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Paul Rowland was a retired English professor living in Maryville, Tennessee. He was interested in some of Merton's essays on Boris Pasternak.

Emile Rovilly was municipal archivist for Nantes, France.

Dimitri Roussopoulos was editor-in-chief of «Our Generation against Nuclear War», described on the letterhead as: "A new quarterly journal devoted to the research, theory and review of the problems of world peace and directed toward presenting alternative solutions to human conflict, eliminating war as a way of life." Roussopoulos writes from Montreal, Canada.

Fr. Richard W. Rousseau was a Jesuit priest and associate professor of theology at Fairfield University in Connecticut.

Dom Oliver Rousseau was a Benedictine monk of the monastery of Chevetogne in Belgium. He and others from Chevetogne were deeply involved in the early stages of the liturgical reform movement. Though their quarterly review «Irénikon», Chevetogne also addressed ecumenical dialogue. Rousseau was interested in Merton's article, "The Pasternak Affair", but thought that another article by Merton might more closely fit the genre of Irénikon.

Gerald P. Roucoulet was a college seminarian in his early twenties studying for the diocesan priesthood at Christ the King Seminary in St. Bonaventure, New York. He was considering the monastic life and asks for Merton's advice.

Theodore Roszak writes from London, England, as the editor of «Peace News».

Nancy Wilson Ross was a novelist and essayist writing for both adults and juveniles, and writing about relationships and spiritual journeys. She had a long interest in eastern religions and wrote some popular introductions to Buddhism and Zen. She was born in Olympia, Washington, but spent the later part of her life in New York. (Source: "Ross, Nancy Wilson." Biography from World Authors 1900-1950. 1996. Wilson Biographies Plus. Online. H.W. Wilson. Bellarmine University Library, Louisville, KY. 28 Feb. 2006. ‹http://vnweb.hwwilsonweb.com›.)

Eric B. Ross writes on behalf of the Philomathean Society of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. He sent Merton the society's publication, «ERA».

Sr. M. Rosita was a Marianite of the Holy Cross from Our Lady of Holy Cross College in New Orleans, Louisiana. She asks Merton's help in how to respond to the questions of her 20 year old cousin who has some theological questions that she cannot answer.

Richard Rosenthal writes on behalf of «Writer's Digest» of Cincinnati, Ohio.

Jean Rosenthal writes on behalf of Curtis Brown publishers from New York.

Dorothy Rosenberger writes on behalf of the Grail community (Grailville) outside of Loveland, Ohio. The Grail is an international women's movement, founded in the 1920's in the Netherlands. The Grailville community in Ohio was the first in the United States, founded in 1944, and is now the national headquarters with other communities in New York and California.

Sr. Rose-Marie was a Dominican nun and Prioress of the monastery of Notre-Dame du Rosaire in Berthierville, Quebec, Canada. She was president of the Organisme des Moniales (the Monastic Organization).

Fr. Raymond Roseliep was a Catholic priest and poet. He was born in Iowa and spent almost all of his life in Dubuque with the exception of his seminary studies at Catholic University in Washington, D.C. When he first wrote to Merton, he was an English professor at Loras College in Dubuque. After suffering some health problems, he became a chaplain from 1966 through the rest of his career at Mount Saint Francis in Dubuque. In the 1960's, he began to experiment with concrete poetry and Merton publishes Roseliep in «Monks Pond», volumes 2 and 4. In the 1970's, he became best known for his use of the haiku, sometimes taking the pseudonym Sobi-shi. (Source: "Roseliep, Raymond." Biography from American National Biography. 2004. Wilson Biographies Plus. Online. H.W. Wilson. Bellarmine University Library, Louisville, KY. 27 Feb. 2006. ‹http://vnweb.hwwilsonweb.com›.)

At the time of writing the letter, Eugene Rose had recently converted to Russian Orthodoxy. He would later become an Orthodox priest and monk, living in his native California.

Philip B. Rose was a mathematics instructor at Colorado Women's College (briefly going by the name Temple Buell College during this period). He is now Professor of Computer Science at Carroll College in Helena, Montana.

Sr. Rose Thérèse was a Cloistered Maryknoll Sister from Maryknoll, New York.

Sr. Rose Alma was Sister of Loretto from Nerinx, Kentucky.

Sr. Rosaire of Christ was a Carmelite nun from Waterbeach, Cambridge.

Joel Roosevelt writes from Los Angeles, California, in response to Merton's article "Apologies to an Unbeliever", published in «Harper's» magazine.

Fr. William Joseph Rooney writes as Executive Director of the Catholic Commission on Intellectual and Cultural Affairs in Washington, D.C.

Maria Rosa Romagosa writes from Barcelona, Spain.

Fr. Ronald Roloff was, at the time of correspondence with Merton, a Benedictine priest at St. John's Abbey in Collegeville, Minnesota.

Keith Rolland was a college student majoring in finance at Fordham University. He writes from Brooklyn, New York. He sends Merton some articles he had written and, after reading a book by Merton, was interested in the influence on his writing of "affluence, Communism, religion, «Brave New World», etc."

Fr. Peter-Thomas Rohrbach is a Carmelite priest and was editor of the Catholic quarterly «Spiritual Life». He writes from Washington, D.C.

Susan Rogers was a senior in high school at Lacordaire Academy in Montclaire, New Jersey. She writes in praise of Merton's article, "Can We Survive Nihilism?"

Fr. C. Murray Rogers writes from the Jyotiniketan Ashram in Bareilly, India. He was an Anglican priest who came to India on official missionary duty with his wife Mary and with Fr. C. F. Andrews. However, they were inspired by Swami Abhishiktananda (Henri Le Saux, O.S.B.) and chose to live his example of a life of poverty. The ashram they founded, Jyotiniketan, was ecumenical in nature, and had a special focus on Christian-Hindu relations. Rogers had contact with scholars of interreligious relations, such as Raimundo Panikkar (Raimon Panikkar) and Dr. J. A. Cuttat. Merton and Rogers had common friends in Fr. (now Canon) Donald Allchin. (Source: Du Boulay, Shirley. "The priest and the swami." «The Tablet» online. 21 Apr. 2001. Accessed 24 Feb. 2006. ‹http://www.thetablet.co.uk/cgi-bin/register.cgi/tablet-00519›.)

Fr. Andrew Roduskey is a Trappist monk of Gethsemani Abbey.

Marta Elena Rodríguez was a friend of Evora Arca de Sardiña. She took a trip to Brazil and asks Merton some questions about the plight of the poor and what can be done.

Sr. María de la Victorias de Sta. Teresita Rodríguez was from the Congregation of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament and writes from the Monasterio del Verbo Encarnado y del Santisimo Sacramento from Mexico City, Mexico.

Louise Rocke writes from East Hampton, New York.

Fr. Julian Rochford (born Paul Rochford) was a Benedictine priest of Ampleforth Abbey in York, England. He was interested in the action-contemplation dynamic and in aggiornamento, monastic reform. He spent much of his time teaching at Ampleforth College, but also spent time in inner-city ministry. He died at 70 having collided with a car on his motorcycle on his way to preparing some children for their First Holy Communion. (Source: Price, Justin. "Obituary - Fr Julian Rochford 1993." Ampleforth Abbey Information from the Library and Archives [online]. Accessed 23 Feb. 2006. ‹http://www.archive.zenwebhosting.com/sites/obits/barry/rochford_j.htm›.)

John-David Robinson writes from Saint Paul, Minnesota, as editor of «Sun», a magazine of "Visual Theology", discussing liturgy from the visual art standpoint and the theology invoked by visual symbols.

Natalie S. Robins was a poet who sends Merton an incribed copy of her book.

Violet Robertson writes from the Jesuit Missions in New York.

Fr. Vernon Robertson was a priest of the Louisville Archdiocese in Kentucky. He converted to Roman Catholicism, having been an Episcopalian. He thanks Merton for celebrating a Mass for him on the occasion of his ordination to the priesthood after finishing studies at the Pontifico Collegio Beda in Rome. Robertson was ordained at the Sistine Chapel of the Vatican in the presence of Pope Paul VI. Robertson went on to become a social justice advocate in Louisville. He was concerned about poverty and education in the inner city. He founded Montessori schools in the city and helped to revitalize some declining churches in Louisville's downtown, including his long-time parish of St. Martin of Tours. He also helped found the city's first residence for people living with AIDS. (Source: Cahill, Elizabeth Kirkland. "Vernon Robertson is in heaven - late priest remembered." «The Commonweal». 17 July 1998. Online from Findarticles.com. Accessed 23 Feb. 2006. ‹http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1252/is_n13_v125/ai_20968211›.)

Anne Robertson writes from the magazine, «The Commonweal», in New York.

Born in Le Havre, France, Archbishop Thomas Roberts was a Jesuit and the former archbishop of Bombay, India. He was in London, England, at the time of writing to Merton.

Sr. Thomas of God Roberts was a Benedictine sister from Santa Clara, Mexico, writing on behalf of the first seminar of the Commitment Research Institute, which seems to have been affiliated with CIDOC (Centro Intercultural de Documentación) of Cuernavaca, Mexico. Bishop Sergio Méndez Arceo of Cuernavaca was to open the seminar. Ivan Illich was to preside at one day of the seminar, and Daniel Berrigan at another. Merton was invited to speak on commitment in the monastic life.

John G. Roberts writes from Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

Francis Roberts was free-lance writer asking for Christmas remembrances from people from many walks of life and in many disciplines for an article he was writing entitled "A Christmas Remembered". Merton replies with a mimeographed version of his last circular letter from Christmas, writing about the Christmas Midnight Mass at the monastery. He removed a few portions of the letter dealing with life in his hermitage because he was trying not to publicize this too much.

Fr. Robert was a Trappist priest from Our Lady of the Genesee Abbey in Piffard, New York.

Fr. Robert was a Trappist priest from the Abbaye Sainte Marie du Désert in Bellegarde, France.

Thomas Francis Ritt was the Director of the Catholic Council on Civil Liberties, headquartered in Lawndale, California. It was a nonprofit organization of Catholic laity. He did a Catholic commentary for KPFK Pacifica Radio in Los Angeles.

Rhoda Rissin was Assistant to James Laughlin, head of New Directions publishers from Norfolk, Connecticut.

Fr. Emilio del Río was a Jesuit priest and writer from Spain.

Edna Richman writes from Kentucky. She had a book that she hoped Merton could get published. He makes some recommendations to her.

Br. René Richie entered Gethsemani Abbey in 1950. He was born in Windsor, Ontario, Canada in 1928 and died at Gethsemani Abbey in 2011. (Previously filed under "René, Br., O.C.S.O." and moved in 2022.)

Br. Victor Richert was a Trappist monk of Gethsemani Abbey.

Sr. Jane Marie Richardson was a Sister of Loretto. She accompanied another friend and correspondence of Merton, Sr. Mary Luke Tobin, at the Second Vatican Council. She participated in some of the conferences Merton gave to the neighboring Loretto community, and she has edited a book transcribed from these same lectures under the title Springs of Contemplation.

John H. Richards writes from south Wales. He writes about desiring certain aspects of the Christian experience while feeling more of a Buddhist. Merton replies with certain similarities and differences at the essence of the two, a similar response to much of what he says in «Zen and the Birds of Appetite». They also discuss the type of meditation taught at monasteries in Burma.

Edward Rice was one of Merton's friends from Columbia University that also contributed to the university's satirical magazine «The Jester». He was one of the only Catholics in Merton's circle (before the conversion of Lax and others), and he was chosen as Merton's godfather for Merton's baptism in 1938. Ed Rice became a freelance journalist and photographer. He founded the ecumenical and progressive Catholic magazine «Jubilee», to which Merton was a contributor. As a journalist, he traveled throughout the world, sometimes getting into danger, including a threat of disembowelment by Bedouins in Jordan. (Sources: The Thomas Merton Encyclopedia, edited by William Shannon, Christine Bochen, and Patrick O'Connell, pp. 384-385; and Cummings, Mary. "Edward Rice '40: Traveling on Unbeaten Paths." «Columbia College Today». May 2001. Online version. Accessed 22 Feb. 2006. ‹http://www.college.columbia.edu/cct/may01/may01_feature_rice.html›.)

Patricia Ellen Ricci (later Patricia Ellen Doyle in marriage) was a teacher, designer and graphic artist from Chicago, Illinois. Patricia Ricci asks Merton's permission to use quotes from some of his writings on cards she had designed for the Carmel of Reno, Nevada.

José Eusebio Ricaurte from Bogotá, Colombia, sent Merton a translation of «Basic Principles of Monastic Prayer» and was part of a group there called the Priest Slaves of Mary.

Kenneth James Ricardi was a senior at College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts. He asks about books that had influenced Merton. Besides ones that had influenced Merton in his youth that are listed in «The Seven Storey Mountain», he mentions that he has more recently been influenced by Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr.'s «Stride Toward Freedom».

Molly Rhodes writes from Buckingham, England.

John Reynolds worked with Ed Rice on the Catholic magazine «Jubilee» and gave Merton a «bangasa», a Japanese umbrella. He claims that Ed Rice said that he and Merton used to see performances by blues singer Lead Belly (Huddie Ledbetter).

Mañuela M. de Reyes writes from Mexico.

"Carlos Reyes writes, teaches and edits poetry (The Wine Press) in Portland, Oregon" (biography from Monks Pond, p. 209).

Kenneth Rexroth was a prolific poet who was the inspiration for many in the Beat Generation of the 1950's, but later breaking with this group. He also wrote literary and radical political criticism, plays, and histories in a populist style. Later in life, he turned away from politics, supporting non-violence and anarchism. He also developed an interest in mysticism. He writes to Merton from San Francisco. (Source: "Rexroth, Kenneth." Obituary from Current Biography. 6 June 1982. Wilson Biographies Plus. Online. H.W. Wilson. Bellarmine University Library, Louisville, KY. 22 Feb. 2006. ‹http://vnweb.hwwilsonweb.com›.)

William P. Restivo was president of Bearings for Re-Establishment (BSR), a group that helped former priests, ministers, seminarians and religious re-integrate into the workforce. Merton agreed to serve on Bearing's Board of Advisors in 1967. The national headquarters was in New York.

Paul B. Renner writes from the Newman Center at University of Louisville in Kentucky.

John Reiser (then Fr. Hubert) was a Trappist of Gethsemani Abbey.

Fr. H. A. Reinhold was a native of Hamburg, Germany. He was part of the Catholic resistance to Hitler and had to escape Germany because he was pursued by the Gestapo. He came to the United States and served first in Seattle and later in Pittsburgh. He laid much of the foundation for liturgical reforms that were being considered in the decades leading up to the Second Vatican Council.

Kathleen Reinhardt writes from Manhasset, New York.

Ad Reinhardt, known as the "black monk of abstract art", graduated Columbia University not long after Merton arrived. He continued to produce art for Columbia's satirical magazine, «The Jester», which was one of the publications in which Merton was involved. Even when Reinhardt considered himself a Communist, Merton saw religious significance in his work. Later, Reinhardt's paintings were influenced by eastern philosophy and Islam. He became an increasing minimalist, using fewer colors until he used only black. Merton treasured a painting of a black on black cross that Reinhardt did for him. Reinhardt visited Gethsemani in the late fifties. (Source: The Thomas Merton Encyclopedia, edited by William Shannon, Christine Bochen, and Patrick O'Connell, pp. 384-385.)

Fr. Thomas à Kempis Reilly was a Dominican priest from Blessed Sacrament Rectory in Madison, Wisconsin.

Anna T. Reidy writes from Worcester, Massachusetts.

Sr. Regina of the Immaculate Conception was a Carmelite nun from Savannah, Georgia.

At the time of writing, Sammy Reese was in prison and had been on death row in Missouri (he was later re-sentenced to life in prison). Merton notes: "a prisoner [-] electric chair!" Reese was baptised in prison through contact with Merton, some nuns, and Fr. Charles Dismas Clark, known as "the Hoodlum Priest." Reese became an acomplished cartoonist and artist in prison and was at times allowed to teach other prisoners art. He was released on parole in 1976 and died in 1990.

Edward Reed was Director of Publications for the Center for the Study of Democratic Institutions in Santa Barbara, California.

Fr. Reginald A. Redlon was a Franciscan priest who served as president of St. Bonaventure University, St. Bonaventure, New York, from 1967-1972. He writes to invite Merton to come to the university to accept an honorary degree.

Br. Barnabas Reardon (Fr. Patrick H. Reardon) was a Trappist monk of Gethsemani at the time and was writing from Monte Cistello in Rome, Italy, where he studied theology.

At the time of writing Fr. Joseph Raya (later Archbishop Raya) was a priest of the Melkite Rite serving in Birmingham, Alabama. Raya was born in Zahle, Lebanon. After studying for the priesthood in Paris and Jerusalem, he spent some time in Zahle and in Cairo before coming to the United States in 1948. He spent time in New Jersey before going to Alabama, where he marched with Martin Luther King, Jr. in the Civil Rights struggle and was twice beaten by the Klu Klux Klan. Anticipating the reforms of the Second Vatican Council, he celebrated the Melkite Mass in the English vernacular instead of the traditional Arabic. He later became the Melkite archbishop in Akka, Israel, in 1968. He was a strong defender of the rights of Palestinian refugees to return to their land after the 1967 Six-Day War. He brought together 24,000 Christians, Jews and Muslims in a Peace March to the Knesset in August of 1972. In the 1980's, he returned to his homeland of war-torn Lebanon. He also had ties to Merton's friend Catherine Doherty, serving as the first "Associate Priest" to Madonna House in 1959. (Source: "Archbishop Joseph M. Raya has died at 88". Restoration: The Madonna House Catholic Newspaper. 13 June 2005. Website of Madonna House. Accessed 16 Feb. 2006. ‹http://www.madonnahouse.org/restoration/2005/06/archbishop_joseph_m_raya_has_.html›.)

Norman Ravitch was associate professor of history and chairman for the Committee on Lectures on Religion at the Riverside Campus of the University of California.

Georg Rapp was one of the directors of Rapp and Whiting publishers of London, England.

Sr. Mary Raphael was a Cistercian nun of Holy Cross Abbey in Stapehill, England.

A. Philip Randolph was in the forefront of the Civil Rights Movement for African Americans, a socialist and union leader fighting for workers writes and equality. Born in Florida, he moved to Harlem in 1911 to get into theater. Enrolling at the City College of New York, he changed life plans and majored in politics and economics. Together with Columbia University student Chandler Owen, he founded the radical magazine, «The Messenger», in 1917. He organized a union called the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters in 1925, the Pullman Company being a major employer of African Americans. He was a supporter of non-violent means of protest and generally anti-war, fighting discrimination in the armed forces during the 1940's. During the 1950's and 1960's, he served as vice president of the AFL-CIO unions. Along with Bayard Rustin and Martin Luther King, Jr., he helped organize the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom on August 28, 1963. The following year, he was given a Presidential Medal of Freedom. (Source: "A. Philip Randolph." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 9 Feb 2006, 04:34 UTC. 15 Feb 2006, ‹http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=A._Philip_Randolph&oldid=38873488›.)

A. Philip Randolph was in the forefront of the Civil Rights Movement for African Americans, a socialist and union leader fighting for workers writes and equality. Born in Florida, he moved to Harlem in 1911 to get into theater. Enrolling at the City College of New York, he changed life plans and majored in politics and economics. Together with Columbia University student Chandler Owen, he founded the radical magazine, The Messenger, in 1917. He organized a union called the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters in 1925, the Pullman Company being a major employer of African Americans. He was a supporter of non-violent means of protest and generally anti-war, fighting discrimination in the armed forces during the 1940's. During the 1950's and 1960's, he served as vice president of the AFL-CIO unions. Along with Bayard Rustin and Martin Luther King, Jr., he helped organize the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom on August 28, 1963. The following year, he was given a Presidential Medal of Freedom. (Source: "A. Philip Randolph." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 9 Feb 2006, 04:34 UTC. 15 Feb 2006, ‹http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=A._Philip_Randolph&oldid=38873488›.)

Born in New York, Margaret Randall spent much of her youth in Albuquerque, New Mexico. After a year at the University of New Mexico, she spent time in Spain and in New York. During those years she married for the first time and had a son. In 1960, she moved to Mexico City and from 1962-1969 co-edited «El Corno Emplumado» (the feathered horn). "«Corno»" was a bi-lingual literary journal bridging the cultures of North America and Latin America. Randall married one of her co-editors, Sergio Mondragón. The couple had two daughters and Randall became a Mexican citizen. She divorced Mondragón in 1969 and had a daughter with another co-editor of «Corno», Robert Cohen. With Robert Cohen, the family moved to Cuba where Randall remained until 1980. After working for the Cuban Book Institute for a number of years, she began work as a free-lance journalist, photographer, and oral historian, specializing in the struggles of women in Cuba, Nicaragua, Peru and Vietnam. In 1980, she continued this work while living in Nicaragua with her youngest two daughters. In 1984, Randall moved back to Albuquerque and married poet Floyce Alexander, where she taught Women's Studies and American Studies at the University of New Mexico. The INS denied Randall permanent residence in the United States in 1985 citing the McCarran-Walter Act, which denied citizenship to those thought to be subversive and could charge individuals who had either been members of the Communist Party or even those who were deemed supporters of communism. After a long legal fight with the help of the Center for Constitutional Rights, the INS decided in 1989 that she had not relinquished her citizenship while in Mexico, and therefore, was still a citizen of the United States. Having resolved the case, she felt free to become public as a lesbian, addressing what that means in our culture in her writings. She also had written and lectured on being an incest survivor. She continues a prolific legacy of books, poetry and essays, while continuing to lecture. (Sources: Biography from "Inventory of the Margaret Randall Papers, 1954-2000". Center for Southwest Research, Zimmerman Library, University of New Mexico. Accessed 15 Feb. 2006. ‹http://elibrary.unm.edu/oanm/NmU/nmu1%23mss663bc/nmu1%23mss663bc_m4.html›; with biographical information from the prior website excerpted from: "Contemporary Lesbian Writers of the United States". Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 1993. Randall biography by Trisha Franzen.)