Sr. Inez of the Blessed Trinity was a Carmelite nun of Bramshott in England.
Fr. Innocent seems to have been a Trappist monk of Gethsemani. He writes the first letter on a trip to the Benedictine monastery of St-Benoît-du-Lac in Quebec, Canada, which he describes as possessing the idea of "hermits in community".
Marianne Jahn writes from New York.
Dom Claude Jean-Nesmy was a Benedictine monk of La Pierre-Qui-Vire Abbey in Yonne, France. He inquires about publishing some selections from Merton's writings in translation in French in the monastery's journal, «Temoignages». He is also interested in translating more of Merton's work into French.
Jorgensen compares Merton to C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien.
Sr. Maria José de Jesus was a Carmelite nun of the Convent of St. Teresa in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Sr. Marie Josèphe was a Benedictine nun of Saint Louis du Temple Abbey in France.
Alfonso Junco was a Mexican poet who sends Merton a biography and list of published poetry. He knew Merton's friend Ernesto Cardenal, who was in Mexico at that time, and who gave Junco some of Merton's poetry translated into Spanish.
Sr. M. Justina writes Merton's abbot, Dom James Fox, from Joliet, Illinois. The letter concerned Mother Berchmans, of whom Merton wrote in «Exile Ends in Glory», so Dom James likely passed the letter on to him.
On later letters to Merton, Frank Kacmarcik's letterhead stated he was an "artist, designer, consultant in the sacred arts". After a few years of corresponding with Merton, Kacmarcik and his friend Bob Rambusch visit Gethsemani in October of 1960. Merton notes in his personal journal of being "a little suspicious of the intense activation and restlessness of some of these liturgical enthusiasts", although noting he has "[n]othing against liturgy" (personal journals, 1960/10/16). Kacmarcik became a Benedictine novice at St. John's Abbey in Collegeville, Minnesota, in 1940, but left the order and became an assistant chaplain in World War II. After the war, he stayed in Paris and studied at the Académie de la Grand Chaumière and the Centre d'Art Sacré. In 1950, he came back to the United States teaching art for a few years at St. John's University in Collegeville. He did book design and was the longtime artistic director for «Worship» magazine and was a graphic artist for Liturgical Press. He collaborated with Hungarian Bauhaus architect Marcel Breuer. St. John's welcomed him back to their community in 1988 as a claustral oblate, where he remained until his death in 2004.
Rev. J. N. Kelly was pastor of Harrodsburg Christian Church in Harrodsburg, Kentucky.
Fr. Timothy Kelly was eighth abbot of Gethsemani Abbey, serving in this role from 1973-2000. During the time of this correspondence, he was in his theological studies in Rome.
Fr. Matthew Kelty was a Trappist monk of Gethsemani Abbey. He was a former missionary priest in Papua New Guinea before joining Gethsemani. He was later able to return to New Guinea as a monk. Merton chose Kelty as his confessor. Among Kelty's published books include collections of talks and sermons he delivered to Gethsemani guests after the monks prayed compline.
Gerald E. Kemner is professor emeritus in the Conservatory of Music at the University of Missouri - Kansas City. He composed musical arrangements for two of Merton's poems, "A Picture of Lee Ying" and "The Winter's Night".
Jacqueline Kennedy was married to President John F. Kennedy. Merton writes to Jacqueline Kennedy after the President's assassination.
Dom Vital Klinski was born in Poland. In 1904, he entered the Cistercian Abbey of Achel in Belgium and was elected their abbot in 1920. By 1927, he left for the United States to join Gethsemani. He was Merton's confessor at the time of correspondence. (Source: «The School of Charity», p. 10.)
Sr. John Marie Klisiewicz was a Sister of St. Ann of Providence at Mount Saint Ann in Ebensburg, Pennsylvania.
Perry Knowlton was an editor and later Vice President of Curtis Brown publishers.
Franz Cardinal König was Archbishop of Vienna, Austria.
Frank Kowalski was a United States Representative for Connecticut. He writes from his office in Washington, D.C. Kowalski retired from the military as a colonel in 1958 and had served under Dwight Eisenhower in World War II. He was a Democrat and voted pro-labor and against improper utilization of the armed forces. In 1962, inspired by "Original Child Bomb", he asks Merton to write a peace prayer to be read in Congress. Later, Kowalski would serve on the Subversive Activities Control Board. (Source: "Kowalski, Frank." «New York Times» obituary. 1974. Online. Biography Reference Bank. H.W. Wilson. Bellarmine University Library, Louisville, KY. 2005/05/24. ‹http://vnweb.hwwilsonweb.com›.)
Marcelle Kraemer-Bach and Pierre Kraemer-Raine were from the French law firm representing the Abbey of Gethsemani while Marie Tadié, a translator and agent for some of Merton's works in romance languages, was threatening a law suit concerning her role as publishing agent. Tadié decided not to file the law suit.
Gilda Kuhlman was Production Editor for New Directions and writes from Norfolk, Connecticut.
Pedro Juan Labarthe was a poet originally from Latin American and a friend of Ernesto Cardenal and Cesar Vallejo. He writes from Hudson, Illinois.
Lionel Landry was Director of the Asia Society, a group found in 1956 to promote intercultural dialog between Asia and the United States. Landry writes from New York.
Alfred H. Lane was Head of the Gift and Exchange office of Columbia University in New York.
Sarah Lansdell was an art critic for the Louisville Courier Journal. She wrote an article in November of 1964 concerning the drawings Merton was exhibiting at Spalding College.
Archbishop (later elevated to Cardinal) Arcadio Larraona was a head of the Sacred Congregation for Religious at the Vatican. He wrote the prologue to the Italian translation of «The Ascent to Truth».
Pasteur Jean Lasserre was a traveling secretary of the International Fellowship of Reconciliation (IFOR) and worked with Jean Goss (see the "Goss-Mayr, Hildegard" file). He writes from Lyon, France. In France, IFOR was called the Mouvement International de la Réconciliation (MIR). He was the author of a number of books on a Christian responsibility for peace and non-violence.
Irving Laucks writes from Santa Barbara, California.
Sr. Mary Laurence writes from Holy Cross Abbey in the United Kingdom.
John Lawrence was Editor of «Frontier», a literary journal from London.
Sr. Marie Lawrence was a Religious Sister of Mercy from Albany, New York.
Robert Lax was a minimalist poet and Merton's closest friend from his Columbia University days. Bob Lax was born in Olean, New York, into a Jewish family. His family later moved to New York. At Columbia, he met Merton through mutual involvement in the university's humorous magazine, «The Columbia Jester». Lax's spirituality influenced Merton's acceptance of religion and conversion to Catholicism in 1938, Lax having later been influenced by Merton and converting to Catholicism in 1943. The two friends stayed in contact after graduating from Columbia and spent time together with Ed Rice at a cottage in Olean after Merton finished his Masters degree in 1939. Lax attended Merton's ordination to the priesthood in 1949. Lax wrote for and edited such magazines as «Pax» and «Jubilee» and was on staff at «The New Yorker». In 1962, he went into self-imposed exile from the United States and lived much of his life until his later years on the Greek islands of Patmos, Lesvos and Kalymnos. He returned to Olean, New York, in the summer of 2000, where he died in his sleep on September 26. (Sources: «The Road to Joy», p. 142; and The Thomas Merton Encyclopedia, p. 249.)
Richard C. Leach was President of Argus Communications in Chicago, Illinois. He asks Merton to write a homily for Easter to be included in a series written and recorded by a number of prominent Christian names from various denominations. His sermon was later published separately as the book He Is Risen.
Fr. John Leary was a Jesuit priest and President of Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington.
Paris Leary writes from New Paltz, New York. The two letters are listed as from Paris Leary and Robert Kelly, editors at Doubleday, but are signed exclusively by Paris Leary.
Juan Liscano was a poet, literary critic, essayist and editor of such literary magazines as «Zona Franca». He writes from Caracas, Venezuela.
Claire Livingston was a poet and professional violinist who taught at North Hennepin State Junior College in Osseo, Minnesota. Her husband, Ray (see "Livingston, Ray F." file), was first in contact with Merton and sent him some of Claire's poetry. Merton included a number of her poems, and their eleven year old son Ira's poems, in the fourth edition of «Monks Pond». Livingston was also on the board of editors for the literary magazine «Karamus». (Source: Monks Pond, pp. 348.)
Ray Livingston was chair of the Department of English at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Fr. Loftus served as the academic dean of Bellarmine College from 1953 until his death in 1969. He chair the committee for the establishment of a collection of Merton's papers at Bellarmine. In 1960, Merton would sometimes visit . Loftus was a fan of Merton's work and excited about establishing a connection with Bellarmine.
Kenneth A. Lohf was Assistant Librarian for Special Collections at Columbia University in New York.
Fr. Benedict Lohr was a Trappist monk of Holy Cross Abbey in Berryville, Virginia. He was writing as editor of «Monastic Studies» and asked if Merton would contribute a piece for an issue about the Advent-Nativity Mystery.
Sr. Lone was a Carmelite nun from Norfolk, England.
Fr. Johann Lotz was a German Jesuit priest and Catholic existentialist philosopher who was the author of a number of book and was planning to visit Merton at Gethsemani.
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.
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.
Fr. Rupert A. Lutz was a United States Army chaplain and Franciscan priest who had served in Vietnam. He writes from San Francisco, California.
Diosdado Macapagal was President of the Philippines at the time of correspondence.
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.
Sr. Mary Maddaleva was a Poor Clare sister from Evansville, Indiana.
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.
Fr. Henry Mahaney was a Franciscan priest from St. Pius X Church of the Capuchin Fathers in Middletown, Connecticut.
Halina Majchrzakówna writes from Poland.
Fr. Eugene H. Maly writes for the periodical «The Bible Today», a publication of Mt. St. Mary's Seminary in Norwood, Ohio.
Manuel Mantero was a poet writing from Madrid, Spain.
Adria Marconi was a student from Milan, Italy, studying foreign language and graduating with a degree in English and American literature.
Sr. Margaret Mary was a Benedictine nun of St. John's McNamara School of Nursing in Rapid City, South Dakota.
Sr. Maria de los Angeles was a nun of the Carmelite Monastery of Cristo Rey in San Francisco, California.
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".
Sr. Patricia Marks writes to ask Merton's contribution to her congregation's newsletter, «The Light».
Peter Marron writes on behalf of «Cithara», "essays in the Judeo-Christian tradition".
Michael Marsch was a German Christian who went to Israel to study Hebrew.
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 Gabriel was a Sister of Mercy from Jamestown, New York.
Mother Mary Philomena was Abbess of the Monastery of the Poor Clares in Chicago, Illinois.
Christiana Maslin writes from Saint-Chaffrey, Hautes-Alpes, France.
Fr. Thiband M. Maze was a Benedictine monk from the Abbaye Notre-Dame Du Bec in France.
Fr. Alfred McBride writes to member of the National Association for Pastoral Renewal (NAPR) advisory board, which included Merton.