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Mother Mary Philomena was Abbess of the Monastery of the Poor Clares in Chicago, Illinois.

Sr. Mary of the Heart of Jesus was Sub-prioress of the Carmel at Waterbeach, near Cambridge, England.

Sr. Mary Margaret is a Redemptorist nun of the Monastery of St. Alphonsus in Liguori, Missouri.

Mother Mary Margaret was the Anglican abbess of Holy Cross Convent in Sussex, England. She discusses ecumenical dialogue between Catholics and Anglicans and broader topics of ecumenism.

Sr. Mary Immaculate was one of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary at Saint Mary Convent in Monroe, Michigan.

Sr. Mary Immaculate was from the Congregation of the Holy Cross at Saint Mary's College in Notre Dame, Indiana.

Sr. Mary Gabriel was a Sister of Mercy from Jamestown, New York.

Sr. Mary Evangeline was Executive Secretary of the Sister Formation Conference. She writes from Washington, D.C.

Sr. Mary Charlotte was President of Catherine Spalding College in Louisville (now known as Spalding University) and was a Sister of Charity of Nazareth.

Sr. Mary Catherine of the Heart of Christ was a nun of the Carmel of the Holy Family in Cleveland Heights, Ohio.

Mother Agnes Mary was from the Monastery of Poor Clares of Newport News, Virginia.

As described by William H. Shannon, Marty is a "[w]ell-known author in the field of religious literature and longtime associate editor of «Christian Century»" (source: «The Hidden Ground of Love», pp. 454-455).

Fr. Angel Martinez was a Jesuit priest and poet from Nicaragua. He has published a number of books of poetry. Merton heard of Martinez through José Coronel Urtecho. (Source: «The Courage for Truth», pp. 206.)

Mary Declan Martin was a student in the education department of Brescia College in Owensboro, Kentucky. She asks Merton about his educational philosophy.

Frederick R. Martin was Managing Editor of the publishing house New Directions. He writes from New York.

Fr. Martin Oliver was a Dominican priest from France writing about Fr. Etienne Vayssière and the worker-priest movement.

Reginald Marsh was a artist and friend of Owen Merton, Thomas' father and another artist. Unlike Owen, who tended toward watercolor landscapes, Marsh is often considered of the Social Realist school, reporting in detail urban life in the 1930's through his paintings and drawings. Merton writes to Marsh in April of 1932 while on Easter holiday from Oakham in Germany and writes again from Oakham. He would spend most of the summer of 1933 at Marsh's studio in Greenwich Village in New York. (Source: The Seven Mountains of Thomas Merton by Michael Mott, pp. 61 and 73.)

Michael Marsch was a German Christian who went to Israel to study Hebrew.

Peter Marron writes on behalf of «Cithara», "essays in the Judeo-Christian tradition".

Dom Marie-Joseph Marquis was Abbot of Notre Dame de Grâce in Bricquebec, France, from 1940-1981.

Sr. Patricia Marks writes to ask Merton's contribution to her congregation's newsletter, «The Light».

Merton writes to Lillian Marks in response to her criticism of his article "Blessed are the Meek" from the edition of «Fellowship» (published by the Fellowship of Reconciliation) from May of 1967. Merton took an ironic tone in the article. Marks thought that Merton crossed the line and hampered ecumenical dialogue in employing the term "international Jewry", even if the tone was that of irony. Merton apologizes and pledges to be more careful in the future.

Sr. Mary John Markey was a School Sister of Notre Dame from Omaha, Nebraska, at the time of writing to Merton.

Jacques Maritain was a philosopher and Catholic humanist writer who was quite influential in 20th century "new scholasticism", taking the writings of Thomas Aquinas and applying them to modern societal issues in philosophy and science. Born in Paris, he attended the Sorbonne and married Raïssa Oumancoff (1883-1960), who was a Jewish emigrée from Russia. Raïssa Maritain later achieved notoriety as a mystical poet and philosopher. Influenced by Léon Bloy, they were both baptized Catholic in 1906. A few years later, after having studied biology and mathematics at the University of Heidelberg, Jacques Maritain returned to France and discovered Aquinas' «Summa Theologica», which helped launch the direction of his writing. He would go on to write a number of influential books
Merton was first met Maritain at a lecture Maritain delivered at Catholic Book Club, where Dan Walsh introduced them. During Maritain's time as a professor at Princeton from 1948-1960, Merton and Maritain first wrote to each other. In 1949, Merton was struggling with thoughts of leaving the Trappists and joining the Carthusians. In Merton's later life, after he had achieved his desire for more solitude at a hermitage at Gethsemani, Maritain visited him at the hermitage in 1966. Since 1961, after Raïssa's death the previous year, Jacques Maritain had been living with the Little Brothers of Jesus in Toulouse. He took vows with them in 1971 and died there in 1973. (Sources: «The Courage for Truth», pp. 22-23; and "Maritain, Jacques." World Authors." 1996. Wilson Biographies Plus. Online. H.W. Wilson. Bellarmine University Library, Louisville, KY. 30 Nov. 2005. ‹http://vnweb.hwwilsonweb.com›.)

Fr. Francis Marino was a Marianist priest from Immaculate Conception Church in Westerly, Rhode Island. He suggests that Merton write to Sr. Immaculate Heart of White Plains, New York, considering their plans for a new contemplative order with a goal of liturgical renewal, called the "Handmaids of the Blessed Trinity".

Fr. Richard Marimon writes from New York, but undersigns that he is a Spanish priest from the Diocese of Ponce.

Sr. Marie-Pascal was a Daughter of Mary serving at the Ecole Notre Dame du Perpetuel Secours in Port au Prince, Haiti.

Sr. Marie-Bernarde was a Dominican sister of the Sacred Heart Dominican College in Houston, Texas.

Br. Marie-Bernard was a Trappist monk, possibly of Gethsemani Abbey.

Sr. Marie-Aurelie is writing from the Monastery of the Precious Blood in Hamilton, Ontario. According to Sr. Marie-Aurelie's first letter, the Sisters Adorers of the Precious Blood were the first contemplative order in Canada, founded in 1861 in St. Hyacinth, Quebec.

Sr. Marie Pius writes from the Monastery of Saint Clare in New Orleans, Louisiana. She was the first African-American admitted to the Poor Clares in the United States. She was suffering from a terminal illness at the time of writing to Merton.

Sr. Marie of the Eucharist was a Carmelite nun.

Abbess Marie of the Assumption Marie of the Assumption was of the Portiuncula Monastery of the Holy Trinity, Poor Clares-Colettines, in Mwanza, Tanzania. She writes to the Mother Abbess of the Monastery of Saint Clare in Lowell, Massachusetts (who likely forwarded her letter to Merton).

Merton writes to Adrienne Mariani of Glen Ridge, New Jersey.

Sr. Maria de los Angeles was a nun of the Carmelite Monastery of Cristo Rey in San Francisco, California.

Sr. Maria da Concricão da Virginem Dolorosa writes from the Carmelite convent of St. Teresa in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Sr. Margaret Mary was a Benedictine nun of St. John's McNamara School of Nursing in Rapid City, South Dakota.

Gladys Marcus was the sister of Merton's close friend Bob Lax. Merton got to know her and her husband, Benji Marcus, in the summer of 1938. Merton was having some difficulty in getting in touch with her brother Robert and asks her for assistance in 1967. She writes back informing him that he will be coming back to the United States. In addition, she informs Merton of the death of her husband.

Adria Marconi was a student from Milan, Italy, studying foreign language and graduating with a degree in English and American literature.

Fr. Marcellus was a Trappist monk of Holy Spirit Abbey in Conyers, Georgia.

Manuel Mantero was a poet writing from Madrid, Spain.

Josefina Manresa writes on behalf of Aguilar publishers in Madrid, Spain.

Bill Manning writes from Hopkins, Minnesota.

Archimandrite Laurence Mancuso founded the Monks of New Skete in Cambridge, New York, in 1966. In his first letter to Merton in 1961, he was a Franciscan priest in the Byzantine-Slavonic Rite, living in New Canaan, Connecticut. After founding New Skete, he joined the Orthodox Church in America.

Fr. Eugene H. Maly writes for the periodical «The Bible Today», a publication of Mt. St. Mary's Seminary in Norwood, Ohio.

Fr. George A. Maloney is a Jesuit priest of the Russian Byzantine Rite and the founder of the John XXIII Center for Eastern Christian Studies at Fordham University in New York, where he taught patristics and Eastern theology. He writes on behalf of «Diakonia», a quarterly journal that promoted dialogue between Catholic and Orthodox Christians, asking that Merton submit something for publication.

Bishop Charles G. Maloney was Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Louisville, Kentucky, at the time of writing to Merton.

Br. Simeon Malone was a lay brother at Gethsemani Abbey. He was originally from Wichita, Kansas, and entered Gethsemani in 1957. Br. Simeon was a secretary to Dom James Fox at Gethsemani Abbey in the 1960's.

Carolyn W. Mallison writes from Watertown, New York.

Halina Majchrzakówna writes from Poland.

Fr. Henry Mahaney was a Franciscan priest from St. Pius X Church of the Capuchin Fathers in Middletown, Connecticut.

T. K. Mahadevan was an editor from «Gandhi Marg», a quarterly journal of Gandhian thought in New Delhi, India. He asks Merton to contribute to the journal.

Una Maguire was a psychologist writing to thank Merton for his article "Notes on Love" that appeared in the Autumn 1967 issue of «Frontiers».

James Edmund Magner Jr. was a poet and professor at John Carroll University in Ohio. He grew up in New York. In his early years, he helped underprivileged children, taught boxing and worked at a newspaper before serving in the United States Infantry from 1948-1951. After suffering a wounded knee in the Korean War, he returned to the United States and spent time at monasteries in New York, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut. He was a Passionist seminarian for five years before leaving to earning a degree at the University of Pittsburgh. He continued his graduate work at Pittsburgh, earning his doctorate in 1966. He has published eight volumes of poetry. (Source: "James Magner Jr. Collection." Website of the Ohio University Library Archives and Special Collections. Accessed 3 Nov. 2005. ‹http://www.library.ohiou.edu/libinfo/depts/archives/mss/mss062.htm›.)

Herbert D. Magidson writes from Beverly Hills, California, on behalf of Individuals against the Crime of Silence, an organization opposed to the Vietnam War.

Sr. Mary Madeleva, born Mary Evaline Wolff, was a Sister of the Holy Cross who served as long time president of Saint Mary's College in Notre Dame, Indiana. She is also known as a poet and literary critic. She shared with Merton a love of medieval Christian mysticism. In his letter, Merton specifically praises Julian of Norwich. By the first extant letter in 1953, Merton and Sr. Madeleva had seemed to have already written letters to each other. (Source: "Madeleva, Mary." World Authors." 1996. Wilson Biographies Plus. Online. H.W. Wilson. Bellarmine University Library, Louisville, KY. 2 Nov. 2005. ‹http://vnweb.hwwilsonweb.com›.)

Sr. Mary Maddaleva was a Poor Clare sister from Evansville, Indiana.

Fr. Thomas MacMaster was a Trappist priest from the Abbey of Notre-Dame-des-Prairies in St. Norbert, Manitoba, Canada.

Robert MacGregor was writing on behalf of New Directions Publishing. He was Vice President of New Directions during much of this time. He died in 1974 at the age of 63.

Alasdair Alpin MacGregor was a writer, photographer and poet, born in Scotland. At the time of correspondence with Merton, he was writing a biography of the artist Percyval Tudor-Hart.

Diosdado Macapagal was President of the Philippines at the time of correspondence.

Andrew Nelson Lytle was an author of essays, novels and short stories, a professor of history and creative writing, and an editor. Lytle writes to Merton as editor of «The Sewanee Review», a quarterly published by the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee. Merton became a regular contributor to this publication. In addition, Lytle often sent books of interest to Merton.

Br. John Lyons was a Salvatorian writing first from Mount St. Paul College in Waukesha, Wisconsin, and later from New Holstein, Wisconsin.

Fr. Rupert A. Lutz was a United States Army chaplain and Franciscan priest who had served in Vietnam. He writes from San Francisco, California.

Sr. Lurana was a Missionary Sister of the Blessed Sacrament from New Orleans, Louisiana. At the time of correspondence, she was Exhibits Director for an art Xavier University and arranged to have Merton's art displayed there.

Br. Edmund Lum was a Trappist monk of Gethsemani Abbey. His name outside of religious life is Theodore Lum.

Fr. Luke was a monk of Genesee Abbey in Piffard, New York.

The author of this letter, signing Luke, seems to either be a novice or a brother of Gethsemani Abbey at the time of writing to Merton.

Sr. Lucilla was a Sister of St. Joseph of Carondelet writing from Regis College in Weston, Massachusetts.

Maureen Luces, a 19-year old from Brooklyn, New York, wrote to Merton asking advice about whether to become a cloistered Carmelite nun or to enter a missionary order. Merton's answer to her letter is the only extant piece of correspondence. According to her daughter, Luces was later prevented from entering a convent based on racial exclusion, but became a Fullbright Scholar in France and attended the Georgetown School of Foreign Service. She later married and became a member of the Third Order Carmelites.

From a humble beginning in New York, Clare Boothe Luce rose to prominent and varied careers, including an advocate for the women's movement, managing editor of «Vanity Fair», a satirist and playwright, «Life» magazine correspondent in Europe during World War II, Republican legislator in the U.S. House of Representatives for Connecticut, and ambassador to Italy. She was known for her scathing wit. Her husband after a remarriage was Henry R. Luce, who was president of Time magazine, and his death in 1964 allowed her to retire to Hawaii, but she remained active in Republican politics. She converted to Catholicism in 1944 after the death of her only daughter. Henry Luce donated the land that made Mepkin Abbey possible in Conyers, Georgia. Clare Boothe Luce writes to Merton in 1948 to thank him for his books. (Source: "Luce, Clare Boothe." World Authors 1900-1950 (1996). Online. H.W. Wilson. Bellarmine University Library, Louisville, KY. 16 September 2005. ‹http://vnweb.hwwilsonweb.com›.)

Pierre Lucas writes from the Collège Sainte-Barbe in Paris, France.

Fr. Lucas was a priest of the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate living in India. He writes to Merton asking that he write a biography of Kuriakose Elias Chavara, the co-founder of Lucas' order whom they were advocating a cause for sainthood. Chavara was beatified in 1986.

Mina Loy spent her later years in Aspen, Colorado, and Merton writes to her there. "Loy moved from Victorian England to impressionist Paris, to futurist Florence, to bohemian Greenwich Village and back to expatriate Paris during her long career. . . . Painter, poet, actress, playwright, feminist, mother, designer, conceptual artist - her range of skills and experience make it difficult to place her too squarely in any one artistic category." (Source: Hanscombe, Gillian and Virginia L. Smyers, "Mina Loy's Life" on the website of Modern American Poetry at Illinois University. Accessed 11 March 2009. ‹http://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/poets/g_l/loy/bio.htm›.)

A poet in his own right, Walter Lowenfels might be better known as an anthologist of 20th century radical poetry. A member of the Communist party, he wrote for the «Daily Worker» from the 1930's through the early 1950's. Solely based on his Communist Party membership, he was arrested and convicted of trying to overthrow the United States government in 1953, such charges being cleared in a matter of weeks. In the late 1950's, he focused more on writing poetry and publishing anthologies. Besides liking Lowenfels poems in «To an Imaginary Daughter», Merton gives Lowenfels praise for his anthology, «Where Is Vietnam?» (Source: "Walter Lowenfels, 1897-1976. American author and editor." Washington University in St. Louis, Olin Library Department of Special Collections website. 27 July 2004. Accessed 16 September 2005. ‹http://library.wustl.edu/units/spec/manuscripts/mlc/lowenfels/lowenfels.html›.)

Jim Lowell writes from the Asphodel Book Shop in Cleveland, Ohio. He writes to obtain copies of Merton's small press literary magazine, «Monks Pond». Merton does not plan to sell the magazine and will certainly give him copies that Lowell can sell, but suggests that if Lowell wants to trade, there are a couple of books he would like Lowell to send him (Franz Fanon's «Black Skin, White Masks» and Herbert Mancuse's «One Dimensional Man: Studies in the Ideology of Advanced Industrial Society «).

This letter suggests that Sr. Lourdes is in a religious order in the Orient. Merton does not mention her order, but mentions that she has hopes of becoming a Trappistine.

Mother Marie de Lourdes was of the Society of St. Ursula of the Blessed Virgin from Tours, France. She came to the United States in 1965 to visit her community's foundation in Kingston, New York. She arranged to meet Merton to discuss aggiornamento or reform in the religious life.

Fr. Louis Marié was a Trappist monk of Sainte Marie-du-Desert Abbey in Bellegarde, France.

Dom André Louf was a Cistercian monk and author of books on contemplative prayer. He was of the abbey of Sainte-Marie-du-Mont at Mont-des-Cats in France. In 1963, he became abbot of this monastery.