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Merton's Correspondence with:

Dame Marcella van Bruyn; van Bruyn, Marcella, Dame; Bruyn, Marcella van, Dame

Bruyn, Marcella van, Dame, O.S.B.  printer

Photograph sent to Merton of Dame Marcella van Bruyn at Stanbrook Abbey.  (Copyright Thomas Merton Legacy Trust.)  
Photograph sent to Merton of Dame Marcella van Bruyn at Stanbrook Abbey. (Copyright Thomas Merton Legacy Trust.) 

Descriptive Summary

Record Group: Section A - Correspondence
Dates of materials: 1963-1967
Volume: 25 item(s); 47 pg(s)

Scope and Content

Dame Marcella first contacted Merton through the encouragement of Jacques Maritain. Stanbrook Press published poems of Raïssa Maritain as well as some of Merton's works, including his translations of a prayer of Cassiodorus and a letter by Guigo the Carthusian.

Biography

Dame Marcella van Bruyn was a Benedictine nun of Stanbrook Abbey in England. Entering the community in her forties, she spent twenty-three years in community before leaving to pursue a life of solitude. (Source: The School of Charity, p. 160.)

Usage Guidelines and Restrictions

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

Related Information and Links

See published letters from Merton to van Bruyn in The School of Charity, pp. 160-161, 182-183, 190-191, 205-206, 249-250, 270-271, 284-285, 298-300, 302, and 311-312.

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

Click icons for links: ✓="Published | Library Record", ✉="Scanned" | 🗷="Scanned, Viewable Only at Merton Center"


#DateFrom/ToFirst LinesPub ✓Notes
 y/m/dMerton Scan ✉ 
1. 1960/05/31 HLS to Merton Thank you for your letter and for the articles - I was most interested, especially in that one «detailed view»
2. 1963/02/15 TLS to Merton M. Jacques Maritain has told me that you are translating his wife's poems, and that you know I have «detailed view»
3. 1963/02/23 TL[c] from Merton Since Jacques Maritain told me of your project, I have been expecting your letter. Actually I think «detailed view»
4. 1963/07/18 TALS to Merton I am writing by return, because you are anxious about Jacques Maritain, and so hasten to tell you «detailed view»
5. 1963/09/08 TALS to Merton Thank you very much for all those mimeographed things - I simply cannot tell you how grateful I am «detailed view»
6. 1963/10/15 TAL[c] from Merton The Feast of St Theresa is as good a day as any for a letter to Stanbrook, and I must confess «detailed view»
7. 1963/11/04 TALS to Merton Raissa's anniversary, and the 8th will be my father's, when I hope you will say a prayer for him - «detailed view»
8. 1964/01/02 TAL[c] from Merton I see some time has gone by since your letter of November 4th and we are all now persuaded that we «detailed view»
9. 1964/01/25 TALS to Merton I have a great deal to thank you for besides your letter - the mimeographed things, and the magazine «detailed view»
10. 1964/02/24 (#01) TL[c] from Merton This is chiefly to wish you many blessings and graces on March 12th and to say how much I liked «detailed view»
11. 1964/02/24 (#02) TALS[x] from Merton This is chiefly to wish you many blessings and graces on March 12th and to say how much I liked [copied from Sub-Section H.7, Hart Working Files - some pen/pencil marks] «detailed view»
12. 1964/08/25 TALS to Merton This was meant to arrive in time for your feast, but even if it took off instantly, by jet plane [Feast of St. Louis] «detailed view»
13. 1964/09/14 other to Merton I thought this would interest you, if you do not already know the book, which is one of the most [handwritten and signed note from van Bruyn - typed selections from Venture to the Interior by Laurens van der Post] «detailed view»
14. 1964/10/29 TAL[c] from Merton How many letters do I owe you? I blush to think of it. Please forgive me. (I have just been «detailed view»
15. 1965/02/12 TALS to Merton I did not get round to writing to you for your fiftieth birthday, but I remembered it all right, «detailed view»
16. 1965/03/28 TL[c] from Merton Many thanks for your letter. I want to say that I said Mass for you and Stanbrook on the 12th «detailed view»
17. 1965/06/16 TL[c] from Merton First, since you mention the prospectus at the top of your letter, I will say "yes" to the offer now «detailed view»
18. 1966/01/25 TALS to Merton I have thought about you a great deal, but refrained from writing until your birthday, as I feel you «detailed view»
19. 1966/02/01 TL[c] from Merton Certainly I do not regard monastic letters as a distraction and I was glad to hear from you. «detailed view»
20. 1966/04/17 HLS[x] from Merton At least I have the joy of reading your fine translations of Raissa, and the book itself is [copied from Sub-Section H.7, Hart Working Files] «detailed view»
21. 1966/06/08 TALS to Merton At the risk of appearing again too soon, I write to know how you are. I was horrified to hear [sends photo of her in habit standing outside of Stanbrook Abbey] «detailed view»
22. 1966/08/no? TLS[x] from Merton [..] way. The hunters around here are wild shots. Lightning strikes trees all around the hermitage. [copied from Sub-Section H.7, Hart Working Files] «detailed view»
23. 1966/09/03 TALS to Merton Thank you for welcome and cheering letter, also for interesting autobiographical bit, though how you «detailed view»
24. 1967/01/25 TALS to Merton A very happy birthday to you - don't forget it is also my feast, and pray for me too. First of all, «detailed view»
25. undated/no/no other[x]   He abideth patiently He forgiveth easily He understandeth mercifully He forgetteth utterly [Merton provided this text to Stanbrook Abbey Press and cited it was "From a fourteenth century manuscript" / Sr. Margaret Truran of Stanbrook notes, "The text is hand-set by the Stanbrook Abbey Press in Jan van Krimpen’s font 'Romulus Cancelleresca Bastarda', a trademark of the Press. The calligraphic capitals H and E are done by Margaret Adams."] «detailed view»

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