Comments on: Serious About Merton?

By: Michael Spencer

Michael Spencer — Fri, 07 Apr 2006 13:56:01 +0000

Alan…

I gave away my journals (don’t ask) but I have a pretty clear recollection that…

1) When she was up there they were alone outside, but not on the property. Someone was at the hermitage. (I may be wrong on this.) He refered to this a couple of times because…

2) He basically admitted that sexual intercourse was really the next step, and he had to make a decision because he knew this was a violation of his vows….and he was adamant that he never broke his vow of celibacy, and was truly upset by where things were heading. Hence all the agony about leaving.

peace

By: adcreech

adcreech — Fri, 07 Apr 2006 13:41:39 +0000

Hey Michael – and other peoples. That quote comes from Thoughts in Solitude. Very good one. Great book to get started on Merton with – small but deep.

And on that woman, she was certainly up with him alone at his hermitage at least a couple of times – says so in his journals. It isn’t clear whether they had sex or not but it was spoken about by him as something more than hand holding and nice words. Still, “affair” isn’t really the word. He had another committment, yes, and as you said Michael, eventually broke it off in favor of that committment.

I get tired of that business about him being a Bhuddist as well – how he wanted to leave Christianity – that’s somebody looking for a way to take his memory down there. Goofy. Peace to you.

By: Jeremy Duncan

Jeremy Duncan — Mon, 03 Apr 2006 23:44:03 +0000

I have recently found Merton’s writings as I researched the Lectio Divina for a series. He has already added a lot to my journey and I have much more to read.

By: Michael Spencer

Michael Spencer — Mon, 03 Apr 2006 21:17:52 +0000

I think calling it an “affair” (and I’ve probably used that word) gives too much to what was an emotional crush that took place mostly on the phone and in letters, with only a handful of meetings at restaurants, homes of friends, etc.

Merton was a monk for more than 30 years. He entered the monastery as a very young man. He constantly wrestled with monastic life: to be or not to be. To be a hermit or not. To move to another monastery, etc.

In his 50’s he fell for a student nurse much younger. I don’t know how old you are, but I can tell you as a man almost 50, this is VERY normal. Merton considered leaving the monastery for marriage because of the integrity of his vows. When his calls to her were exposed, he ended the relationship, and eventually burned everything related to it. The entire episode isn’t disappointing at all. It is quite human, and Merton comes out right where he should.

I only wish he had left. He’d likely still be with us, but Tom knew where he should be.

Read Mott’s bio to get more details.

By: jfred

jfred — Mon, 03 Apr 2006 21:10:32 +0000

My only exposure to Merton thus far is from Paul Elie’s excellent study of Merton, Flannery O’Connor, Walker Percy and Dorothy Day in “The Life You Save Might Be Your Own.”
While I am inspired to read more, Elie’s critically acclaimed book left me feeling somewhat disappointed in Merton who, as a monk, had an affair with a young woman and in many ways seemed more inclined toward seeking celebrity than living the quiet existence of a monk. It is also hard to respect someone who enterered the monastic life after having abandoned a son born out of wedlock while demonstrating a disappointing degree of remorse.

By: s_dodge

s_dodge — Mon, 03 Apr 2006 15:22:41 +0000

As a Catholic who comes each morning (okay, sometimes afternoon) to the imonk conference and one who, like Michael, has had Frater Tom as mentor for close to 20 years myself, I appreciate very much Michael’s post. Here’s another Merton quote along those lines from Conjectures of a Guilty Bystander:

“If I affirm myself as a Catholic merely by
denying all that is Muslim, Jewish, Protestant,
Hindu, Buddhist, etc., in the end I will find
that there is not much left for me to affirm as
a Catholic: and certainly no breath of the
Spirit with which to affirm it”

Thanks again, Michael for building bridges with integrity.

By: Michael Spencer

Michael Spencer — Sat, 01 Apr 2006 18:43:11 +0000

I first saw that quote at alancreech.com. It’s alan’s favorite, but I don’t recognize it. I’d bet New Seeds, but I don’t know. Write Alan and ask him.

By: Albert G.

Albert G. — Sat, 01 Apr 2006 15:46:20 +0000

Michael,
Could you give me the name of the Merton book the qoute came from?

By: CaldoniaSun

CaldoniaSun — Sat, 01 Apr 2006 15:27:20 +0000

Yeah, but does he tell you “How to Have Your Best Life Yet?”

Seriously, though, good post, Michael. Merton has been a fresh well for me lately. It’s amazing what we might learn (and enjoy) if we step out of the “group think” box to see how Christians who may be different from us have experienced Jesus Christ.