MERTON'S CORRESPONDENCE WITH:
Smith, Carleton, 1910-1984
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Descriptive Summary
Record Group: Section A - Correspondence
Dates of materials: 1967, 1983
Volume: 23 item(s); 26 pg(s)
Scope and Content
Merton discusses the issue of Catholic dialogue with those outside of the Church.
Biography
Carleton Smith was a close friend of Cardinal Koenig, Archbishop of Vienna and head of the Secretariat for Non-Believers. The cardinal made a delegation to the United States in 1967 for the secretariat, which occasioned Smith to visit Gethsemani twice to dialogue about this dialogue with non-believers and other issues. Merton became godfather to Smith's son, Raphael, and corresponded with his wife, Anne. An authority on art, he founded as served as chairman of both the National Arts Foundation of New York and the International Awards Foundation. In his varied career, he served as music editor for Esquire and recorded folk songs from around the world. (Source: The Hidden Ground of Love, p. 556.)
Usage Guidelines and Restrictions
Related Information and Links
See published letters from Merton to Carleton Smith in The Hidden Ground of Love, pp. 556-559; and see also the "Smith, Anne" file.
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
| Series | Date | Type | To/From | First Lines | Pub | Full Text | Notes |
| | 1967/03/29 (#01) | TALS | to Merton | Our friend, Caroline Hammer, has forwarded to me your letter to her dated March 23rd and has | |
| [see 1967/03/29[2] for Merton's reply on the same page of letter] |
| | 1967/03/29 (#02) | telegram | from Merton | GLAD TO SEE YOU MORNING OF APRIL 4th IF YOU RENT CAR COME TO ABBEY ABOUT 9:30 | |
| [handwritten reply note to be sent via telegram on Smith's letter] |
| | 1967/04/05 | HLS | to Merton | It was a lasting pleasure to talk with you yesterday - and I look forward to your thoughts | |
| |
| | 1967/04/09 | TL[c] | from Merton | In regard to the visit of Cardinal Koenig to this country as head of the Secretariate | Yes |
| |
| | 1967/04/28 | TL[c] | from Merton | Many thanks for your notes and clippings. I appreciate the latter and was especially interested | Yes |
| |
| | 1967/05/08 | TALS | to Merton | Thanks for the essay on "Christian Humanism" which says so much that needs saying. Do you have | |
| |
| | 1967/05/14 | TL[c] | from Merton | Thanks for your kind letter of the 8th. As a matter of fact I have not yet got around to doing | |
| |
| | 1967/05/14 (#01) | HLS | to Merton | If you do not receive book about Niels Bohr from Knopf please tell me (next time we are together | |
| |
| | 1967/05/14 (#02) | other | to Merton | PRIESTS POLLED ON CELIBACY VOW [-] Catholic Group Asks Views of 7,000 in This Area | |
| [newspaper clipping about priestly celibacy, which quotes priest from the New York City area, and mentions Merton as a member of the National Association for Pastoral Renewal and lists Merton as part of the advisory board - article dated 1967/05/16, so it may not be the clipping sent, which seems to have been on Vietnam] |
| | 1967/05/29 | TL[c] | from Merton | Have I yet thanked you for the book on Niels Bohr? It has arrived and I am enjoying it immensely. | |
| |
| | 1967/07/20 | HPCS | to Merton | I read of Victor's death in Vienna papers. Had a long talk yesterday with Cardian König who hopes | |
| [verso: postcard of statues above an altar in Vienna, Austria] |
| | 1967/08/15 | HNS | to Merton | Cardinal König will come by ship - go to Toronto to give a talk on the Theology of Communications | |
| |
| | 1967/08/20 | TL[c] | from Merton | I have your note from Paris. I suppose you know of the refusal of permission for me to come east | Yes |
| |
| | 1967/08/31 | TL[c] | from Merton | I am deeply distressed for you. Life can certainly be very cruel indeed sometimes. The story you | |
| |
| | 1967/11/06 | TL[c] | from Merton | I have your letter of October 30th and want to tell you I have also been in touch with Anne | |
| |
| | 1967/11/24 | TL[c] | from Merton | I am sorry I did not answer your letter earlier, but things have been very crowded here, and though | |
| [conscience matter] |
| | 1967/12/12 | TL[c] | from Merton | Thanks for your recent letter and for the photograph of little Raphael. It is really touching, | |
| |
| | 1983/01/24 | TLS[x] | from Shannon, William / to Francis Cardinal Koenig | I am a priest of the diocese of Rochester, New York and a professor at Nazareth College. | |
| seeking the address of Mr. Smith |
| | 1983/02/07 | TLS | from Grabenwoger, Franz / to William Shannon | On behalf of His Eminence I thank you for your letter of January 24. | |
| address of Mr. Smith |
| | 1983/02/16 | TLS[x] | from Shannon, William / to Carleton Smith | I have recently been appointed as the general editor of the Thomas Merton letters - which, hopefully | |
| seeking approval to include letters, brief biographical information |
| | 1983/03/14 | TLS | from Smith, Carleton / to William Shannon | Thank you for your letter of February 16, Of course, you have my approval to include all letters | |
| encloses two photographs to be returned, also a biographical sketch from Who's Who in America and a clipping from a local newspaper |
| | 1983/03/22 | TLS[x] | from Shannon, William / to Carleton Smith | Thank you for your kind letter of March 14 and for your approval of my including the Merton letters | |
| information for making contact / thanks for pictures |
| | 1983/04/23 | TLS[x] | from Shannon, William / to Carleton Smith | Under separate cover I am returning the two photographs of Merton you sent to me. I especially | |
| also sending copies of letters with places indicated where he has questions |
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