The Thomas Merton Archives at St.
Bonaventure University
Pre-Benedictine
Monachism. Series I
[Typescript, with extensive
manuscript additions & many full manuscript pages]
56 leaves
; 28 x 21.5 cm.
Made up of unlined notebook
paper with reinforced edge, regular paper & tracing paper sheets
These notes form the basis
of Merton’s talks to novices that appeared in mimeograph versions from the
Abbey of Gethsemani. Series I entitled “Ruffinus, Cassian, St. Pachomius, etc.” appeared in 1963. A second series appeared
in 1964 entitled “
Begins with p.15, the
heading of which reads:
“e)
THE SPIRITUAL DOCTRINE OF CASSIAN and Evagrius”
Then
jumps to p.25 proceeding through p.37 (there being 2 pages marked 37). These are typescript, recto pages with corrections
in the text in blue ink and additions on the verso side of the previous page.
25 & 26 finish Cassian, while 27 has the heading:
“P
A C H O M I A N C E N O B I T I S M”
Pachomius is continued with an inserted typescript page
numbered 38a, then manuscript pages 39-41, typescript pages 42-43 &
manuscript pages 44, 44a, 44b. 45-56 are typescript pages starting with the
heading:
“SAINT BASIL”
Following this is a
manuscript section (p.57-66) headed:
“Roman
Monasticism in
This section deals mainly
with St. Melania the Elder, St. Melania
the Younger & St. Jerome. The next typescript section (p.67-73) is headed:
“THE PILGRIMAGE OF AETHERIA AND EASTERN MONASTICISM
IN IV CENT.”
These pages are also
numbered as “Aetheria” 1-7. The final section (p.74-75)
is manuscript, the heading of which reads:
“APPENDIX I. Chant and the Monastic Life”
Described by PJS
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