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Individual Series View, Merton's Correspondence with:

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


Series 24, Merton Publicity File: Correspondence with film makers, book clubs, radio stations, etc.


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 24 #1.
«All Series«		 1949/02/14? (#01) TLS from Brendan, Br., O.C.S.O. I did give that letter to our fr. Prior, for returning to Duluth as requested. This is a copy. [letter from a Br. or Fr. Brendan of Gethsemani Abbey to Dom James Fox - attached to letter from Fr. Maurice O'Connor] Cecil B. DeMille and making a movie out of The Seven Storey Mountain «detailed view»
Series 24 #2.
«All Series«		 1949/02/14? (#02) TL[c]  from DeMille, Cecil B. / to Maurice O'Connor Thank you for your letter of January 26th which I have delayed answering only because I wanted [copy of a letter from filmmaker Cecil B. DeMille to Fr. Maurice O'Connor, Church of Saint Margaret Mary, Duluth, MN] Cecil B. de Mille and making a movie out of The Seven Storey Mountain «detailed view»
Series 24 #3.
«All Series«		 1950/11/29 (#01) TAL[d] to Friend This winter, in zero weather, with snow on the ground, twenty (?) Trappist novices of Our Lady of [draft of a Gethsemani fundraising letter mentioning over-crowded conditions at the monastery (158 novices and 107 professed monks in a monastery built for 80), leaving 30 monks in tents outdoors in winter, and news of new foundations] «detailed view»
Series 24 #4.
«All Series«		 1950/11/29 (#02) TL to Friend This winter, in zero weather, with snow on the ground, thirty Trappist novices of Our Lady of [draft of a Gethsemani fundraising letter mentioning over-crowded conditions at the monastery (158 novices and 107 professed monks in a monastery built for 80), leaving 30 monks in tents outdoors in winter, and news of new foundations] «detailed view»
Series 24 #5.
«All Series«		 1951/12/28 TL[c]  from Fay, William / to Robert Giroux I'm very happy to report that Father Merton's "Ascent to Truth," having been judged the most regarding Merton's receipt of "Golden Book Award" for 1951 by the Catholic Writers Guild of America for The Ascent to Truth «detailed view»
Series 24 #6.
«All Series«		 1952/10/15 other   It was nother of those days, fall-blue the sky, billowy clouds hurrying across the heavens, a smoky [radio script for Al Sisson's "Main Street" broadcast October 15, 1952, 7:30 a.m., on WHAM (Rochester, NY) - features a trip to the Trappist Abbey of the Genesee, but contains many references to Merton and his books] «detailed view»
Series 24 #7.
«All Series«		 1953/01/30 (#01) TNS from O'Brien, John A. I thought you would be interested in seeing the enclosed book review prepared at the request [from Fr. John A. O'Brien, faculty of the University of Notre Dame] «detailed view»
Series 24 #8.
«All Series«		 1953/01/30? (#02) other[c] by O'Brien, John A. A new book by Thomas Merton is not much of a novelty these days for the author of The Seven [book review of The Sign of Jonas by Fr. John A. O'Brien, faculty of the University of Notre Dame] «detailed view»
Series 24 #9.
«All Series«		 1953/02/05 TL[c] to O'Brien, John A. We were very grateful to receive your note of January 30th with the enclosed copy of your review regarding the book review of The Sign of Jonas by Fr. John A. O'Brien, faculty of the University of Notre Dame «detailed view»
Series 24 #10.
«All Series«		 1953/10/26 TLS from Work, Martin H. His Excellency Archbishop Cushing has advised us of your response to his letter concerning [from Martin H. Work, Executive Secretary of the National Council of Catholic Men in Washington, D.C.] regret on his behalf and on behalf of Archbishop Cushing that it would not be possible to arrange Merton to be taped for "The Catholic Hour" radio show for the Lenten season of 1954 «detailed view»
Series 24 #11.
«All Series«		 1955/09/01 TLS from Robinson, Maurice It's been a long time since we last met and you may have difficulty remembering me. But I visited [from Maurice Robinson, an assistant producer of the "Today" show on NBC television] idea of featuring Thomas Merton and Gethsemani Abbey on an episode of the "Today" show / Robinson's discussions with Ed Rice of Jubilee magazine «detailed view»
Series 24 #12.
«All Series«		 1955/09/05 TLS from Rice, Edward AS you may already have heard, "Today," one of the CBS [sic] television news programs, would like idea of featuring Thomas Merton's "Tower of Babel" on an episode of the "Today" show - show's producer a friend of Ed Rice, Gerald Green and his assistant, Maurice Robinson «detailed view»
Series 24 #13.
«All Series«		 1955/09/12 (#01) TL[c] to Robinson, Maurice Thank you for your very kind and generous letter of September 1, with regard to the publicity [from Maurice Robinson, an assistant producer of the "Today" show on NBC television] declining invitation to have Merton and Gethsemani Abbey on an episode of the "Today" show «detailed view»
Series 24 #14.
«All Series«		 1955/09/12 (#02) TL[c] to Rice, Edward We were very grateful to receive your letter of September 5, in regard to the proposition of good declining invitation to have Merton and Gethsemani Abbey on an episode of the "Today" show «detailed view»
Series 24 #15.
«All Series«		 1955/12/23 TLS  from Faley, Roland J. / to Merton In 1948 the Catholic University Conference of Clerics and Religious conceived the idea of promoting [from (Rev.) Brother Roland J. Faley, T.O.R., of the Catholic University Conference of Clerics and Religious] asking Merton for an article on the contemplative life «detailed view»
Series 24 #16.
«All Series«		 1956/01/10 TL[c] to Faley, Roland J. We did receive your letter of December 23, addressed to good Father Louis. It certainly would be declining offer of an article by Merton on the contemplative life for vocations directory - Merton acting as director of novices and not writing «detailed view»
Series 24 #17.
«All Series«		 1956/01/13 TLS from Faley, Roland J. Your kind letter of January 10 has been received, and we are more than appreciative of your kind asking if Dom James or Fr. Raymond Flanagan would like to contribute an article «detailed view»
Series 24 #18.
«All Series«		 1956/02/02 HLS from Faley, Roland J. In reply to your note of January 30, please fee free to take the month of February and even some giving more time for the contribution of the artilce on the contemplative life at Gethsemani «detailed view»
Series 24 #19.
«All Series«		 1956/03/01 TL[c] to Faley, Roland J. We are enclosing the article you requested on the contemplative life. I hope our delay has not submitting artilce on the contemplative life at Gethsemani «detailed view»
Series 24 #20.
«All Series«		 1966/08/16 TLS  from Blair, Frank / to Merton Permit me to congratulate you on your excellent new book, Thomas Merton's Conjectures of a Guilty invitation to interview Merton for NBC's "Today" show «detailed view»
Series 24 #21.
«All Series«		 1966/08/27 TL[c] to Blair, Frank Your gracious letter of August 16 to good Father Louis was turned over to me for reply. As you can declining invitation to interview Merton for NBC's "Today" show «detailed view»

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