This section includes letters typed, mimeographed and shared with a number of friends. He would send a seasonal letter on or near a feast day, holiday, natural season, or liturgical season, e.g., Christmas, Easter, Lent, Pentecost, mid-summer, New Year, etc.
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. |
1962/05/11 |
other from Merton |
Memorandum: Summary of my position regarding nuclear war and peace. 1. I am not |
|
not a new theory, not pure pacifism, not unilateral disarmament, but a "massive, all out, annihilatory war with nuclear or any other weapons... is contrary to Christian ethical standards" - includes obliteration bombing and unconditional surrender / Edward Teller - nuclear first strike immoral and bad tactic / limited war
«detailed view» |
| 2. |
1963/no/no? |
other from Merton |
Forgive me for answering you with a form letter, but I get so many requests like yours |
✓ |
mimeographed form letter about Merton
«detailed view» |
| 3. |
1965/02/28 |
TLS[x] from Merton |
Please excuse my attempt to answer you with a form letter. As this Lent approaches, I am |
|
form letter dated "Quinquagesima Sunday 1965" / handwritten note on letter "We are praying for you Joseph. Have Courage" (signed) Br Dunston
«detailed view» |
| 4. |
1965/12/25? (#01) |
TL[c] from Merton |
I hate to resort to mimeographed letters but it has become completely impossible for me to answer |
✓ |
[labeled "A CHRISTMAS LETTER 1965"]
«detailed view» |
| 5. |
1965/12/25? (#02) |
TLS[x] from Merton |
I hate to resort to mimeographed letters, but it has now become completely impossible for |
✓ |
longer version of "A CHRISTMAS LETTER 1965 ABBEY OF GETHSEMANI KY"
«detailed view» |
| 6. |
1966/12/25 (#01) |
TALS[x] from Merton |
Sorry, I have just had to give up any hope of answering most of my Christmas mail personally. |
✓ |
[labeled "Christmas Morning 1966" - photocopy from "Cargas, Harry" file]
«detailed view» |
| 7. |
1966/12/25 (#02) |
TALS[x] from Merton |
Even with the aid of mimeograph it is not possible to adequately take care of everybody, acknowledge |
|
[labeled "CHRISTMAS - NEW YEAR LETTER 1966 - 1967" - see "Herscher, Irenaeus" file for hard copy]
«detailed view» |
| 8. |
1966/no/no? (#01) |
transcript from Merton |
For many years idle rumors have claimed that I had left the monastery of Gethsemani where I made |
✓ |
[labeled "Statement to Friends 66" from published letters - see also copies in the "Forest, James" and "Douglass, James" files]
«detailed view» |
| 9. |
1966/no/no? (#02) |
other[x] from Merton |
For many years idle rumors have claimed that I had left the monastery of Gethsemani where I made |
|
[labeled "Statement to Friends 66" - see also Sub-Section E.1, "Statement for Catholic Peace Fellowship (CPF)" - this copy signed and corrected - see also copies in the "Forest, James" and "Douglass, James" files]
«detailed view» |
| 10. |
1966/no/no? (#03) |
other[x] from Merton |
For many years idle rumors have claimed that I had left the monastery of Gethsemani where I made |
|
[labeled "Statement" - copied from Sub-Section E.1, "Statement for Catholic Peace Fellowship (CPF)"]
«detailed view» |
| 11. |
1967/01/22 |
TLS[x] from Merton |
Several wrote that they liked my mimeographed Christmas letter and urged me to go on mimeographing |
✓ |
[labeled "Septuagesima Sunday 1967" - photocopy from "Cargas, Harry" file]
«detailed view» |
| 12. |
1967/02/no? (#01) |
TL[c] from Merton |
The last mimeographed letter is running out and there are still more than four weeks to go before |
✓ |
[labeled "Lent 67"]
«detailed view» |
| 13. |
1967/02/no? (#02) |
TALS from Merton |
The last mimeographed letter is running out and there are still more than four weeks to go before |
✓ |
[labeled "Lent 67"]
«detailed view» |
| 14. |
1967/02/no? (#03) |
TLS[x] from Merton |
The last mimeographed letter is running out and there are still more than four weeks to go before |
✓ |
[labeled "Lent 67"]
«detailed view» |
| 15. |
1967/03/26 (#01) |
TLS[x] from Merton |
It has been a beautiful warm Easter here, though the most recent news from the East Coast complains |
✓ |
[labeled "Easter 67" - longer than the carbon (next record)]
«detailed view» |
| 16. |
1967/03/26 (#02) |
TL[c] from Merton |
It has been a beautiful warm Easter here, though the most recent news from the East Coast complains |
✓ |
[labeled "Easter 67"]
«detailed view» |
| 17. |
1967/05/14 (#01) |
TLS[x] from Merton |
The main piece of news at this season is the ordination to the priesthood of my old friend |
✓ |
[labeled "PENTECOST 1967" - slightly shorter can original carbon (see next record)]
«detailed view» |
| 18. |
1967/05/14 (#02) |
TAL[c] from Merton |
The main piece of news at this season is the ordination to the priesthood of my old friend Dan Walsh |
✓ |
[labeled "Pentecost 67"]
«detailed view» |
| 19. |
1967/07/no? (#01) |
TLS[x] from Merton |
Recently I heard of the following strange event. Frank Sheed, in London, was awakened |
|
[almost identical to carbon - without the label of MIDSUMMER 1967 (see next record)]
«detailed view» |
| 20. |
1967/07/no? (#02) |
TL[c] from Merton |
Recently I heard of the following strange event. Frank Sheed, in London, was awakened at four |
✓ |
[labeled "MIDSUMMER 67"]
«detailed view» |
| 21. |
1967/07/no? (#03) |
TLS from Merton |
Recently I heard of the following strange event. Frank Sheed, in London, was awakened at four |
✓ |
[mimeographed copy with mimeographed signature]
«detailed view» |
| 22. |
1967/12/no? |
TLS[x] from Merton |
This year has gone by fast, and not without sorrows. Besides the death of Victor Hammer last summer |
✓ |
[labeled "ADVENT-CHRISTMAS LETTER 1967"]
«detailed view» |
| 23. |
1968/01/01 (#01) |
TLS from Merton |
Christmas mail was an avalanche this year: it always is, but more so in 1967. News from friends |
✓ |
[labeled "NEW YEAR'S LETTER 1968"]
«detailed view» |
| 24. |
1968/01/01 (#02) |
TLS[x] from Merton |
Christmas mail was an avalanche this year: it always is, but much more so in 1967. News |
✓ |
[labeled -" NEW YEARS LETTER 1968"]
«detailed view» |
| 25. |
1968/02/no? (#01) |
TALS from Merton |
The approach of Lent once again makes me realize that the only way to handle the pile of letters |
✓ |
[labeled "PRE-LENT LETTER 1968" - Merton's annotation after the last line, "May you grow in love. May you have joy!" (repeated in another's handwriting)]
«detailed view» |
| 26. |
1968/02/no? (#02) |
TL[c] from Merton |
The approach of Lent once again makes me realize that the only way to handle the pile of letters |
✓ |
[labeled "PRE-LENT LETTER 1968"]
«detailed view» |
| 27. |
1968/02/no? (#03) |
TALS from Merton |
The approach of Lent once again makes me realize that the only way to handle the pile of letters |
|
[labeled "PRE-LENT LETTER 1968" - Merton notes in pen a note speaking against cruelty to animals (animal experimentation), "I think you are right in being against vivisection. We must respect life. Best TM."]
«detailed view» |
| 28. |
1968/04/no? (#01) |
TLS from Merton |
As I write this there is snow on the ground from a blizzard we had the other day, but the sun is |
✓ |
[labeled "EASTER LETTER 1968"]
«detailed view» |
| 29. |
1968/04/no? (#02) |
TL[c] from Merton |
As I write this there is snow on the ground from a blizzard we had the other day, but the sun is |
✓ |
[partial copy - labeled "EASTER LETTER 1968"]
«detailed view» |
| 30. |
1968/04/no? (#03) |
TL from Merton |
As I write this there is snow on the ground from a blizzard we had the other day, but the sun is |
✓ |
[labeled "EASTER LETTER 1968"]
«detailed view» |
| 31. |
1968/04/no? (#04) |
TL[c] from Merton |
As I write this there is snow on the ground from a blizzard we had the other day, but the sun is |
✓ |
[labeled "EASTER LETTER 1968"]
«detailed view» |
| 32. |
1968/05/no? (#01) |
TL[x] from Merton |
My Easter letter was written a couple of weeks before Easter, and it is of course not much use my |
✓ |
[labeled "PASCHAL TIME 1968"]
«detailed view» |
| 33. |
1968/05/no? (#02) |
TL[c] from Merton |
My Easter letter was written a couple of weeks before Easter, and it is of course not much use my |
✓ |
[labeled "PASCHAL TIME 1968"]
«detailed view» |
| 34. |
1968/07/no? (#01) |
TLS[x] from Merton |
For various reasons I was quite busy during May and June, and so for July and part of August I am |
✓ |
[labeled "MIDSUMMER LETTER 1968"]
«detailed view» |
| 35. |
1968/07/no? (#02) |
TL[x] from Merton |
For various reasons I was quite busy during May and June, and so for July and part of August I am |
✓ |
[working copy (?) for form letter labeled "MIDSUMMER LETTER 1968"]
«detailed view» |
| 36. |
1968/09/no? (#01) |
TLS[x] from Merton |
As you know, I have been cutting down more and more on letters and now my contacts will be almost |
✓ |
[labeled "FALL 1968"]
«detailed view» |
| 37. |
1968/09/no? (#02) |
TALS from Merton |
As you know, I have been cutting down more and more on letters and now my contacts will be almost |
✓ |
[labeled "FALL 1968" - Merton's handwritten annotation, "Please do not give this to printers before Sept 12th!!" (the day after his flight out of Kentucky for his travels to the American West and Asia)]
«detailed view» |
| 38. |
1968/11/09 |
TL[x] from Merton |
This newsletter is not a reply to mail because I have not been getting mail on this Asian trip... |
✓ |
[labeled "Asian Letter 1" - written from New Delhi, India - photocopy from "Cargas, Harry" file - see also text of letter send to Br. Patrick Hart for distribution in the Hart correspondence file]
«detailed view» |
| 39. |
1981/01/no? |
other |
Dear Friend, from letter because so many requests. |
|
[working notes of William Shannon]
«detailed view» |
|