transferred to "Tadié, Marie" file] «detailed view»
Series 29 #16. «All Series«	016 1961/04/12	HLS[x] from Tadié, Marie / to Merton	(1) Vous allez recourir l'à valsir sur "Les Chemins de la Joie", tout ètant en règle avec Wittmann		[a letter to Merton from Marie Tadié, a traslator of Merton's books into French - original transferred to "Tadié, Marie" file] «detailed view»
Series 29 #17. «All Series«	017 1964/11/15	TLS[x] from Merton to Willibrord van Dijk	It was a great pleasure to receive your letter, as also the report and the notes of Fr Schillebeeckx		[see also "Dijk, Willibrord" file in Section A - Dom Willibrord van Dijk was abbot of the Trappist Abbey of Tilburg in the Netherlands from 1945-1966 after having founded the monastery at Rawa Seneng in Indonesia in 1945 - he returned to Indonesia as superior of Rawa Seneng from 1966-1968] «detailed view»
Series 29 #18. «All Series«	018 undated/no/no	other by Merton	In these sections devoted to man's personal and human dignity the Council Fathers confront		[mimeograph of Merton's "Note on Vatican II Patoral. Const: Gaudium et Spes. Art 18." - see also Sub-Section D.2 under the same title] «detailed view»
Series 29 #19. «All Series«	019 undated/no/no	other by Merton	1915 Jan. 31. Born at Prades (Pyr. Or.) France, sone [sic] of Owen Merton, artist from New Zealand		[a posthumous curriculum vitae of Thomas Merton - two copies] «detailed view»
Series 29 #20. «All Series«	020 undated/no/no	other by Merton	Son of a British artist, Owen Merton and an American designer, Ruth Jenkins, Thomas Merton was born		[carbon copy of a "Brief Biography of Thomas Merton"] «detailed view»
Series 29 #21. «All Series«	021 undated/no/no	other	To the Curator of the Thomas Merton Collection [-] Date____ [-] I request permission to consult		[form to request access to archival materials] «detailed view»
Series 29 #22. «All Series«	022 undated/no/no	other	The Thomas Merton Collection Committee of Bellarmine College was organized in September, 1963		["Thomas Merton Room" - a description of the Merton Collection and room at Bellarmine College written some time after Merton's death and the transfer of papers to Bellarmine in 1969] «detailed view»
Series 29 #23. «All Series«	023 undated/no/no	other	To you as agent of The Thomas Merton Legacy Trust, I request the following designated permission		["Form B" - a form requesting permission of the Merton Legacy Trust for to examine, copy, quote, or publish materials from the Merton Collection] «detailed view»
Series 29 #24. «All Series«	024 undated/no/no	other	To you as agent of The Thomas Merton Legacy Trust, I request the following designated permission		["Form D" - rules governing the use of materials from the Merton Collection] «detailed view»
Series 29 #25. «All Series«	025 1967/04/14	other by Merton	This collection of articles, published over the years in various reviews and learned journals,		«detailed view»
Series 29 #26. «All Series«	026 undated/no/no	other	GETHSEMANI ARCHIVES "MERTON ORIGINALS" -LETTERS AND NOTES TO MONKS [-] 5 LETTERS		«detailed view»
Series 29 #27. «All Series«	027 1966/09/06	other by Merton	The following list does not pretend to be adequate. It lists a few titles available in our library.		["Readings on the Modern World" - seems to be a list of books created by Merton for monks in the novitiate and scholasicate] «detailed view»
Series 29 #28. «All Series«	028 1969/no/no	other	Coming from all parts of Asia, and belonging to different monastic families, we met together		["Conclusion of the Bangkok Meeting"] «detailed view»
Series 29 #29. «All Series«	029 1969/no/no	other by Merton	Already in 1932 Joyce wrote to Budgen: "Nine persons seem to be doing books on me at present."		[spirit duplicator ditto of Merton's essay "News of the Joyce Industry" - see also Sub-Sections E.1, D.1, and D.2 for other files under this title] «detailed view»
Series 29 #30. «All Series«	030 1985/05/07	TLS from Crews, Clyde	Thank you for your kind letter of April 23 in which you advised me you had arranged		[beginning of Folder 3 of 6 in series] thoughts by Fr. Clyde Crews on Michael Mott's biography, The Seven Mountains of Thomas Merton «detailed view»
Series 29 #31. «All Series«	031 1985/01/16	TLS from Holmes, Russell	For many years now I have been a follower and admirer of your former friend and subject, Thomas		[from Fr. Russell Peter Holmes, O.C.D., I.A.A.P., Jungian analyst and Carmelite priest writing from Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts] «detailed view»
Series 29 #32. «All Series«	032 1985/01/31	TAL[c] to Holmes, Russell	I received your delightful letter of 1/16. I do not often receive a letter from "JAMAICA PLAIN, MA."		thoughts on Thomas Merton and the relative strengths and weaknesses of biographies of Merton by Monica Furlong and by Michael Mott «detailed view»
Series 29 #33. «All Series«	033 1968/01/01	TLS[x] from Merton to Friends	Christmas mail was an avalanche this year: it always is, but much more so in 1967. News from friends		["New Year's Letter 1968" - see also Section A, "Circular Letters to Friends"] «detailed view»
Series 29 #34. «All Series«	034 1968/10/06	HLS to Merton	Perhaps you are not expecting a note from me - at least so soon. But I do want you to know - that,		[it is marked "copy" so the typed ditto of the same date might be what was actually sent to Merton - copy was attached to Fox, Series 1, 1969/02/01] rapid changes in Trappist community - less mandatory silence, hermits permitted, trips outside monastery / Fox's call to be hermit and how he had to wait - how he made Merton wait for Asian journey - in the end Fox a "loyal friend and brother" not Merton's "nemesis" «detailed view»
Series 29 #35. «All Series«	035 1984/01/06	TL[c]	What strikes me most about good Fr Louis is not what is visible, but what is invisible about his		[labelled "Note to Bro Patrick (Patrick Hart?) for Piotre Parle--Poland--Cracow."] «detailed view»
Series 29 #36. «All Series«	036 1981/12/21	TL[c] to Stone, Naomi Burton	Your charming book has arrived--safe & sound- Your article on "Tom"--more familiar to me, as Fr		Naomi Burton Stone as a "mother" to Merton in Fox's estimation «detailed view»
Series 29 #37. «All Series«	037 undated/02/01	TLS from Gannon, Lawrence, Br.	I was able to finish your letter about Fr. Louis. There are about 50 copies in your room 227.		«detailed view»
Series 29 #38. «All Series«	038 1981/11/21	TL[c] to Bamberger, John Eudes	Knowing that You had gone to Nigeria--Awhum..for 11/21 I did not write sooner. I offered my Midnight		«detailed view»
Series 29 #39. «All Series«	039 1981/10/14	TL[c] to Bamberger, John Eudes	No doubt, U have found the Sign issue for April of 1981 But to make sure, since U are writing		«detailed view»
Series 29 #40. «All Series«	040 undated/no/no	TL to Hart, Patrick	I'm returning Bob G's MSS--very good--Thansk [sic] for the chance to see it. Not too bad		«detailed view»
Series 29 #41. «All Series«	041 1980/10/27	TL to Esther	The book about good Fr Louis-Thomas Merton ( TM ), which i told You was soon forthcoming, by Monica		[to a nun named Esther] «detailed view»
Series 29 #42. «All Series«	042 1980/10/13	TL[c] to Joseph	I received your letter of 9/28. Wonderful if You can "trip" to Ky next Spring--Who can believe that		[to "Joseph"] «detailed view»
Series 29 #43. «All Series«	043 1980/10/11	TL[c] to Joseph	In regard to the book--"so called" biography of Thomas Merton i can appreciate the review you sent		[to "Joseph"] «detailed view»
Series 29 #44. «All Series«	044 1980/01/06?	other	He was not the easiest og [sic] Monks to live alongside, & many observers feel a keen sympathy		[note (transcript from Monica Furtlong's Merton: A Biography) attached to letter from Naomi Burton Stone of 6 January 1980] «detailed view»
Series 29 #45. «All Series«	045 1980/01/06	HLS from Stone, Naomi Burton	Here's some rays of sun from my heart, since it's a mean cold day in this old world today.		«detailed view»
Series 29 #46. «All Series«	046 1981/01/19	TLS from Coburn, John B.	What a pleasure to hear from you. I am delighted to have those 1981 Christmas greetings and will		[beginning of Folder 4 of 6 in series- The Right Reverend John B. Coburn was Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts at the time of writing] «detailed view»
Series 29 #47. «All Series«	047 1981/01/19	TLS from Coburn, John B.	What a pleasure to hear from you. I am delighted to have those 1981 Christmas greetings and will		[The Right Reverend John B. Coburn was Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts at the time of writing] «detailed view»
Series 29 #48. «All Series«	048 undated/no/no	TNS by Fox, James	Need I even comment on Louie's tragic death? You yourself already know what he has meant to this		[photocopied onto the page is an undated note by Merton, "Good sermon. I liked it better than his previous ones because it was much deeper and more solid. His imagery was much more effective when it rested, as today, on a firm foundation. V. Good. Excellent. 200%. A+."] «detailed view»
Series 29 #49. «All Series«	049 1955/05/26	HLS from Leclercq, Jean	I thank you for sending me a note, together with the letter of Fr. Louis. As you may realise,		[see "Leclercq, Jean" file and Item Number 58 of this series for a transcript of this letter] «detailed view»
Series 29 #50. «All Series«	050 1967/no/no	other by Merton	Books by Thomas Merton - 1967 [-] Thirty Poems [-] New Directions [-] Verse [-] 1944 [-] A Man in		«detailed view»
Series 29 #51. «All Series«	051 undated/no/no	other	INSTRUCTIO S. OFFICII, 9 IUN. 1915 super inviolabili sanctitate sigilli sacramentalis: "Naturalem et		[instructions from the Holy Office from June 9, 1915, on the inviolability of the seal of the confessional with references to the 1917 Code of Canon Law] «detailed view»
Series 29 #52. «All Series«	052 1951/04/29	HPCS from Porion, Jean Baptiste / to Merton	Votre lettre du 20 mars, bienvenu, m'a attendu au chapitre Gle, en la Gde Chartreuse.		[from Dom Jean Baptiste Porion was a French Carthusian monk of Le Grande Chartreuse, who later served as Procurator General for the Carthusians in Rome - see also Porion file in Section A, Correspondence - verso "Monastère de la Grande-Chartreuse"] «detailed view»
Series 29 #53. «All Series«	053 1959/06/22	TLS[x] from Merton to John Harris	There is a great long backlog of things to thank you for, and the greatest of them is		[see also the "Harris, John" file in Section A, Correspondence, for original letter - Dom James highlights a section about following one's inner truth] «detailed view»
Series 29 #54. «All Series«	054 1955/05/18	TAL[c] from Fox, James / to Jean Leclercq	Good Father Louis wrote you a letter towards the end of April. From the very nature of the case, I		[see also "Leclercq, Jean" file for another letter sent by Fox to Archbishop Montini and copies to Leclercq] Merton "disturbed emotionally" in letter to Archbishop Giovanni Montini in Milan / Merton to remain with Order and become grounds keeper of woods surrounding Gethsemani «detailed view»
Series 29 #55. «All Series«	055 1959/09/23	transcript from Merton	"You also know that between us the matter has reached a dead end in which there is no solution.		[transcript of Merton's letter, "From a letter of Father Louis to Reverend Father - September 23, 1959" - for full original letter see Series 7 of Fox's correspondence of the same date] «detailed view»
Series 29 #56. «All Series«	056 1959/07/no? (#01)	TL[c] to Sortais, Gabriel	This enclosure shows that idea has been given up, but the hermitage idea is now Fr. Louis' favorite.		[beginning of Folder 5 of 6 in series- date unknown, likely July-August, 1959 - first page of letter missing (pages 2-8 remain) - one page of letter (page 7) from Fox to Fr. Jean Daniélou enclosed] «detailed view»
Series 29 #57. «All Series«	057 1959/07/no? (#02)	TL[c] to Daniélou, Jean	And the result of this continuous struggle has developed a closer union with Jesus than I ever could		[one page of letter (page 7) from Fox to Fr. Jean Daniélou enclosed with Fox's letter to Dom Gabriel Sortais of July-August 1959] «detailed view»
Series 29 #58. «All Series«	058 1955/05/26	transcript from Leclercq, Jean	I thank you for sending me a note together with the letter of Fr. Louis. As you must realise		[see Item 49 in this series for original handwritten letter] «detailed view»
Series 29 #59. «All Series«	059 1955/06/03	TALS[x] from Merton to Jean Leclercq	Many thanks for your letter of May 26. I wish I had received it sooner. Early in May, having	✓	[see "Leclercq" file for original] «detailed view»
Series 29 #60. «All Series«	060 1955/06/13	TL[c] to Leclercq, Jean	We received your very kind letter of May 26. Do not think there is any quarrel between good Father		«detailed view»
Series 29 #61. «All Series«	061 1958/11/20	transcript from Merton to Jaime Andrade	"What you say about the difficulties of a monastic mission in Ecuador seems to me to be very		["+ From a letter of Father Louis Merton to Jaime Andrade, South American artist and sculptor, dated November 20, 1958"] «detailed view»
Series 29 #62. «All Series«	062 1959/09/23	transcript from Merton	"You also know that between us the matter has reached a dead end in which there is no solution.		["+ From a letter of Father Louis Merton to Reverend Father" - see Fox, Series 7, for the original letter in full] «detailed view»
Series 29 #63. «All Series«	063 1959/no/no?	other by Fox, James	Father Prior does not approve of these plans of Father Louis to leave the Monastery. Neither does		[2 copies, "RE: Father Louis Merton" - listing of those objecting to Merton leaving Gethsemani, including Gethsemani's prior, Fr. John Eudes Bamberger, Dr. Gregory Zilboorg, and Fr. Jean Daniélou] «detailed view»
Series 29 #64. «All Series«	064 1959/no/no?	other by Fox, James	Father Louis to Father Prior: "This life no longer offers me any challenge." In regard to the		[2 copies, "RE: Father Louis Merton"] Fox responds to Merton, "the great challenge of all is not some project of one's own manufacturing, but to persevere, day after day until death, in the silence, solitude and seclusion of a Trappist monastery." «detailed view»
Series 29 #65. «All Series«	065 undated/no/no	other by Fox, James	During my absence from the Monastery-- during the elections at New Clairvaux in California-- good		[2 copies, "RE: Father Louis Merton"] complains that Merton sent packages of books, falsely claiming to Gethsemani's prior to have Fox's permission, to Dom Gregoria Lemercier in Cuernavaca, Mexico, and to Fr. Ernesto Cardenal, who was at that time in Cuernavaca «detailed view»
Series 29 #66. «All Series«	066 1959/10/08	transcript from Merton to Jean Leclercq	"Furthermore I am very much aware that it is not merely a matter of 'natural attraction' because if		["+ From a letter of Father Louis Merton to Dom Jean Leclercq, O.S.B." - see also Leclercq file for original letter] «detailed view»
Series 29 #67. «All Series«	067 1959/07/09	transcript from Merton to Dorothy Day	"The reason I mention the Hopis is that (this is in confidence) I think more and more that the only		["+ From a letter of Father Louis Merton to Dorothy Day, New York social worker and Editor of THE CATHOLIC WORKER" - see also Dorothy Day file for original letter] Merton's desire to get permission to live "among Indians or some such group, as a kind of hermit-missionary" «detailed view»
Series 29 #68. «All Series«	068 1959/06/16	transcript from Merton to H.J.J.M. Van Straelen	"My interest in Japan continues from day to day. In fact in last writing to our Reverendissime		["+ From a letter of Father Louis Merton to Father Van Straelen, missionary in the Orient (Japan)"] Merton's desire to get permission to serve in Japan as a confessor of nun and would like to learn the Japanese language «detailed view»
Series 29 #69. «All Series«	069 undated/03/30	TL[x] from Merton	For the first time in weeks I am enjoying the unusual sensation-- of being temporarily convinced		[see also Fox Series 7 for original] Merton feels that his existence is not purposeless, unlike most of the time - talk with Protestant seminarians helped - Br. Clement and others helped by building quiet cell over the new stairs «detailed view»
Series 29 #70. «All Series«	070 1979/no/no?	other by Fox, James	f. Louis himself wrote the Preface - wh. anyone can read [-] pfc IX he writes, very plainly: "Since		[Folder 6 of 6 in series- James Fox's corrections and reactions to Monica Furlong's biography of Merton handwritten by Fox on the back sides of postal envelopes he has received] «detailed view»

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The Thomas Merton Center at Bellarmine University

Individual Series View, Merton's Correspondence with:

Fox, James, Dom, O.C.S.O., 1896-1987 (Series 29, numbered entries)

Series 29, Dom James Fox files from Gethsemani Abbey, files on Merton's vocation crisis and reaction to Monica Furlong's biography, transferred to Merton Center 2018.

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