The Thomas Merton Center at Bellarmine University

MERTON'S CORRESPONDENCE WITH:
Acharya, Francis Mahieu, Fr., O.S.C.O., 1911-2002

Click here to exit print-formated view.

Descriptive Summary

Record Group: Section A - Correspondence

Dates of materials: 1961

Volume: 3 item(s); 8 pg(s)

Scope and Content

This group of letters appears on six typed and mimeographed sheets entitled, "Lettres de Kurisumala". It is unclear to whom they are addressed. Kurisumala, literally meaning "cross mountain", is an area of southwestern India where there is a monastery, an ashram. It appears that one letter, the longest, is signed by a novice; another is signed C. Kuriakose; and the final one by Fr. Francis.

Biography

Fr. Francis Mahieu Acharya, a native of Belgium who later became a Cistercian monk there, came to India in 1955 and founded a monastery in 1958. He was a pioneer in a rebirth of Syriac monasticism and of blending it with Indian spiritual traditions, such as the Upanishads, and was later Acharya, or "teacher" (and abbot), of the Kurisumala Ashram. They became officially a part of the Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance (Trappists) in 1988 and follow the liturgy of the Syro-Malankara Church (a Catholic Church in communion with Roman Catholicism).

Usage Guidelines and Restrictions

Related Information and Links

See also "Griffiths, Bede" 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

SeriesDateTypeTo/FromFirst LinesPubFull TextNotes
 1961/12/30 (#01)transcriptto MertonNous avons confié la chronique de cette année à l'un de nos novices qui a reçu, depuis, l'habit de  author listed as "fr. M. Francis"
 1961/12/30 (#02)transcriptto MertonMon séjour en votre ashram fût une découverte bien agréable. Pour la première fois je vis, réalisé,  author listed as "(S) C. Kuriakose"
 1961/12/30 (#03)transcriptto MertonEn Inde, qu'on soit Hindou, musulman ou bouddhiste, la sainteté consiste essentiellement dans  author listed as "(S) Un novice."
        

    The Thomas Merton Center at Bellarmine University | 2001 Newburg Rd, Louisville KY, 40205 | 502-272-8187

    Copyright © The Thomas Merton Center at Bellarmine University. All rights reserved.