Merton mentions that Eileen Curns was a papal volunteer in Brazil. After returning from the trip from Brazil, she attempts to publish an account of her trip, delivers speeches, and does typing for Merton. She writes from Waukegan, Illinois.
Merton publishes an open letter to her anonymously as "Letter to a Papal Volunteer" in his book Seeds of Destruction (the letter from March 30, 1963). The letter was included with two others in Motive magazine as "Three Letters" (the other two being letters to Paulo Alceu Amoroso Lima ["To a Brazilian Friend"] and to Dorothy Day).
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. |
1963/03/30 (#01) |
TAL[d] from Merton |
I said Mass for you this morning, will do the same Passion Sunday (tomorrow) and Monday and then |
|
[labeled in pen: Letter to a Papal Volunteer] advising Curns on missionary work in Brazil as a papal volunteer - some cultural barriers and suggestions - recommends learning from them as much as teaching - notes to omit section on contacting Jean Goss Meyer and non-violent movement / Communism
«detailed view» |
| 2. |
1963/03/30 (#02) |
TL[x] from Merton |
This morning I said Mass for you, will do the same Passion Sunday (tomorrow) and Monday and then |
|
[ Letter to a Papal Volunteer] advising Curns on missionary work in Brazil as a papal volunteer - some cultural barriers and suggestions - recommends learning from them as much as teaching - notes to omit section on contacting Jean Goss Meyer and non-violent movement / Communism
«detailed view» |
| 3. |
1964/08/12 |
TAL[c] from Merton |
Let me use up the red ribbon and it will also serve as a sign of joy. I really think you did a fine |
|
response to Curns' return from Brazil / suggestions about writing a book about the experience / Merton's favorite Brazilian authors, poets and musicians - problem that North Americans will not understand South Americans until we read Latin American literature and poetry, but "North Americans don't read any poetry"
«detailed view» |
| 4. |
1965/05/17 |
TL[c] from Merton |
It was good to get your letter and to learn that Phil Scharper was going to help with your ms. |
|
difficulties in getting first manuscript published / offer to do typing work for Merton - Merton's conventions for notes to typists
«detailed view» |
| 5. |
1965/06/28 |
TL[c] from Merton |
Thanks for the mss of Mystics and Zen Masters, now complete, which arrived this morning. |
|
«detailed view» |
| 6. |
1965/11/29 |
TAL[c] from Merton |
I have another insert that needs to go into the Existentialism piece you are typing. It belongs on |
|
«detailed view» |
| 7. |
1966/02/26 |
TAL[c] from Merton |
Thanks very much indeed for the stencils. They are being run off now and I am sure everything will |
|
on Merton's tone concerning Bonhoeffer and Robinson / on life as a hermit and his pre-eremitical writings on solitude - "Living it, one loses any special desire to make statements about it."
«detailed view» |
| 8. |
1966/04/no? |
HNS from Merton |
Glad to hear you have a new |
|
[handwritten note from Merton addressed "Dear Eileen" on mimeograph of the typescript for Merton's essay, "Apologies to an Unbeliever" - the "Eileen" is likely Curns because it references a typing job and fits the time period she was working for Merton / there is another copy containing the full essay in Sub-Section D.2 under "Apologies to an Unbeliever"]
«detailed view» |
| 9. |
1966/10/08 |
TL[c] from Merton |
Sorry for the delay in getting this check to you. I hope this has not been inconvenient. |
|
«detailed view» |
| 10. |
1966/10/11 |
TLS to Merton |
I haven't been able to find any good typists with a little background in the many books and authors |
|
description of three speeches she will deliver to "a heavily conservative Milwaukee audience" / thoughts on "Day of a Stranger" / political situation and instability in Brazil
«detailed view» |
| 11. |
1966/12/15 |
TL[c] from Merton |
Many thanks for the work, tip top as usual. I was not worried about the delay as there is no wild |
|
Merton has not seen Callahan article in Commonweal, but is skeptical about his idea of a "post-Biblical Christianity"
«detailed view» |
| 12. |
undated/no/no |
other[x] from Merton |
A thousand thanks for the quick, excellent typing job. I will repay in prayers. A hermit has not |
|
[note on title page of mimeograph of Merton's essay "Peace and Protest", see Sub-Section D.9 for signed and inscribed mimeograph]
«detailed view» |
|