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This file of letters contains original letters between Portia Webster and Merton. There are also letters from Mother Myriam Dardenne to Webster, but only those with reference to Merton appear in this listing. The following letters are not in the listing below and are filed in a separate sequence. These letters without reference to Merton are to Webster from Myriam Dardenne, Roger De Ganck, Sr. Kristen, Sr. Caecilia, Sr. Diane, and Sr. Veronique from Redwoods Monastery; and to Webster from Br. Bernard of the Abbey of New Clairvaux in Vina, California, and Drs. Alexis Maximov and Theo. S. Stashak of Santa Rosa, California.
Portia Webster was a postulant for Redwoods Monastery in California when Merton met her during his travels on the west coast. At the time, she was working at a JC Penney store in San Francisco. She was one of the people to help show him around San Francisco in his last days before leaving for Asia. She now lives as a lay hermit artist at a monastery in Arizona.
Please click here for general restrictions concerning Merton's correspondence.
See also "Dardenne, Myriam" file.
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. |
1968/04/06 |
HCS from Dardenne, Myriam |
Thanks for letter. How I wonder how you are doing...? Am eager to know. |
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[Webster notes that the "surprise" mentioned by Mother Myriam Dardenne in this letter was Merton's upcoming visit to Redwoods Monastery]
«detailed view» |
| 2. |
1968/05/24 |
HLS to Merton |
Was sorry not to get to say good-bye to you but as Mother Myriam says - "you will be back." |
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«detailed view» |
| 3. |
1968/06/05 (#01) |
TLS from Merton |
It was nice to get your note. Anything that reminds me ever so little or [sic] California, |
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«detailed view» |
| 4. |
1968/06/05 (#02) |
TAL[c] from Merton |
It was nice to get your note. Anything that reminds me ever so little or [sic] California, |
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«detailed view» |
| 5. |
1968/12/no (#01) |
HNS from Dardenne, Myriam |
[...] wish so much you'd be healthy for - I need your help! |
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[includes an explanatory note from Webster - Mother Myriam Dardenne wrote this note while sick and recovering in a small trailer - it is written on toilet paper, the only paper available]
«detailed view» |
| 6. |
1968/12/no (#02) |
HNS from Dardenne, Myriam |
How much about your truth did you discover while you are here? Has an illusory self died yet? |
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[note about Merton after his death - includes an explanatory note from Webster - Mother Myriam Dardenne wrote this note while sick and recovering in a small trailer - it is written on toilet paper, the only paper available]
«detailed view» |
| 7. |
1998/05/27 |
HLS to Center from Webster, Portia |
I had the joy of spending Fr. Louis' last day in this county [sic] with him. Driving him around San |
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«detailed view» |
| 8. |
2005/01/21 |
TLS to Center from Webster, Portia |
Thank you for all the information you sent about the Thomas Merton Center. In this box you will |
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[second page is biographical information about Webster]
«detailed view» |
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