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Merton and Elsie Ryan had been in contact before this, and Merton had sent her some of his poems and a list of his books. The letter from 1964, seemingly from Elsie Ryan (addressed "Mrs. Ryan"), responds to Ryan's dismay at some of the difficulties in adjusting to the liturgical reforms of the Second Vatican Council. In 1968, she sends a newspaper clipping to Merton from the Christchurch Press concerning the Wahine Disaster. The Wahine, a ferry, sank between New Zealand's largest islands killing Merton's Aunt Kit (Agnes Gertrude Stonehewer Merton). The article mistakenly cited Thomas Merton as her brother instead of nephew, prompting Ryan's condolences for his "sister".
Elsie M. Ryan was from Blenheim, New Zealand.
Please click here for general restrictions concerning Merton's correspondence.
See also one published letter from Merton to Ryan in The Road to Joy, p. 86; see also the "Merton, Agnes Gertrude Stonehewer" and the "Nivard, M." files.
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.
This Record Sub-Group is not divided into Series and is arranged chronologically.
Click icons for links: ✓="Published | Library Record", ✉="Scanned" | 🗷="Scanned, Viewable Only at Merton Center"
| # | Date | From/To | First Lines | Pub ✓ | Notes |
| | y/m/d | Merton | | Scan ✉ | |
| 1. |
1964/11/14 (#01) |
TLS from Merton |
Your letter did not surprise me. I am sure that very many people like yourself are going to find |
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«detailed view» |
| 2. |
1964/11/14 (#02) |
TL[c] from Merton |
Your letter did not surprise me. I am sure that very many people like yourself are going to find |
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«detailed view» |
| 3. |
1968/04/23 |
HLS to Merton |
We are very sad that your sister should have lost her life in such a tragic way - but although |
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«detailed view» |
| 4. |
1968/04/28 |
TL[c] from Merton |
Your letter reached me yesterday, with enclosed clipping. I had barely heard of the Wahine disaster |
✓ |
«detailed view» |
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