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Individual Series View, Merton's Correspondence with:

Fox, James, Dom, O.C.S.O., 1896-1987


Series 20, Publishers' Correspondence: Herder and Herder, Inc.


Descriptive Summary

Record Group: Section A - Correspondence
Dates of materials: 1948-1969
Volume: 949 item(s); 1432 pg(s)

Scope and Content

Herein is a large collection of letters spanning most of Merton's time at Gethsemani. Letters between Fox and Merton concern Merton's vocation to the monastery, his constant desires for greater solitude, thoughts about leaving Gethsemani and joining the

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.

Related Information and Links

See also published letters from Merton to Fox in The School of Charity and

Series List

Series NumberSeries NameTotal Records
1 Correspondence from original Merton papers (some later additions): Dom James Fox with Merton, Fr. Charles Dumont, Edward Glenn Hinson, Msgr. Alfred Frederick Horrigan, Fr. Giovanni Montini, James Morrissey, Naomi Burton Stone, etc. 93
2 Correspondence from Gethsemani Archives: Dom James Fox with the Abbot of Melleray, Dom Louis de Gonzague Le Pennuen. 21
3 Correspondence from Gethsemani Archives: Dom James Fox with the Abbot of Melleray, Dom Colomban Bissey. 6
4 Correspondence from Gethsemani Archives: Dom James Fox with Abbot General Dominique Noques. 4
5 Correspondence from Gethsemani Archives: Dom James Fox with Abbot General Gabriel Sortais. 202
6 Correspondence from Gethsemani Archives: Dom James Fox with Abbot General Ignace Gillet. 38
7 Correspondence between Dom James Fox and Merton: Special Binding (Archive - Stack 5). 101
8 Correspondence between Dom James Fox and Marie Tadié: (see "Tadié, Marie" file for all physical holdings). 153
9 Special Merton File: Correspondence between Dom James Fox and Abbot General Gabriel Sortais 30
10 Special Merton File: Notes concerning Merton's relationship with "M," from folder labeled "Clyde" 1
11 Special Merton File: Correspondence between Fox and Fr. John Eudes Bamberger concerning a biography of Merton, from folder labeled "Clyde" 2
12 Special Merton File: Correspondence concerning French translator Marie Tadié's grievance with Gethsemani after Merton's death, from folder labeled "Clyde" 6
13 Special Merton File: Correspondence between Dom James Fox and the Sacred Congregation for Religious at the Vatican, earlier with Arcadio Cardinal Larraona and then with Archbishop Paul (later Cardinal) Philippe 6
14 Special Merton File: Correspondence between Dom James Fox and Monsignor Loris Francesco Capovilla, Secretary to Pope John XXIII 5
15 Special Merton File: Correspondence with Fr. Heinrich Dumoulin, S.J., Sophia University in Japan, regarding Merton studying Zen and proposed trip to Japan 4
16 Special Merton File: Correspondence with Archbishop Giovanni Montini (later Pope Paul VI) 7
17 Special Merton File: Correspondence with Fr. Riccardo Lombardi, S.J. 18
18 Special Merton File: Correspondence between Dom James Fox and Abbot General Ignace Gillet, regarding Merton as novice master, studying Zen and proposed trip to Japan 4
19 Naomi Burton Stone, Doubleday, Inc. (earlier correspondence with Fox can be found in the "Curtis Brown, Ltd." file and in Series 1 of this file) 102
20 Publishers' Correspondence: Herder and Herder, Inc. 18
21 Publishers' Correspondence: Farrar, Straus and Cudahy, Inc.; and Farrar, Straus and Giroux, Inc. 34
22 Publishers' Correspondence: New Directions 38
23 Publishers' Correspondence: Foreign Rights 2
24 Merton Publicity File: Correspondence with film makers, book clubs, radio stations, etc. 21
25 Curtis Brown, Ltd. [See "Curtis Brown" file in Section A, correspondence from 1963 continues with Series 19 in this file] 1
26 Correspondence between Gregory Zilboorg and James Fox from Gethsemani Archives 22
27 Correspondence with Bishop Matthew A. Niedhammer, OFM Cap., Apostolic Vicar of Bluefields, Nicaragua, regarding Merton's character 3
28 Correspondence with Bishop James Peter Davis of San Juan, Puerto Rico, regarding Merton's character 3
29 Special File of Dom James on Thomas Merton, 70 Numbered Entries (click here) 1
30 Correspondence with Dom Baldwin Dworschak, O.S.B., Abbot of Saint John's Abbey, Collegeville, Minnesota 3

Container List

Series#DateFrom/ToFirst LinesPub ✓Notes
 y/m/dMerton Scan ✉ 
Series 20 #1.
«All Series«		 1962/10/25 other   AGREEMENT made this 25th day of October, 1962, between HERDER AND HERDER, Incorporated of New York [agreement, later modified, for a book published as Life and Holiness (here under the title, "Grace, Work, and Holiness")] «detailed view»
Series 20 #2.
«All Series«		 1962/11/06 TALS[x] to Lawler, Justus We are writing you in reference to Father Louis' work, GRACE, WORK & HOLINESS. book published as Life and Holiness (here under the title, "Grace, Work, and Holiness") - proposed modifications of agreement «detailed view»
Series 20 #3.
«All Series«		 1962/11/15 TALS  from Schworer, Frank / to Justus George Lawler I am returning Merton's letter of Oct 31 to you, and Father Abbot's letter of November 6 to you. [from Frank Schworer, President of Herder and Herder, to Justus George Lawler, Editor at Herder and Herder] "Grace and Holiness" (early title for Life and Holiness) «detailed view»
Series 20 #4.
«All Series«		 1962/11/24 TLS[x]  from Merton to Justus George Lawler Evidently the FOR thinks you are a Supreme Court Justice. I think the explanation is that one [from Merton to Justus George Lawler, an editor from Herder and Herder] «detailed view»
Series 20 #5.
«All Series«		 1962/12/18 TALS[x]  from Merton to Justus George Lawler This contract is turning into quite a picnic, I see. Father Abbot has passed the latest version on [from Merton to Justus George Lawler, an editor from Herder and Herder] contract for Life and Holiness / publishing "Prayer, Worship and Experience" with Macmillan «detailed view»
Series 20 #6.
«All Series«		 1962/12/20 (#01) TLS[x] to Schworer, Frank Good Mr. Justus G. Lawler said that we should contact you in regard to straightening out contracts [to Frank Schworer, president of Herder and Herder] contract for Life and Holiness «detailed view»
Series 20 #7.
«All Series«		 1962/12/20 (#02) HNS from Merton The President of Herder and Herder is Frank Schworer / 232 Madison Ave. / NY 16 / In Jesu / fm Louis «detailed view»
Series 20 #8.
«All Series«		 1962/12/20 (#03) TLS[x]  from Lawler, Justus / to Merton Concerning the contract, by all means strike out no. 14, and as for the people in no. 16, they can «detailed view»
Series 20 #9.
«All Series«		 1962/12/20 (#04) TLS[x]  from Lawler, Justus / to Merton Addition to the Contract between the Abbey of Gethsemani, Inc., and Herder and Herder for «detailed view»
Series 20 #10.
«All Series«		 1962/12/20 (#04) TLS[x] to Schworer, Frank Your associate, good Mr. Lawler wrote us in regard to the contract for LIFE AND HOLINESS, «detailed view»
Series 20 #11.
«All Series«		 1963/02/25 TL[c] to Schworer, Frank It has been brought to my attention that you have used Father Merton's Preface or Introduction use without Gethsemani's permission of Merton's introduction to The Prison Meditations of Father Delp, S.J. on an episode the Catholic Hour, or "Directions 1963" as an ABC television script «detailed view»
Series 20 #12.
«All Series«		 1963/03/07 TLS from Lawler, Justus Your letter to our New York office has been sent on to me, and I am writing you immediately [from Herder and Herder editor-in-chief, Justus George Lawler] use without Gethsemani's permission of Merton's introduction to The Prison Meditations of Father Delp, S.J. on an episode the Catholic Hour, or "Directions 1963" as an ABC television script «detailed view»
Series 20 #13.
«All Series«		 1963/06/11 (#01) TLS from Schworer, Frank You will remember a television feature in the Catholic hour, called "Directions '63", on our book [from Herder and Herder president, Frank Schworer] asking to again use Merton's introduction to The Prison Meditations of Father Delp, S.J. on an episode the Catholic Hour, or "Directions 1963" as an ABC television script «detailed view»
Series 20 #14.
«All Series«		 1963/06/11 (#02) other   ABC-TV PRESENTS DIRECTIONS '63: A CATHOLIC PERSPECTIVE FEBURARY 10, 1963 SHOW #2 script adaptation with Merton's introduction of The Prison Meditations of Father Delp, S.J. on an episode the Catholic Hour, or "Directions 1963," Show #2, "In Face of Death," first broadcast February 10, 1963 and to be rebroadcast June 30, 1963 «detailed view»
Series 20 #15.
«All Series«		 1963/06/17 TALS[x] to Schworer, Frank We received your gracious letter of June 11 with the enclosed manuscript, as televised granting permision to use a script adaptation with Merton's introduction of The Prison Meditations of Father Delp, S.J. on an episode the Catholic Hour, or "Directions 1963," Show #2, "In Face of Death," first broadcast February 10, 1963, and for rebroadcast June 30, 1963 «detailed view»
Series 20 #16.
«All Series«		 1963/10/13 TLS from Schworer, Frank We have pleasure in forwarding the following acknowledgement copies of subsidiary rights editions sending copies of Image Book edition, Spanish editions in cloth and paper, Japanese edition, and Italian ediiton - German edition already sent, French and Portuguese were forthcoming «detailed view»
Series 20 #17.
«All Series«		 1963/10/19 TALS[x] to Schworer, Frank Thank you for your gracious letter of October 13 in regard to the various translations of LIFE «detailed view»
Series 20 #18.
«All Series«		 1965/11/18 TLS[x]  from Lawler, Justus / to Merton No need to read the book; you have probably heard it all before, and most of it appeared thoughts on his book with references to Milton [likely The Christian Image: Studies in Religious Art and Poetry] / respect for James Forest, Philip and Daniel Berrigan, and individual Catholic Workers, but collective criticism of the Catholic Peace Fellowship and their thoughts on Vietnam - articles for Continuum «detailed view»

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