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Merton's Correspondence with:

Fr. Kilian McDonnell

McDonnell, Kilian, Fr., O.S.B., 1921-  printer

 
 

Descriptive Summary

Record Group: Section A - Correspondence
Dates of materials: 1958-1963
Volume: 52 item(s); 67 pg(s)

Scope and Content

Biography

Fr. Kilian McDonnell is a Benedictine monk of St. John's Abbey in Collegeville, Minnesota. He is founder and president of the Institute for Ecumenical and Cultural Research. He had the rare distinction for a Catholic monk in the early 1960's to do advanced studies in a Protestant faculty in Germany. He also studied under Catholic theologian Hans Küng. He was editor of Sponsa Regis, (later known as Sisters Today) to which Merton contributed. (Source: "Father Kilian McDonnell, OSB". Website of the Institute for Ecumenical and Cultural Research. Accessed 9 November 2005. ‹http://www.iecr.org/kilianosb.htm›.)

Usage Guidelines and Restrictions

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

Related Information and Links

See also Cold War Letters #59 published in Witness to Freedom, pp. 45-46; and other letters from Merton to McDonnell in The School of Charity, pp. 109-110, 115, 121-123, 127-128, 133-135, and 188-190. Originals of Merton's letters to McDonnell prior to the December letter of 1963 can be found in the monastic archives of St. John's Abbey in Collegeville, Minnesota.

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

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#DateFrom/ToFirst LinesPub ✓Notes
 y/m/dMerton Scan ✉ 
1. 1958/03/14 TL[x] from Merton I wonder if you can do me a favor. The novices here have their breviaries full of very sad holy [copied 2016 from Sub-Section H.7, Hart Working Files, Accession 2] «detailed view»
2. 1958/06/08 TLS[x] from Merton Another SOS. I am putting out a little book on Sacred Art. We are doing the job here, at least [copied 2016 from Sub-Section H.7, Hart Working Files, Accession 2] sacred art book, Merton's proposed book Art and Worship (was not published) - asking for samples of sacred art from various styles and era and some "'really bad' sacred art" «detailed view»
3. 1958/06/18 TL[x] to Merton I am sending off a package of art material which I think perhaps you might be able to use. «detailed view»
4. 1958/07/21 TLS[x] from Merton This has been my first chance to thank you for your wonderful help in getting such a fine selection [copied 2016 from Sub-Section H.7, Hart Working Files, Accession 2] «detailed view»
5. 1958/08/14 TLS[x]  from Merton to Mr. Giniger I am really abashed by the splendor of your gift, "my copy" of THE CATHOLIC BIBLE IN THE ST PETER'S [copied 2016 from Sub-Section H.7, Hart Working Files, Accession 2 - filled with the Kilian McDonnell letters because Merton had mentioned McDonnell's name to Bible project affiliated with Giniger - likely Mr. Giniger refers to Kenneth Seeman Giniger, head of the Layman's National Bible Committee, publisher of "The Catholic Bible in the St. Peter's Edition"] «detailed view»
6. 1958/10/13 TLS[x] from Merton Thanks for your kind letter-- you have my sympathy in your new editorial job. I would like to help [copied 2016 from Sub-Section H.7, Hart Working Files, Accession 2] «detailed view»
7. 1958/11/24 TALS[x] from Merton Here are the proofs of ART AND WORSHIP which I promised you some time ago. [copied 2016 from Sub-Section H.7, Hart Working Files, Accession 2] «detailed view»
8. 1958/12/04 TL[x] to Merton Thank you very kindly for your proofs of ART AND WORSHIP. I haven't had time to read over the galley «detailed view»
9. 1958/12/11 HLS[x] from Merton There is no hurry the book Art and Worship is not to be published before next [copied 2016 from Sub-Section H.7, Hart Working Files, Accession 2] «detailed view»
10. 1958/12/23 HCS[x] from Merton +The censors are making trouble about the Art and Worship material. I am not sure what it is [copied 2016 from Sub-Section H.7, Hart Working Files, Accession 2] «detailed view»
11. 1959/01/26 TLS[x] from Merton At long last the permission to use these articles has come through. All our routine censorship is [copied 2016 from Sub-Section H.7, Hart Working Files, Accession 2] «detailed view»
12. 1959/03/07 TL[x] to Merton Greetings from sunny Bahamas. This is just a short note to tell you that I am asking the Secretary sending "Thanksgiving After Holy Communion" by Father Pascal published in Sponsa Regis «detailed view»
13. 1959/07/31 TALS to Merton The articles you wrote for SPONSA REGIS on spiritual direction have been extremely well received. [writing from St. John's Abbey in Collegeville, Minnesota] «detailed view»
14. 1959/08/06 TLS[x] from Merton I am happy that you want to make a pamphlet out of the Direction artciles. I am making some [copied 2016 from Sub-Section H.7, Hart Working Files, Accession 2] «detailed view»
15. 1959/08/22 TLS[x] from Merton After a little delay I am sending you the new version of the Spiritual Direction material. [copied 2016 from Sub-Section H.7, Hart Working Files, Accession 2] «detailed view»
16. 1959/08/26 TL[x] to Merton This is to acknowledge and thank you for the new version of the Spiritual Direction material, [from the secretary to Fr. Kilian McDonnell] «detailed view»
17. 1959/09/15 TLS to Merton I just returned from about a month's leave of absence and was happy to find your manuscript «detailed view»
18. 1959/10/03 TLS[x] from Merton Here is the little piece on meditation that I referred to in my letter from the hospital. [copied 2016 from Sub-Section H.7, Hart Working Files, Accession 2] «detailed view»
19. 1959/10/03 TLS[x] from Merton Here we are with the note for nuns on sacred art. It turned into a little article on its own. [copied 2016 from Sub-Section H.7, Hart Working Files, Accession 2] «detailed view»
20. 1959/10/14 TL[x] to Merton I want to thank you very kindly for your article on art and the spritiaul life. I have no regrets «detailed view»
21. 1959/11/05 TL[x] to Merton I am delighted to get the manuscript "What is Meditation?" and I am also very grateful to you «detailed view»
22. 1959/11/28 TLS to Merton Enclosed are the galleys for the book. As far as I know there is no great rush. And you can add «detailed view»
23. 1959/12/04 TLS[x] from Merton Here are the proofs. I have made some additions actually on the galleys, at the bottom where sending proofs for Spiritual Direction and Meditation to be published by Liturgical Press / sending a collection of Christmas sermons from the 12th century «detailed view»
24. 1959/12/08 TLS[x] from Merton I ran across a very nice quotation from Dom Augustine Baker and I think it is too good to passover. addition to "Spiritual Direction" (quote from Augustine Baker) for Spiritual Direction and Meditation - clearance for "Meditation" by censor has not arrived «detailed view»
25. 1959/12/21 TLS[x] from Merton I have just heard with pleasure that Harcourt Brace is considering the publication [copied 2016 from Sub-Section H.7, Hart Working Files, Accession 2] «detailed view»
26. 1959/12/29 TALS to Merton Just after receiving your letter sent up here to take the place of one of our fathers who is in the [written while on temporary assignment at Mount Saint Benedict Convent in Crookston, Minnesota] «detailed view»
27. 1960/01/05 TL[x] to Merton Under separate cover I am sending you the page proofs. I inserted the section that you sent me asking to decide on title for what will be Spiritual Direction and Meditation «detailed view»
28. 1960/01/13 TLS[x] from Merton The latest Sponsa Regis has arrived and I have just read it from cover to cover. [copied 2016 from Sub-Section H.7, Hart Working Files, Accession 2] «detailed view»
29. 1960/01/20 TLS to Merton I am delighted at your reaction to the January issue. I worked rather hard on it and I am really [writing from St. John's Abbey in Collegeville, Minnesota] «detailed view»
30. 1960/01/29 TLS[x] from Merton The censor has finally come through. As I rather anticipated, there were a lot of picayune [copied 2016 from Sub-Section H.7, Hart Working Files, Accession 2] «detailed view»
31. 1960/02/04 TLS[x] from Merton These page proofs reached me in a roundabout way through Curtis Brown. I am returning them to you [copied 2016 from Sub-Section H.7, Hart Working Files, Accession 2] «detailed view»
32. 1960/03/07 TLS to Merton I don't know how WHAT IS MEDITATION will be received as a book, but from the comments received «detailed view»
33. 1960/03/14 TLS[x] from Merton It was a surprise for me to get the "Meaning of Love" back from Curtis Brown, all the more since I [copied 2016 from Sub-Section H.7, Hart Working Files, Accession 2] «detailed view»
34. 1960/03/30 TLS to Merton I am afraid that the galleys misled you. They sent me the manuscript of the POWER AND MEANING «detailed view»
35. 1960/05/31 TLS[x] from Merton We are now typing out the ms of "Liturgy and Spiritual Personalism" and I hope to get it off to you, [copied 2016 from Sub-Section H.7, Hart Working Files, Accession 2] «detailed view»
36. 1960/06/08 TLS to Merton Yesterday I talked to Father William who came home for retreat about putting out your book, «detailed view»
37. 1960/08/03 TLS[x] from Merton How are you? I hope the summer course you gave was not too arduous and that the Sisters were not [copied 2016 from Sub-Section H.7, Hart Working Files, Accession 2] «detailed view»
38. 1960/08/17 TLS[x] from Merton About those dates. There is nothing special scheduled in the middle of September but Frank and Bob [copied 2016 from Sub-Section H.7, Hart Working Files, Accession 2] «detailed view»
39. 1960/09/01 TLS[x] from Merton I have gone and misplaced your temporary address so I hope this reaches you all right. According [copied 2016 from Sub-Section H.7, Hart Working Files, Accession 2] «detailed view»
40. 1960/09/19 TLS[x] from Merton Too bad you could not make it. However, it was just as well, as the other ones got sick for some [copied 2016 from Sub-Section H.7, Hart Working Files, Accession 2] «detailed view»
41. 1960/10/18 HLS to Merton It never occurred to me that the Canadian would celebrate their Thanksgiving on a day other than [writing from Ottawa, Canada] «detailed view»
42. 1960/11/27 HLS to Merton Is there anything doing during the weeks after Christmas. If so this would be the best time for me. «detailed view»
43. 1960/12/10 HCS[x] from Merton Forgive me for delaying to answer your letter of Nov 27. Father Abbot was away on a long trip [copied 2016 from Sub-Section H.7, Hart Working Files, Accession 2] «detailed view»
44. 1961/02/11 HLS to Merton I wrote to the head of the Liturgical Press about "Spiritual Direction and Meditation" «detailed view»
45. 1961/03/06 TLS[x] from Merton It is an awullong time, relatively, since your letter of February 11th. I wish I had been able [copied 2016 from Sub-Section H.7, Hart Working Files, Accession 2] «detailed view»
46. 1961/12/no? TLS to Merton I could not get to sleep last night so I picked up the latest issue of Sponsa which had just came in «detailed view»
47. 1962/02/01 HLS to Merton Probably you have not yet received the books on Metzger and the Una Sancta which I sent [writing from Trier, Germany] «detailed view»
48. 1962/03/no transcript from Merton I certainly envy you going to study under Kung at Tubingen. I am finishing his book now and it is [Cold War Letters #59 - transcript from bound set] «detailed view»
49. 1963/10/03 HLS to Merton I had thought that I would be finished with my work by now and be back at St. John's, but it will be [written from Paderborn, Germany] «detailed view»
50. 1963/12/20 TAL[c] from Merton It is always good to hear from you, though I get guilt feelings for letting so much time go by «detailed view»
51. undated/no/no HNS[x] from Merton Here are the extra pages that I promised to send. They fit in to Galley 2, after line 11. [copied 2016 from Sub-Section H.7, Hart Working Files, Accession 2] «detailed view»
52. undated/no/no other from Merton LITURGY AND SACRED ART [-] Liturgy: Definition: Liturgy may be defined as the worship «detailed view»

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