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Br. Irenaeus was a tailor at Gethsemani Abbey.

Frank Jones owned property along the northern California coast at Bear Harbor. While visiting Redwoods Abbey in the spring of 1968, Merton met him and his wife and inquired about land for a new hermitage. By September, Jones agreed he was interested in selling; however, by that time, Merton was considering hermitage locations in Asia.

Br. Fidelis Kerekes was a monk of Gethsemani Abbey.

Beatrice Lillie was a Canadian-born, British actress. She achieved fame in Britain after World War I and international stardom after success in the United States in 1924. She was primarily known as a brilliant comedienne, often playing in musical productions. She became Lady Peel after marriage in 1920 to the Honourable Robert Peel of Staffordshire, England. During the time Merton sent her his book, Lillie performed cabarets and benefits while hosting two series on American television. (Source: "Lillie, Beatrice." Biography from Current Biography. 1964. Online. H.W. Wilson Company. Bellarmine University Library, Louisville, KY. 11 July 2007, ‹http://galenet.galegroup.com›.)

Sister M. Lois was an Ursuline Sister teaching at Angela Merici Hight School in Louisville, Kentucky.

Dr. R. Meulet was part of a faculty of medicine in radiology in Bordeaux, France.

Donna Mae Miller was the Editor of «Quest», a scholarly publication that was sponsored by two associations of physical therapy on college campuses. Miller writes from the University of Arizona.

Frank Miller was an editorial cartoonist for the «Des Moines Register and Tribune» in Iowa. Inspired by «The Seven Storey Mountain», he was taking instructions as a Catholic. From his recommendation, the editorial page at his newspaper ran quotes from «Conjectures of a Guilty Bystander» with his illustrations, originals of which he sends as thanks to Merton.

Lawrence K. Miller was Editor of «The Berkshire Eagle» of Pittsfield, Massachusetts. Miller's wife was involved in the restoration of the Shaker village of Hancock, Massachusetts. Lawrence Miller is interested in reprinting one of Merton's articles on the Shakers in his newspaper.

Samra Hicks (later Mims) was, at the time of Merton's message to her, assistant to Sr. Anna Louise, Dean of Students of Catherine Spalding College in Louisville, Kentucky.

Dom Peter Minard was a French Benedictine monk and founder of the Holy Mother of God Monastery in Oxford, North Carolina, a contemplative Benedictine foundation that later was turned over to the Trappists.

Elsie Mitchell is a Buddhist scholar, originally from Boston, who has published books on Zen Buddhism and art. She was founder of the Ahimsa Foundation, which supports humane societies and organizations for the protection of wildlife; and she was co-founder of the Cambridge Buddhist Association. Dom Aelred Graham spent the summer of 1968 with Elsie and her husband John Mitchell. Elsie Mitchell writes from Cataumet, Massachusetts.

Gwynedd Monroe was Associate Secretary of the Department of Christian Social Relations of the Executive Council of the Episcopal Church in New York.

Hiromu Morishita was president of the Senior High School Teachers' Society and the Hiroshima Peace Education Institute in Japan. He was a survivor of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and led a group of survivors, known as the Hibakusha, on a world tour for peace. On May 16, 1964, the group visited Merton and stayed at Gethsemani. Merton read Morishita his poem, "Paper Cranes" (the paper crane is a Japanese symbol of peace). (Source: «The Hidden Ground of Love», pp. 458-459.)

James Morrissey was an editor and staff writer for the «Louisville Courier-Journal» in Kentucky.

John Morrissey writes on behalf of «The Catholic News», the Catholic newspaper of New York.

Dom John Morson was a Trappist monk of Mount St. Bernard's Abbey in Leicester, England. He served as Trappist Definitor for England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales. He was a regular contributor to «Cistercian Studies». He writes from Rome. (Source: «The School of Charity», p. 330.)

Elizabeth Mowat writes from the Translation Department of the publishing firm Curtis Brown in regards to foreign rights to Merton's books overseas and in translation. She writes from New York.

Fr. Michael Moylan was a Discalced Carmelite of Mount Carmel in Oxford, England.

Fr. Thomas A. Mullaney was a Dominican priest from Washington, D.C. and writes in response to «Seeds of Contemplation».

Michael Murphy writes from the Esalen Institute, located in San Francisco and Big Sur, California.

A. J. Muste was born in Holland, moved with his family to the United States at six, and later attended Union Theological Seminary and became a minister in the Dutch Reformed Church. He was a pacifist and life-long advocate for peace and civil rights, working with such groups at the Fellowship of Reconciliation (FOR), the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE), and the War Resisters League. Even in his later years, he continued his opposition to war in resisting United States involvement in Vietnam.

Norman Neuman was a Lutheran minister writing from Lutheran Social Services in Brooklyn, New York. He had skills in drawing and painting and asked how to use these artistic gifts to serve God and how to overcome the "problem of communicating to «modern man»."

Lorine Niedecker was a poet who lived most of her life on Rock River in Wisconsin. She worked many odd jobs through the years and married twice, starting to write verse in the 1930's after attending Beloit College. She moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with her second husband and died of a stroke in 1970. Louis Zukofsky was an influence on her poetry, the two of them having corresponded in the 1930's. She had a number of poems published in books and magazines, including some by Jonathan Williams and Cid Corman. Merton publishes some of her poems in the first volume of «Monks Pond». (Source: Monks Pond, p. 62.)

John Jacob Niles was the composer of the Niles-Merton Song Cycles with the poetry of Thomas Merton.

Sr. M. Nivard was a Religious Sister of Mercy from Villa Maria Convent in Christchurch, New Zealand. She sent a clipping about the Wahine disaster, a ferry that sank between two of New Zealand's islands, and which killed Merton's Aunt "Kit", Agnes Gertrude Stonehewer Merton.

Sr. Marie Nöel was a Dominican nun from Oullins, France

Lord Northbourne, born Walter Ernest Christopher James, was the 4th Baron Northbourne, residing in Deal, Kent, England. Lord Northbourne began as an agronomist, serving as Provost of Wye College of University of London. After reading Marco Pallis, he became involved in the Traditionalist / Perennialist movement of writers. Northbourne sometimes used the «nom de plume» of Sidi Nuh. Pallis in turn suggested that he send Merton a copy of his book, «Religion in the Modern World». Merton sent him back a copy of his response to the document of the Second Vatican Council entitled, «Gaudium et Spes» (the Church in the Modern World). Merton's essay, later incorporated into «Redeeming the Time», was called "The Church and the 'Godless' World". (Sources: «Witness to Freedom».; and "Northbourne, Lord". World Wisdom Books (website). 6 Jan. 2006. ‹http://worldwisdom.com/author/Detail.asp?AuthorID=43&WhatType=2›.)

Thomas O'Brien was a religion teacher at Brother Rice High School in Chicago, Illinois. He was working on a graduate degree in education at this time. He asks Merton's advice for a paper he was writing for a course. O'Brien entitled his paper: "Catholic Church Non-Involvement in Ghetto Areas, and Consequent Adverse Effect on Negro Acculturation". (Source: «The Road to Joy», pp. 364.)

James O'Gara was editor of the «Commonweal» in New York from 1952-1984. A Catholic, born in Chicago's South Side, he had an early interest in the Catholic Worker movement. He later became assistant director of the Catholic Worker House of Hospitality and associate editor of the «Catholic Worker» newspaper. After fighting in the infantry in the Second World War in the South Pacific, he contracted malaria and was sent home. He married Joan F. Smith in 1946, who was secretary for the head of the Chicago Interstudent Catholic Action Movement. He co-founded Today, a Catholic student magazine circulated nationally. Later he worked for «Voice of St. Jude», which became the current magazine «U.S. Catholic». During his tenure at «Commonweal», he defended a liberal Catholic voice in journalism. When Daniel Berrigan submitted an article while hiding from the federal authorities during the Vietnam War, O'Gara was approached by the FBI, but was said by his daughter to have told them to "get out". (Source: Toomey, Shamus. "James O'Gara, 85, editor for leading Catholic lay magazine." Chicago Sun Times [online]. 30 Oct. 2003. x000D
Obituaries. 13 Jan. 2006. ‹http://www.chicagosuntimes.com/output/obituaries/cst-nws-xogara30.html›.)

Ned O'Gorman was a poet and, at the time of writing, on the editorial staff of the Catholic magazine, «Jubilee». His poetry has been described as having "bejeweled" language and baroque imagery, influenced by his Catholic faith. He was also interested in social justice, starting a library and school serving primarily African-American children in Harlem in 1966. (Source: "O'Gorman, Ned." World Authors. 1975. Wilson Biographies Plus. Online. H.W. Wilson. Bellarmine University Library, Louisville, KY. 13 Jan. 2006. ‹http://vnweb.hwwilsonweb.com›.)

John O'Neil was co-founder and co-editor of «The Pope Speaks: The American Quarterly of Papal Documents», published in Washington, D.C.

Arthur Osborne was an Oxford graduate of history who taught at Chulongkorn University in Bangkok before moving to Tiruvannamalai, India, with his family to become a devotee of Ramana Maharshi. Taking up residence at the Ashram of Maharshi, he was well-known as the founder and editor of «The Mountain Path», a quarterly journal published by Sri Ramanasramam. (Source: Osborne, Arthur. "The Teachings of Ramana Maharshi in His Own Words." Sri Ramanasramam. Tiruvannamalai, India: 1996. Back cover.)

E. J. Oshier writes to Editor of «Harper's Magazine» regarding Merton's article in the November 1966 issue entitled, "Apologies to an Unbeliever". Oshier states that Merton "made the point that, while God may or may not be dead, Gobbledgook prevails in strength."

W. H. Ferry, also known as Ping Ferry, was vice-president of the Center for Democratic Institutions at Santa Barbara from 1954-1969. In 1961, Merton first wrote to W. H. Ferry, having been introduced to pamphlets produced by the Center for Democratic Institutions by James Laughlin. This began a dialog between the two that continued through the rest of Merton's life. Ferry first came to visit Gethsemani in November of 1964 for a meeting with the Fellowship of Reconciliation (FOR) and others on peace that was attended by Daniel and Philip Berrigan, A. J. Muste, John Howard Yoder, among others. Ferry drove Merton along the northern California coast as Merton scoped out areas for a possible new hermitage. He was also present to see Merton off when his flight left for Asia. (Source: «The Hidden Ground of Love», p. 201.)

Ed Finnigan writes from Chicago, Illinois.

James T. Flanagan was an attorney with the law offices of Driscoll, Flanagan and Ramos from New Orleans, Louisiana.

David Ford was an editor at New Directions publishing in Norfolk, Connecticut.

John J. Ford succeeded William Dwyer as attorney for the Merton Legacy Trust, which drew up Merton's will and made agreements about the use of his artistic estate after his death.

Linda married James Forest in 1967 and briefly corresponded with Merton.

Br. Dunstan Foretich was a Trappist monk at Gethsemani. He seemed to have been serving as a typist for Merton until he left the monastery in 1966.

Sr. Franciscana was a Franciscan sister at St. Anthony Hospital in Louisville, Kentucky.

Jerome D. Frank was a psychiatrist at Henry Phipps Psychiatric Clinic in Baltimore, Maryland.

Claude Fredericks was a typesetter and printer of fine books who founded Banyan Press in the late 1940s.

Roberto Friol is a Cuban poet who sent some of his work to Merton.

Jim Frost was a sophomore in high school in Waterloo, Iowa.

Pietro Cardinal Fumasoni-Biondi was Prefect of the Promulgation of the Faith. He writes from Castel Gandolfo and Vatican City.

Gary Gagner, a former novice at Gethsemani, was applying for conscientious objector status during the Vietnam War and was being assisted by Jim Forest and the Catholic Peace Fellowship. Merton wrote a letter on Gagner's behalf (in the "Forest, Jim" file). Gagner was stationed at Fr. Dix in New Jersey.

Thomas Gallagher was an editor with Magi Books in Albany, New York.

Fr. Bernard Gaynon was a Trappist monk writing from Canada.

Fr. Agostino Gemelli was a Franciscan writing from Milan, Italy, to pass along thanks from Msgr. Dell'Acqua for Merton's contribution to a book in honor of Pope Pius XII's 80th birthday. Gemelli authored books on such subjects as Marxism, psychology and Franciscan spirituality.

Rabbi Everett Gendler was a Jewish religious leader involved in the anti-war movement and the Civil Rights movement who worked closely with Rabbi Abraham Heschel and Martin Luther King in the later. He was later described as "the father of Jewish environmentalism".

Sandra George writes as Librarian for the Bruce Publishing Company in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Sr. Marie Germaine Du Sacre Coeur was a Dominican from Oullins, France.

Sr. Gertrude Anne was a Sister of the Holy Cross writing from St. Mary's Convent in Notre Dame, Indiana.

Aly Abdel Ghani writes from Alexandria, Egypt.

José Gómez-Sicre was of the Visual Arts Section of the Organization of American States.

Fr. Jim Gorman was a Sulpician priest at St. Thomas Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky.

James A. Gould was Chairman of the University of South Florida Department of Philosophy. He writes from Tampa.

Raphael (Ray) Gould visited Merton at Gethsemani in May of 1966 along with John Heidbrink and Thich Nhat Hanh. After that visit, Gould writes Merton on behalf of the International Committee of Conscience on Vietnam of the Fellowship of Reconciliation (FOR). In 1967, he is listed as Director of Development of the FOR. He writes from the FOR headquarters in Nyack, New York.

Denis Goulet was the Visiting Associate Professor in Government and Education at Indiana University in Bloomington at the time of correspondence with Merton. Since 1979, he has served as O'Neill Professor in Education for Justice in the Department of Economics at Notre Dame University and is Faculty Fellow for both the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies and the Kellogg Institute for International Studies.

Julien Green lived in France for most of his life and was born in Paris in 1900 of American parents. Merton's «Raids on the Unspeakable» contains an essay on Green's 1961 novel «Chaque homme dans sa nuit», and Green disputes him on some of Merton's criticism.

Jonathan Greene was born in New York, but has spent most of his career living in Kentucky as a poet, author, publisher and free-lance designer. While corresponding with Merton, he was a designer for University of Kentucky Press in Lexington. He was the founder of Gnomon Press. He currently lives on a farm near Frankfort, Kentucky.

Fr. Réginald Grégoire was a Benedictine priest and writes from Rome.

David Grewe was a seminary student at Cardinal Glennon College in St. Louis, Missouri.

Roberto Gri was an Italian student writing to Merton to ask his advice about how one should study.

Dan Griffin was Assistant Editor of «Ave Maria», a "national Catholic weekly... published by the Holy Cross Fathers." He writes from Notre Dame, Indiana.

Miguel Grinberg was a poet from Buenos Aires, Argentina, who has authored a number of collections of poetry. He took over the editorship of «Eco Contemporáneo» in 1961, a publication to which Merton later subscribed. He came to Gethsemani to meet Merton in March of 1964 while traveling across the United States.

Maria (Mary) Groman writes from Warsaw, Poland.

Sharon Grossman writes as President of the National Federation of Catholic College Students from Washington, D.C.

Fr. Jean Guénnou writes from the Missions Étrangères in Paris.

An Anglican and Oxford graduate, Etta Gullick first writes to Merton to read her edition of the «Rule of Perfection» by Benet of Canfield (1562-1610). She had hoped Merton would write a preface. Although this did not come to pass, they discussed Benet of Canfield over their long correspondence and also about other great spiritual writers, about whom Gullick lectured on at St. Stephen's House, a theological college at Oxford. She was also involved in dialogue with Orthodox Christians, founding an Anglican-Orthodox center and hostel and meeting Ecumenical Patriarch, Athenagoras, in 1962. (Source: «The Hidden Ground of Love», p. 340.)

D. Grafton Gwynn was the author of poetry, novels and an autobiography that he was trying to publish at the time of correspondence with Merton. Merton provides Gwynn with some feedback on his poems. Gwynn writes from Baltimore, Maryland.