xt7pg44hqw2s https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7pg44hqw2s/data/mets.xml  Thomas Merton 1964-12-04 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, December 4, 1964 text Letter from Thomas Merton to Victor Hammer, December 4, 1964 1964 1964-12-04 2023 true xt7pg44hqw2s section xt7pg44hqw2s /\ )1 ;) E\l/ (:)F L f

'i'iimKVPIET 1' ‘

Dec. )4 , 19611

Dear Victor:

Iosterday I asked Father Abbot if I could perhaps have an except! onal
permission to get over to Lexington to see you. He said that someone is driving
over to the doctor on Dec. 16th and that he would let me go with them and have
lunch with you, if this were possible. So I am writing to ask if that would be
a good day for me to come over for lunch? It is Wednesday. I think that if
that day is impossible for you, if you can suggest another thereabouts I might
be able to get a ride. But in any case I hope I can see you and Carolyn and
have lunch in your fine studio, as monastic as any monastery,and in fact more.

For my part things are going quite well. There is every likelihood now
that I will be able to live at the hermitage continuously. In fact I am already
sleeping there and coming down for some of the offices and for my work in the
novitiate, which still takes up quite a bit of time, but anyway in the night
hours and in the afternoon at least I am in the woods and it certainly agrees
with me. It seems to me that this is really what I. came here for, at last, and
that the community life has been somehow provisional and preparatory. However,
we shall see what develops. Part of the agreement may end up by being a cutting
off of contacts with visitors, perhaps almost completely. Pvt as T say, we
shall see. I will do my part and leave the rest up to superiors with their
concept of how things ought to be.

meanw’nile I look forward to the joy of seeing you. I hope that everything
will work out. If that day is no good, please just let me know any other
day( except Sunday) and T will try to arrange something, but can't promise.
Otherwise I hope to see you a week from next Wednesday, and will try to get
there about noon.

Very best wishes to both you and Carolyn. Yesterday T sent a copy of the
new Book, which is not like the others in many respects. God bless you.
Is it really five years since I was last in Lexi ngton?

Cordial and warm good wishes in the Lord,

72% .