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Individual Series View, Merton's Correspondence with:

DeSutter, Raymond A., II (formerly Fr. M. Robert, O.C.S.O.)


Series 2, Correspondence with family


Descriptive Summary

Record Group: Section A - Correspondence
Dates of materials: 1957-1961; 2007
Volume: 62 item(s); 136 pg(s)

Scope and Content

This collection of letters, donated by Raymond DeSutter, contain correspondence between Merton and DeSutter while at Gethsemani and notes between Merton and a Fr. Peter of Gethsemani. There is a characteristic form of humor in some of the notes that rese

Biography

Raymond A. DeSutter, II was a novice at Gethsemani under Merton. His name in religion was Fr. Robert and was at Gethsemani Abbey from 1957-1963.

Usage Guidelines and Restrictions

Please click here for general restrictions concerning Merton's correspondence.

Related Information and Links

Series List

Series NumberSeries NameTotal Records
1 Correspondence with Thomas Merton 5
2 Correspondence with family 47
3 Correspondence between DeSutter's father and Gethsemani Abbey monks 8
4 Correspondence with the Merton Center 2

Container List

Series#DateFrom/ToFirst LinesPub ✓Notes
 y/m/dMerton Scan ✉ 
Series 2 #1.
«All Series«		 1957/04/13 TL[c] to DeSutter, Raymond, Mr. and Mrs. I got your letter today. It was very beautiful. I know that you understand me, and that you want «detailed view»
Series 2 #2.
«All Series«		 1957/05/04 TL[c] to Eva Lou I got your letter today. It was really good to hear from you again. I'll start off this one with «detailed view»
Series 2 #3.
«All Series«		 1957/06/11 TL[c] to DeSutter, Raymond, Mr. and Mrs. I couldn't get ahold [sic] of a typewriter, so you'll have to endure my writing(?). Father Master [mentions Merton in his role as Master of Novices, "Fr. Master"] «detailed view»
Series 2 #4.
«All Series«		 1957/06/12 TL[c] to DeSutter, Raymond, Mr. and Mrs. It is seven o'clock (P.M.) Tuesday. Grand Silence has just begun - so no more talking!! «detailed view»
Series 2 #5.
«All Series«		 1957/06/22 TL[c] to DeSutter, Raymond, Mr. and Mrs. Today is another big feast. We had a sermon in Chapter this morning which indicates that «detailed view»
Series 2 #6.
«All Series«		 1957/06/25 TL[c] to DeSutter, Raymond, Mr. and Mrs. As I started to write the date above, I couldn't think of numbers, so since our day was filled with [year could be either 1957 or 1958, the transcript has "Postmarked June 25, 1958" but it is also clearly marked Letter #6 between two letters from 1957] «detailed view»
Series 2 #7.
«All Series«		 1957/07/03 TL[c] to DeSutter, Raymond, Mr. and Mrs. Sundays we don't work!! so I have some free time - from 1:30 till 2:55. Thank goodness it's not «detailed view»
Series 2 #8.
«All Series«		 1957/07/05 TL[c] to DeSutter, Raymond, Mr. and Mrs. Boy this string of feasts has surely been giving us a nice relaxing time- and more food treats too!! «detailed view»
Series 2 #9.
«All Series«		 1957/07/11 TL[c] to DeSutter, Raymond, Mr. and Mrs. Well, today was the day - at last - I got the habit. What an outfit!! I must describe it for you!! [mentions Merton in his role as Master of Novices, "Fr. Master"] «detailed view»
Series 2 #10.
«All Series«		 1957/07/13? TL[c] to DeSutter, Raymond, Mr. and Mrs. I'll get my scratchy pen out once more. There's not so much new to tell about now - things are [mentions Merton in his role as Master of Novices, "Fr. Master" - year could be either 1957 or 1958, the transcript has "Postmarked July 17, 1958" but it is also clearly marked Letter #10 between two letters from July of 1957] «detailed view»
Series 2 #11.
«All Series«		 1957/07/20 TL[c] to DeSutter, Raymond, Mr. and Mrs. I got Mom's letter with Paulie's and Dick's letters enclosed and also one from Freddie this evening. [mentions Merton in his role as Master of Novices, "Fr. Master"] «detailed view»
Series 2 #12.
«All Series«		 1957/07/31 TL[c] to DeSutter, Raymond, Mr. and Mrs. Just have time for a short note now. I am serving in the Basilica this week for one of our novices «detailed view»
Series 2 #13.
«All Series«		 1957/08/10 TL[c] to DeSutter, Raymond, Mr. and Mrs. It looks as if summer had set in at last. The last week the weather has been "tropical" [mentions Merton in his role as Master of Novices, "Fr. Master"] «detailed view»
Series 2 #14.
«All Series«		 1957/08/13 TL[c] to DeSutter, Raymond, Mr. and Mrs. We had another week of nice weather, Deo Gratias! Almost every night I had to put cover on. [mentions Merton in his role as Master of Novices, "Fr. Master"] «detailed view»
Series 2 #15.
«All Series«		 1957/08/15 TL[c] to DeSutter, Raymond, Mr. and Mrs. Today is our big day of the Year. Our Order is dedicated to Mary under this feast. [mentions Merton in his role as Master of Novices, "Fr. Master"] «detailed view»
Series 2 #16.
«All Series«		 1957/08/31 TL[c] to DeSutter, Raymond, Mr. and Mrs. It's Saturday morning once more, and since tomorrow is our monthly recollection day, I thought I had «detailed view»
Series 2 #17.
«All Series«		 1957/09/04 TL[c] to DeSutter, Raymond, Mr. and Mrs. I fond things out so quick - you know - we receive mail and write for a period of 10 days or so. «detailed view»
Series 2 #18.
«All Series«		 1957/11/08 TL[c] to DeSutter, Raymond, Mr. and Mrs. Sat. All Souls Day - That is all I got done yesterday! You were right about the mail stack - 41 [mentions Merton in his role as Master of Novices, "Fr. Master"] «detailed view»
Series 2 #19.
«All Series«		 1957/11/12 TL[c] to DeSutter, Raymond, Mr. and Mrs. Today could well be the beginning of winter here. The sky is overcast, wind gusty, the bare trees [mentions Merton in his role as Master of Novices, "Fr. Master"] «detailed view»
Series 2 #20.
«All Series«		 1957/12/30 TL[c] to DeSutter, Raymond, Mr. and Mrs. Merry Christmas!! Although you received the greeting a few days late it was uttered on time. [mentions Merton in his role as Master of Novices, "Fr. Master"] «detailed view»
Series 2 #21.
«All Series«		 1958/01/07 TL[c] to DeSutter, Raymond, Mr. and Mrs. And a Happy New Year to ya! Ol' sawbones missed the whole celebration - yep, slept right through [mentions Merton in his role as Master of Novices, "Fr. Master"] «detailed view»
Series 2 #22.
«All Series«		 1958/04/07 TL[c] to DeSutter, Raymond, Mr. and Mrs. How time does fly! It seems only yesterday that we celebrated the great mystery of Christmas. [mentions Merton in his role as Master of Novices, "Fr. Master"] «detailed view»
Series 2 #23.
«All Series«		 1958/04/12? TL[c] to DeSutter, Raymond, Mr. and Mrs. Greetings!! Blessings in Our Lord and His Blessed Mother! and…. Peace!! Peace!! Peace!! [mentions Merton in his role as Master of Novices, "Fr. Master"] «detailed view»
Series 2 #24.
«All Series«		 1958/08/15 TL[c] to DeSutter, Raymond, Mr. and Mrs. Time does surely fly. It seems but yesterday we were all together laughing at Terry and his toads, «detailed view»
Series 2 #25.
«All Series«		 1958/08/21 TL[c] to DeSutter, Raymond, Mr. and Mrs. I found out just now that my turn as reader of the Refectory will be next week. Frater Aelred's [mentions Merton in his role as Master of Novices, "Fr. Master"] «detailed view»
Series 2 #26.
«All Series«		 1958/11/04 TL[c] to DeSutter, Raymond, Mr. and Mrs. "Sing a hymn of praise to our God, all you Saints of His, all you that reverentially fear Him, [mentions Merton in his role as Master of Novices, "Fr. Master"] «detailed view»
Series 2 #27.
«All Series«		 1958/11/07 TL[c] to DeSutter, Raymond, Mr. and Mrs. As yet there has been no return mail, but Eva's second letter arrived. I'm starting this because [mentions Merton in his role as Master of Novices, "Fr. Master"] «detailed view»
Series 2 #28.
«All Series«		 1958/12/09 TL[c] to DeSutter, Raymond, Mr. and Mrs. Surprise!!! Special edition of the Gethsemani quarterly…and for a very special [mentions Merton in his role as Master of Novices, "Fr. Master"] «detailed view»
Series 2 #29.
«All Series«		 1958/12/27 TL[c] to DeSutter, Raymond, Mr. and Mrs. How many hours, Eva? By the time this gets to you (if I don't diddle around too much) it will [mentions Merton in his role as Master of Novices, "Fr. Master"] «detailed view»
Series 2 #30.
«All Series«		 1959/01/02 TL[c] to DeSutter, Raymond, Mr. and Mrs. The return mail has not yet arrived, but the books, and the letter with the Mass stipends has. [mentions Merton in his role as Master of Novices, "Fr. Master"] death of Herman Hanekamp «detailed view»
Series 2 #31.
«All Series«		 1959/02/02 TL[c] to DeSutter, Raymond, Mr. and Mrs. I found out about the wreck during Chapter yesterday morning. Rev. Fr. told us all about the wreck [mentions Merton in his role as Master of Novices, "Fr. Master"] «detailed view»
Series 2 #32.
«All Series«		 1959/04/09 TL[c] to DeSutter, Raymond, Mr. and Mrs. Today is Thursday already. Dad's 2nd letter was under our napkin last night. I could read [mentions Merton in his role as Master of Novices, "Fr. Master"] «detailed view»
Series 2 #33.
«All Series«		 1959/08/15 TL[c] to DeSutter, Raymond, Mr. and Mrs. Another year has rolled by - how many is it, Dad - 55?? At any rate I trust it has been a very [mentions Merton (Fr. Louis)] «detailed view»
Series 2 #34.
«All Series«		 1959/08/26 TL[c] to DeSutter, Raymond, Mr. and Mrs. That must have been quite a celebration you had to mark #50 and #54?? The pictures dad sent were [mentions Merton (Fr. Louis)] «detailed view»
Series 2 #35.
«All Series«		 1959/11/01 TL[c] to DeSutter, Raymond, Mr. and Mrs. Gee, it is a beautiful day here today. The trees blush in the zenith of the fall color; sky blue [mentions Merton (Fr. Louis)] «detailed view»
Series 2 #36.
«All Series«		 1959/11/06 TL[c] to DeSutter, Raymond, Mr. and Mrs. This letter writing period is shorter than the others, and will end tomorrow at Vespers, so your [mentions Merton (Fr. Louis)] «detailed view»
Series 2 #37.
«All Series«		 1959/11/09 TL[c] to Dick and Katie I was surprised, very happy and grateful to receive your letter and gift last week. I think we all «detailed view»
Series 2 #38.
«All Series«		 1959/11/28 TL[c] to DeSutter, Mrs. Fr. Louis just gave me dad's letter to Fr. de Sales telling about your fall in the back yard. [mentions Merton (Fr. Louis)] «detailed view»
Series 2 #39.
«All Series«		 1959/12/26? TL[c] to DeSutter, Raymond, Mr. and Mrs. Kentucky might as well be Florida as far as a white Christmas is concerned. Yesterday, X-mas day, «detailed view»
Series 2 #40.
«All Series«		 1960/01/05 TL[c] to DeSutter, Raymond, Mr. and Mrs. Just back from dinner where fr. David (reader this week) announced that prayers for the Agony «detailed view»
Series 2 #41.
«All Series«		 1960/04/18 TL[c] to DeSutter, Raymond, Mr. and Mrs. Happy Easter. We are and have been, [sic] enjoying fine spring weather. The snow here was [mentions Merton (Fr. Louis)] «detailed view»
Series 2 #42.
«All Series«		 1960/04/25? TL[c] to DeSutter, Raymond, Mr. and Mrs. It is Monday already. We are having the regular visitation now, so I'm not sure how long we will [mentions Merton (Fr. Louis)] «detailed view»
Series 2 #43.
«All Series«		 1960/08/15 TL[c] to DeSutter, Raymond, Mr. and Mrs. I hope you have a little cooler day to celebrate your birthdays than we have- but just as big [mentions Merton (Fr. Louis)] «detailed view»
Series 2 #44.
«All Series«		 1960/11/01 TL[c] to DeSutter, Raymond, Mr. and Mrs. Today I think the fall has reached its crescent. As I walked along the little cloister after mixt [mentions Merton (Fr. Louis)] «detailed view»
Series 2 #45.
«All Series«		 1960/11/10 TL[c] to DeSutter, Raymond, Mr. and Mrs. What I want to know is what happened to Indiana and Kentucky? I made a sign to Br. Nick who had [mentions Merton (Fr. Louis)] «detailed view»
Series 2 #46.
«All Series«		 1960/12/26 TL[c] to DeSutter, Raymond, Mr. and Mrs. We monks may be alone, and as Rev. Fr. often repeats - unknown, unhearlded [sic] unsung, but we «detailed view»
Series 2 #47.
«All Series«		 1961/04/02 TL[c] to DeSutter, Raymond, Mr. and Mrs. Happy Easter! Today surprised us with a light snow. The willows are already green with leaves, [mentions Merton (Fr. Louis)] «detailed view»

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