James Laughlin and Merton first came to known each other through Merton's former professor at Columbia University, poet Mark Van Doren. Van Doren recommended some of Merton's poems to Laughlin for his publishing house, New Directions. These poems became Merton's first published book, Thirty Poems. Laughlin, having been born into a wealthy steel-producing family in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, decided he would rather enter the literary world. He attended Harvard and, during his years there, went to Europe and met Ezra Pound, who encouraged Laughlin to get into publishing. While still a student at Harvard, Laughlin began New Directions in Norfolk, Connecticut, publishing a young generation of modern poets. Through correspondence and visits to Gethsemani, Merton and Laughlin forged an intimate friendship, entrusting Laughlin with some of his most private confidences.
Merton employed Marie Charron for some of his typing after he had problems with his arm and back. He would mail her tapes or manuscripts to prepare for a standard fee.
Born in St. Petersburg, Russia, Serge Bolshakoff received a doctorate in philosophy from Christ Church, Oxford. In his travels to churches and monasteries in promotion of Christian unity, he became acquainted with such notables as Pope John XXIII, Patriarch Athenagoras, Archbishop Temple of Canterbury, as well as the Abbot General of the Cistercians, Dom Gabriel Sortais (see "Sortais, Gabriel" and "Fox, James" files).
Patricia Burton has produced bibliographies of Thomas Merton and wrote The Book that Never Was: Thomas Merton’s Peace in the Post-Christian Era.
Thomasine ("Tommie") O'Callaghan was a close friend of Merton's through much of the 1960's. They met through a mutual friend and former professor, Daniel Walsh, whom Merton knew from a graduate course at Columbia University and O'Callaghan knew through the College of the Sacred Heart at Manhattanville, Purchase, New York. Merton became an adopted part of the O'Callaghan family in Louisville, getting to know Tommie's husband Frank and becoming "Uncle Louie" to the seven O'Callaghan children. Sometime Merton would visit the O'Callaghan's in conjunction with doctor's visits in Louisville. Tommie O'Callaghan also planned some picnics for Merton at Gethsemani. Merton chose her as a local member of the trustees of his literary estate in addition to the others from the publishing world in the northeast, Naomi Burton Stone and James Laughlin. (Source: The Thomas Merton Encyclopedia, pp. 340-341.)
Fr. Irenaeus Herscher was a Franciscan priest from St. Bonaventure College whom Merton knew from the library while teaching there. He is mentioned in The Seven Storey Mountain. Merton continued to request books from St. Bonaventure's library and to keep in contact with Herscher throughout his life at Gethsemani. (Source: «The Road to Joy», p. 295.)
The Very Rev. Eric Symes Abbott, 1906-1983, was an Anglican clergyman and Dean of Westminster.
Fr. M. Aelred was a Trappist Cistercian monk from Rawaseneng Monastery (also written Rawa Seneng) on the island of Java in Indonesia.
Alexandre Alexeieff writes from Paris, France regarding Boris Pasternak.
Fr. Amédée Hallier was a Trappist monk of the Abbay of Notre-Dame de Grâce in Bricquebec, Normany, France. He wrote «Un éducateur monastique», a book about St. Aelred of Rievaulx. Merton wrote an introduction which was published in the English language edition. The book was published in English as «The Monastic Tehology of Aelred of Rievaulx».
Reverend Mother Angela was abbess of the Trappist nuns at Mount St. Mary's Abbey in Wrentham, Massachusetts
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.
John L. McClenahan was a physician writing from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Dom Edward McCorkell was abbot of the Trappist monks at Holy Cross Abbey in Berryville, Virginia.
Fr. Kilian McDonnell is a Benedictine monk of St. John's Abbey in Collegeville, Minnesota. He is founder and president of the Institute for Ecumenical and Cultural Research. He had the rare distinction for a Catholic monk in the early 1960's to do advanced studies in a Protestant faculty in Germany. He also studied under Catholic theologian Hans Küng. He was editor of «Sponsa Regis», (later known as «Sisters Today») to which Merton contributed. (Source: "Father Kilian McDonnell, OSB". Website of the Institute for Ecumenical and Cultural Research. Accessed 9 November 2005. ‹http://www.iecr.org/kilianosb.htm›.)
Born in Philadelphia in 1911, Thomas McDonough served as archbishop of the Archdiocese of Louisville, Kentucky, from 1967 to 1981, taking over from Archbishop John Floersh. Prior to this, McDonough had been bishop in the Diocese of Savannah, Georgia.
Cindy McElhose was an 11-year-old from Grand Blanc, Michigan. Her class project was to write a letter to a famous person and ask how to be a better teenager and American.
Frank E. McElroy was Executive Director of the National Conference of Christians and Jews, Northeastern Region, in Boston, Massachusetts.
Dom Gerard McGinley was Abbot of Our Lady of the Genesee in Piffard, New York at the time of this correspondence with Merton.
Dennis Q. McInerny was a doctoral student in the American Studies program at University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. He was writing his dissertation on Merton, which was published in 1969 as "Thomas Merton and Society: A Study of the Man and His Thought against the Background of Contemporary American Culture". In 1974, his book «Thomas Merton: The Man and His Work» was published.
John F. McKinney was Recording Director of the Catholic Poetry Society of America in New York. They were the publishers of «Spirit». A recording was made of some of Merton's poetry. The poems were read by Richard Gray.
Mother Mary Francis Clare McLaughlin was the Prioress of the Poor Clares of New Orleans, Louisiana. She gave Merton the "Shalom" sign for the door of his hermitage.
Fr. Arthur McNally was a Passionist priest and Associate Editor of «The Sign», a national Catholic magazine.
Geraldine McNamara was a high-school student who writes to ask Merton about Trappist life.
Fr. William McNamara was a Carmelite priest writing on behalf of the Spiritual Life Institute of America (SLIA) in Sedona, Arizona. He has written on the contemplative life and founded Carmelite hermitages in the United States and Canada. (Source: «The School of Charity», p. 281.)
Mary S. McNiff was Assistant to the Librarian of St. John's Seminary in Brighton, Massachusetts.
Fr. Daniel Meenan was a Jesuit priest and Editor of the «Sacred Heart Messenger», national magazine of the Apostleship of Prayer.
Dom Petrus Balthazar Albertus van der Meer de Walcheren was a Benedictine monk of Beuron Abbey in Germany. He was a friend of Jacques and Raïssa Maritain. Jacques Maritain wrote an introduction for his book «Le Paradis Blanc» about the Carthusians of La Valsainte.