Thomas Merton papers, 1923-2014

After clicking 'Submit Request', users will login with their UNI and password (Columbia affiliates) or their special collections account (external users). Appointments are required and will be arranged according to each individual repository's policy.


Series II: Arranged Material


Subseries II.1: Correspondence



Box 21 Merton, Thomas Letters to Lax, Gibney and other close friends ,, ca.1941, Carbon copies

[Unsigned and arranged A-Z.]


Box 21 Merton, Thomas Letters to various people, 2 folders (Carbon copies, photocopies, etc.)


Box 21 Merton, Thomas Mimeographed circular letters: "Advent-Christmas letters," "Asian Letters", [v.p.],, 1967-1968, 2 folders


Box 21 McInerny, Dennis Letter to Brother Patrick Hart, [v.p.], [v.d.]


Box 21 Letters to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr American Broadcasting Company


Box 21 Bamberger, Abbot John Etudes Letters to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr


Box 21 Letters to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr Bellarmine College


Box 21 Bernice Letters to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr


Box 21 Berns, Dorothy A. Letters to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr


Box 21 Biering, René Letters to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr


Box 21 The Cashions Letters to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr


Box 21 Father Christopher Letters to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr


Box 21 Dinter, Father Paul Letters to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr


Box 21 Doubleday & Co. Letters to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr


Box 21 Durback, Robert Letters to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr


Box 21 Flood, Brother Maurice Letters to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr


Box 21 Ford, John J. Letters to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr


Box 21 Forest, Jim Letters to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr


Box 21 Fox, Dom James Letters to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr


Box 21 Gnass, George, S.J. Letters to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr


Box 21 Father Gerard, O.C.S.O. Letters to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr


Box 21 Hart, Brother Patrick Letters to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr, 14 folders


Box 21 Horvath, Adam Letters to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr


Box 21 Jeffs, Joseph E. Letters to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr


Box 21 Jellema, Rod Letters to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr


Box 21 Lax, Robert Letters to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr


Box 21 McQuilkin, Frank Letters to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr


Box 21 Father Magsam Letters to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr


Box 21 Maloney, Stephen R. Letters to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr


Box 21 Martin, Father M. Letters to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr


Box 21 Letters to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr New Directions


Box 21 O'Callaghan, Tommie Letters to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr


Box 21 O'Neil, Harry Letters to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr


Box 21 Pick, Dr. John Letters to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr


Box 21 Father Roseliep Letters to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr


Box 21 Schusky, Mary Sue Letters to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr


Box 21 Seitz, Ron Letters to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr


Box 21 Stark, Philip, S.J. Letters to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr


Box 21 Stone, Naomi Burton Letters to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr, 3 folders



Box 22 Andrade, Jaime Letters to Thomas Merton


Box 22 Andrade, Jorge Carrera Letters to Thomas Merton


Box 22 Arrés, Thérèse Letters to Thomas Merton


Box 22 Boutoute, Abbé Louis Letters to Thomas Merton


Box 22 Cavero, Carlos Duelo Letters to Thomas Merton


Box 22 Letters to Thomas Merton Conferencia Episcopal Argentina


Box 22 Letters to Thomas Merton Curtis Brown, Ltd.


Box 22 de Hueck, Catherine Letters to Thomas Merton


Box 22 Dell'Isola, Frank Letters to Thomas Merton


Box 22 Letters to Thomas Merton Editorial Sur S.A.


Box 22 Sister Emmanuel Letters to Thomas Merton


Box 22 Gibney, Bob Letters to Thomas Merton


Box 22 Keegan, Daniel José Letters to Thomas Merton


Box 22 Libra, Clara Letters to Thomas Merton


Box 22 Maritain, Jacques Letters to Thomas Merton, Photocopies


Box 22 Moutini, J. B. Letters to Thomas Merton


Box 22 Phillipe, Monsignor Paul Letters to Thomas Merton


Box 22 Pick, Dr. John Letters to Thomas Merton


Box 22 Reinhardt, Ad Letters to Thomas Merton


Box 22 Ricuarte, Jose Euselio Letters to Thomas Merton


Box 22 Rueda G., Marco V. Letters to Thomas Merton


Box 22 Salazar, Juilo Letters to Thomas Merton


Box 22 Unidentified Letters to Thomas Merton


Box 22 Vigolle, Germaine Letters to Thomas Merton


Box 22 Laughlin, Brother Patrick Hart, Dan Walsh, et al. Letters relating to Thomas Merton


Box 22 Telegrams (2) re Merton's deathCircular letter from GethsemaniHomily at the mass for Father M Louis


Box 22 Circular lettersFriends of Gethsemani


Box 22 Envelopes, 3 folders


Subseries II.2: Manuscripts



Box 23 Butterworth, Mrs. O. L. "Gnothi Seauton", Poem


Box 23 Caputi, Ilaria "Il Primo Thomas Merton: The Seven Storey Mountain", 1v. Ph.D. dissertation.


Box 23 Giroux, Robert. Notes on the manuscript of "The Seven Storey Mountain"


Box 23 Kramer, Victor "Thomas Merton Oral History", 1 Bound volume

[in Box 35 of the collection]


Box 23 Lentfoehr, Sister Thérèse Classification of some of Merton's poems


Box 23 Lentfoehr, Sister Thérèse Extracts of Merton poems


Box 23 Lentfoehr, Sister Thérèse "Merton and Education"


Box 23 Lentfoehr, Sister Thérèse Miscellaneous manuscript material


Box 23 Lentfoehr, Sister Thérèse Notes on Evelyn Waugh letters to Merton


Box 23 Lentfoehr, Sister Thérèse Notes on Merton's life and works for talks, 3 folders


Box 23 Lentfoehr, Sister Thérèse "A Response to Thomas Merton: The Dimensions of Solitude"


Box 23 Lentfoehr, Sister Thérèse "Thomas Merton: Poet in his Time"


Box 23 Lentfoehr, Sister Thérèse Transcription of Merton's letter to Time re James Joyce


Box 23 Merton, Thomas Curriculum Vitae


Subseries II.3: Lectures and Conferences



Box 24 Ascetical and Mystical Theology, Gethsemani, KY, 1961, 1 volume Mimeograph


Box 24 Background and Attitude of Monastic Postulants, in Relation to the Failure of Vocation, Gethsemani, KY,, [n.d.], 12 page Typeseript (carbon)


Box 24 Conferences: Two lists of the material sent by Merton to Sister Thérèse, as well a a signed note by Merton ragarding the material, dated Nov. 14 [1958]


Box 24 Conferences: Two envelopes which contained the material sent to Sister Thérèse by Merton in November of 1958. One inscribed "The Mystery of Mary and the Church -- Conference" and the other "Conference - Liturgical Feasts and Seasons".

[Contents removed and re-foldered. See the follwing records for a detailed description of this material.]


Box 24 "All Saints", 5 page Typescript (carbon, with ms. correction)

[Sent by Merton to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr 11/10/1958]


Box 24 "The Angels", 4 page Typescript (carbon)

[Sent by Merton to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr 11/10/1958]


Box 24 "The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary", 2 page Typescript (carbon)

[Sent by Merton to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr 11/10/1958]


Box 24 "The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary", 1 page Typescript (carbon)

[Sent by Merton to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr, 11/3/1958]


Box 24 "The Assumption of Our Lady in the Byzantine Rite", 1 page Typescript (carbon)

[Sent by Merton to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr, 11/3/1958]


Box 24 "Candlemas", 3 page Typescript (carbon)

[Sent by Merton to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr, 11/3/1958]


Box 24 "Conference on Prayer", 6 page Typescript (mimeograph, with ms corrections)

[Sent by Merton to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr, 11/3/1958]


Box 24 "Exaltation of the Holy Cross", 1 page Holograph

[Sent by Merton to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr, 11/10/1958]


Box 24 "Feast of All Saints", 1 page Holograph, with writing on verso


Box 24 "Feast of all the Saints of the Order", 2 page Typescript (carbon)

[Sent by Merton to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr, 11/10/1958]


Box 24 "Feast of the Dedication of the Church", 5 page Typescript (carbon)

[Sent by Merton to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr, 11/10/1958]


Box 24 "Feast of the Holy Name of Mary", 1 page Typescript

[Sent by Merton to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr, 11/10/1958]


Box 24 "Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary", 1 page Typescript

[Sent by Merton to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr, 11/10/1958]


Box 24 "Feast of the Nativity of Our Lady", 2 page Typescript

[Sent by Merton to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr, 11/10/1958]


Box 24 "Feast of Our Holy Father St Benedict", 2 page Typescript

[Sent by Merton to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr, 11/3/1958]


Box 24 "Feast of Our Lady's Presentation", 4 page Typescript (with ms. correction)

[Sent by Merton to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr, 11/10/1958]


Box 24 "Feast of Saint Anne", 2 page Typescript

[Sent by Merton to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr, 11/3/1958]


Box 24 "Feast of the St Joseph", 3 page Typescript

[Sent by Merton to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr, 11/3/1958]


Box 24 "Feast of Saint Luke II", 1 page Typescript

[Sent by Merton to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr, 11/10/1958]


Box 24 "Feast of the Seven Dolors", 3 page Typescript

[Sent by Merton to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr, 11/3/1958]


Box 24 "Feast of the Transfiguration", 1 page Typescript (with ms. correction)

[Sent by Merton to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr, 11/3/1958]


Box 24 "Feast of the Visitation", 1 page Typescript

[Sent by Merton to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr, 11/3/1958]


Box 24 "Holy Rosary II", 1 page Typescript

[Sent by Merton to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr, 11/10/1958]


Box 24 "May – Consecration to Our Lady", 1 page Typescript

[Sent by Merton to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr, 11/3/1958]


Box 24 "Mary in the Passion", 3 page Typescript (carbon)

[Sent by Merton to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr, 11/3/1958]


Box 24 "Monroe Conference on Contemplative Living", 13 page Mimeograph

[With cover letterSent by Merton to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr, 11/3-/1958]


Box 24 "The Mystery of Mary and the Church", 3 page Typescript (carbon)

[Sent by Merton to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr, 11/3/1958]


Box 24 "Nativity of Our Lady II", 2 page Typescript (with ms. corrections)

[Sent by Merton to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr, 11/10/1958]


Box 24 "The Nativity of Saint John the Baptist", 4 page Typescript

[Sent by Merton to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr, 11/3/1958]


Box 24 "Office of the Feast of Saint Bernard", 3 page Typescript

[Sent by Merton to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr, 11/10/1958]


Box 24 "Pax Huic Domui: Monastic Peace", 3 page Typescript

[Sent by Merton to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr, 11/10/1958]


Box 24 "The Priest in the Monastery – Feast of Saint Thomas the Apostle", 3 page Typescript

[Sent by Merton to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr, 11/3/1958]


Box 24 "The Reception of the Holy Crown of Thorns", 1 page Typescript

[Sent by Merton to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr, 11/3/1958]


Box 24 "The Rosary and Its Mysteries", 6 page Typescript (carbon)

[Sent by Merton to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr, 11/10/1958]


Box 24 "Saint Aifred – Cistercian Life in His Time", 2 page Typescript (with ms. correction)

[Sent by Merton to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr, 11/3/1958]


Box 24 "Saint Bernard's Sermons for the Feast of Saint Andrew", 4 page Typescript (carbon, with ms. corrections)

[Sent by Merton to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr, 11/3/1958]


Box 24 "Saint Lawrence", 1 page Typescript

[Sent by Merton to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr, 11/3/1958]


Box 24 "Saint Martin", 2 page Typescript (carbon)

[Sent by Merton to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr, 11/10/1958]


Box 24 "Saint Mary Magdalen", 3 page Typescript

[Sent by Merton to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr, 11/3/1958]


Box 24 "Saint Robert and the Foundation of Citeaux", 3 page Typescript (with ms. addition)

[Sent by Merton to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr, 11/10/1958]


Box 24 "Saint Stephen Harding", 3 page Typescript

[Sent by Merton to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr, 11/3/1958]


Box 24 "Saint Stephen Harding (Comm Of Confessors)", 1 page Typescript

[Sent by Merton to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr, 11/3/1958]


Box 24 "Saints Peter and Paul", 1 page Typescript (with ms. addition)

[Sent by Merton to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr, 11/3/1958]


Box 24 "Saints Simon and Jude", 1 page Holograph

[Sent by Merton to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr, 11/10/1958]


Box 24 "Scripture and the Cistercian", 1 page Mimeograph

[Sent by Merton to Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr, 11/10/1958]


Box 24 "Vigil of All Saints", 1 page Holograph


Box 24 Gallo Roman Monasticism/Cassian/The Regula Magistri/and the Background to the Rule of Saint Benedict, Trappist, KY,, 1963, 96 page Mimeograph


Box 24 An Introduction to Cistercian Theology, Trappist, KY, 1950-1952, 2 volumes Mimeograph


Box 24 An Introduction to Cistercian Theology, Trappist, KY, 1950-1952, 71 pages Typescript (with ms. corrections)



Box 25 Liturgical Feasts and Seasons


Box 25 Monastic Fathers


Box 25 Monastic Orientation



Box 26 Monastic Orientation Series III - V



Box 27 Monastic Orientation Series V (cont) - VI


Box 27 Pre-Benedictine Monachism


Box 27 A Program of Studies: The virtues of the common life as helps to the religious life


Box 27 The Spiritual Doctrine of St Ammonas



Box 28 Miscellaneous: Poems, 3 folders


Box 28 Merton, Thomas Reviews by Merton


Box 28 Merton Center


Box 28 Miscellaneous material relating to Merton


Box 28 Miscellaneous manuscript material


Box 28 Lawlor, Patrick Thomas Merton: The Poet and the Contemplative Life, 1v. Manuiscript of catalog, galleys, page proofs, etc.


Subseries II.4: Documents


Box 28 Merton, Thomas Last will and testament, Photocopy.


Box 28 AgreementMerton Legacy Trust



Box 29 Lentfoehr, Sister Thérèse Catalog information for the material in her Thomas Merton collection and the original folders used by her to secure the manuscript of "The Seven Storey Mountain"



Box 30 Card catalogue (incomplete) of its holdings Merton Center


Subseries II.5: Photographs



Mapcase 13/8/6 Merton, Thomas Framed photograph & matted photograph of Merton



Box 31 Thomas Merton Childhood and family


Box 31 Thomas Merton at Columbia University


Box 31 Ordination, first mass, etc


Box 31 Bangkok conference


Box 31 Funeral mass


Box 31 Grave


Box 31 Bust


Box 31 Greenwich Village apartment


Box 31 Monastery of Gethsemani


Box 31 Hermitage


Box 31 Funeral mass in Bangkok


Box 31 Hart, Brother Patrick et al.


Box 31 Walsh, Daniel


Box 31 Zilboorg, Gregory


Box 31 Chairs, room, etc


Box 31 Desert rocks, New Mexico


Box 31 Houses


Box 31 School House, Pleasant Hill


Box 31 Shrine of St Thérèse


Box 31 Sister Thérèse Lentfoehr At Merton exhibit


Box 31 Miscellaneous


Box 31 Merton, Thomas Photographs by Thomas Merton


Subseries II.6: Art



Box 32 Manessier, Alfred. "Crown of Thorns", 1 Photograph


Box 32 Merton, Thomas Calligraphies: Series of six

[1 of the 6 retained by William H. Shannon]


Box 32 Merton, Thomas Calligraphies Series of four

[3 of the 4 retained by William H. Shannon]


Box 32 Series of eight: "La Vida Politica" Calligraphies, 8 folders


Box 32 Lentfoehr, Sister Thérèse Drawings by Sister Thérèse


Box 32 Merton, Thomas Drawing of a Cross

[Shelved in mapcase 13/8/6]


Box 32 Merton, Thomas Drawings of Figures, 45 folders


Box 32 Merton, Thomas Calligraphic drawings of figures, 5 folders


Box 32 Merton, Thomas Drawing of a guitar


Box 32 Merton, Thomas Drawings of Heads, 30 folders


Box 32 Merton, Thomas Feast Day Card


Box 32 Merton, Thomas Watercolor: "A Pastoral"


Box 32 Shannon, William H. Calligraph


Box 32 Sissons, Grace Pencil and crayon drawing