Dom Anthony Chassagne was abbot of Mepkin Abbey in Moncks Corner, South Carolina from 1955-1974, having served as a superior before status as an abbey since its founding in 1949.
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. |
1947/04/05 |
TLS to Merton |
"St. Lugarde, a study in Cistercian Mysticism" by a Monk of Our Lady of Gethsemani, Gethsemani, 1947 |
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[see the "Censors Reports" correspondence file for physical holdings] "What Are These Wounds? : The life of a Cistercian Mystic, Saint Lutgarde of Aywières" [book] - censor's remarks by Fr. Anthony Chassagne (see also "Chassagne, Anthony" correspondence file)
«detailed view» |
| 2. |
1947/09/05 |
HNS to Merton |
"Death of a Trappist" by Thomas Merton Nihil obstat Sept. 5, 1947 fr m. Anthony Chassgne, OCSO |
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[see the "Censors Reports" correspondence file for physical holdings] "Death of a Trappist" [essay] - Nihil obstat from censor Fr. Anthony Chassagne (see also "Chassagne, Anthony" correspondence file)
«detailed view» |
| 3. |
1947/10/03 |
HNS to Merton |
+ Nihil obstat paginis quibus titulus "Active and Contemplative Orders" scriptis a Thomas Merton |
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[see the "Censors Reports" correspondence file for physical holdings] "Active and Contemplative Orders" [essay] - Nihil obstat granted by Fr. Anthony Chassagne
«detailed view» |
| 4. |
1948/03/25 |
TLS to Merton |
MS: THE SPIRIT OF SIMPLICITY: Txt: Pref. iii: footnote number 1: "prayer and sacrifice, which |
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[see the "Censors Reports" correspondence file for physical holdings] "Spirit of simplicity : characteristic of the Cistercian Order : an official report, demanded and approved by the General Chapter : together with texts from St. Bernard of Clairvaux on interior simplicity / translation and commentary by a Cistercian monk of Our Lady of Gethsemani [book by Merton]
«detailed view» |
| 5. |
1948/04/14 |
HNS to Merton |
+ Nihil obstat paginis quibus titulus: "Book Review - For Commonweal: The Third Spiritual Alphabet |
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[see the "Censors Reports" correspondence file for physical holdings] "Third Spiritual Alphabet" by Francisco de Osuna [book review by Merton] - Nihil obstat by Fr. Anthony Chassagne
«detailed view» |
| 6. |
1948/04/15 |
TLS to Merton |
Remarks concerning an article by Thomas Merton O.C.S.O. for Integrity: CONTEMPLATION IN A ROCKING |
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[see the "Censors Reports" correspondence file for physical holdings] "Contemplation in a Rocking Chair" [essay] - censors report - Immaculate Heart Monastery (Mepkin Abbey), Moncks Corner, South Carolina / recommends two changes but grants Nihil obstat and leaves decision on changes to Merton's judgment
«detailed view» |
| 7. |
1948/09/03 |
HNS to Merton |
+ Nihil obstat operi cui titulus "Seeds of Contemplation" a Thomas Merton die 3 septembris 1948 |
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[see the "Censors Reports" correspondence file for physical holdings] "Seeds of Contemplation" [book] - Nihil obstat granted by Fr. Anthony Chassagne
«detailed view» |
| 8. |
1949/08/25 |
HLS to Merton |
MS "Is Mysticism Normal? by fr. m. Louis Merton O.C.S.O. pg 6 - middle - punctuation -- last half |
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[see the "Censors Reports" correspondence file for physical holdings] "Is Mysticism Normal?" [essay] - censor's advice by Fr. Anthony Chassagne
«detailed view» |
| 9. |
1950/01/27 |
TLS to Merton |
PREFACE TO ST. AUGUSTINE'S CITY OF GOD for Modern Library Edition by Thomas Merton. |
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[see the "Censors Reports" correspondence file for physical holdings] "City of God" by St. Augustine, preface for the Modern Library Edition by Thomas Merton [book] - advice by Fr. Anthony Chassagne, Immaculate Heart Monastery (Mepkin Abbey), Moncks Corner, South Carolina - "what good can come of taking that crack at lukewarm Catholics in a Modern Library Edition of St. Augustine's City of God."
«detailed view» |
| 10. |
1963/08/21 |
TAL[c] from Merton |
Pardon the exquisite stationery. I am just getting rid of the last of this lot, useless since the |
✓ |
preface for Chassagne's book finished / censors - "question of 'opportunité' is absurd" - "arbitrary and irrational" - banning of something not based on dogmatic error, but that it does not fit with Trappist "image" / Owen Chadwick's "From Bossuet to Newman" / David Knowles' biography of Cuthbert Butler
«detailed view» |
| 11. |
1963/08/26? |
HLS to Merton |
J'ai prié pour vous hier. Merci bien pour votre bonne lettre, bonne avec la bonté du bon Dieu. |
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on going to the non-celebration of Dom Pocâre's golden jubilee and then looking at Merton's preface for his book
«detailed view» |
| 12. |
1964/07/21 |
TNS to Merton |
Nihil obstat paginis quibus titulus "A CHRISTMAS DEVOTION" scriptis a Thoma Merton. |
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[see the "Censors Reports" correspondence file for physical holdings] "Christmas Devotion" [essay] - Nihil obstat from censor Fr. Anthony Chassagne, O.C.S.O.
«detailed view» |
| 13. |
1966/09/11 |
TALS to Merton |
I would be very grateful if you would answer these questions, and give your viewpoints, comments, |
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asks Merton - reactions to hermit experiments at Mepkin, could hermit experiment at Mepkin become a permanent vocation, should there be a signed agreement with abbot for future of hermits, how many can be a hermit at once - for specified duration or permanent? / results to go into a report for the General Chapter
«detailed view» |
| 14. |
1966/09/21 |
TL[c] from Merton |
Instead of taking your questions in order and strictly as they are (since I am not on the scene at |
✓ |
[2 copies] response to Chassagne's questions about the eremitical life - thinks two permanent hermits are enough - should not get to big and change the nature of Trappist life - should not form a laura but live independently of each other but dependent on monastery - more temporary solitude for all monks
«detailed view» |
| 15. |
1971/02/08 |
TLS[x] to Center from Chatham, Josiah |
I have your recent communications concerning possible copies of letters that I may have |
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1940 retreat at Gethsemani in which Fr. William Chassagne (now Dom Anthony Chassagne, O.C.S.O.) and Josiah Chatham considered a Trappist vocation / later years Chatham met with Merton many times and established correspondence
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