xt75736m3f30 https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt75736m3f30/data/mets.xml  Thomas Merton 1966-09-20 This letter is from collection 75m28 Thomas Merton papers. archival material 75m28 English  Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. Thomas Merton correspondence Letter from Thomas Merton to Victor Hammer, September 20, 1966 text Letter from Thomas Merton to Victor Hammer, September 20, 1966 1966 1966-09-20 2023 true xt75736m3f30 section xt75736m3f30 _+__
$7

ABBEY OF GETHSEMANI

TRAPPI ST, KENTUCKY

Sept 20,1966

Dear? Victor:

I have tried my hand at translating the Goethe quotation: it
is enclosed. I don't know if the result is very helpful, but it is
about the best.I can do I suppose that you man adjust it to suit
your needs if there is anything good in it.

Looking at the calendar I see October 22 will be quite a good
day for me, as things are now shaping up. We might keep that in mind
as the best date in that month, anyway. Otherwise perhaps the first
Daturday in November.

Victor, I think that in all simplicity I owe you a few words
of help and encouragement at this time when, as you said the other
day, "the last hour" cannot be very far away now. Since that is
the most important part of a man's life in some ways, it is the duty
of a friend and a priest to say something. Of course I know that
there is a normal way of reconciliation with the Church —— an official
way. I am not going to talk about this as our relationship is not
an official one in any case. But the fact of "reconciliation", however
you look at it, is worth considering. When you are in fact a deeply
Christian person and thinker (all your thought about art presupposes
centuries of Christian thought on the subject it seems to me) it
would be a pity for you to end your life in a kindof open rift with
the Church, even though the Church has plenty of failings and limi-
tations. It is as much a matter of you forgiving the Church as the
Church forgiving you. However you look at it—— and you may not for
reasons of your own see fit to receive the Sacrament of the Sick
and the other 5acraments,——I would say that there would be a definite
point in affirming as well and as clearly as you can, in whatever way
you can, youradherence to truths you have in fact lived by ("personal
God” does not mean anthropomorphic God: but an ultimate Freedom which
is infinitely creative and a source of all love and truth). In such a W-
as to say that you and the Church are not at odds on these truths and
that it is your desire to leave this life as you have lived in it: with
the total submission of your mind and heart and hands and all that you
are, to the creative and loving source of all that you have ever loved,
or admired, or striven for. I have no doubt that in fact you do this
in your heart: if you can also do it in some more open expression-— I
leave you to think of this in your own way. I certainly think you
have no obligation to do anything that would imply a repudiation of
anything that has been of real value and meaning in your life.all that
is good in our lives is from God. In any event,Iwill continue to pray
for you as always and if you can in some way pray for yourself that is
all to the good. With all my heart I ask God to bless you. Your
friendship has been a great blessing, greater than I can say.

 

 I did not mean to make this so long a letter, and I hope you
do not think I have been officious about it. I just thought I ought to
say what seemed to me important, and doubtless you have thought much of
these things yourself.
All blessings to you and Carolyn.
Yours in Christ, always,

P.S. Turning to another question, that of Menendez: I t ink he and his
work do not need to be discussed further in letters.I will clarify this
next tine we talk about the question.