Interview with Paul Wilkes,

Partial Transcript: Okay, right at, right to the side, right about you--

Segment Synopsis: Wilkes discusses the cultural zeitgeist of 1968, and says that revolution was in the air. He says people were asking "do these institutions work" and "is the church an institution I can trust with my soul," which Merton was also asking. Wilkes discusses what Merton was seeking in Asia and says he thinks Merton found what he was looking for by finding an authentic monastic tradition. Wilkes thinks Merton's epiphany in Polonnaruwa in Sri Lanka was his experience of finding and feeling the presence of God.

Keywords: Catholic monks; Doctrines; Intercultural communication; Interfaith dialogue; Trappist monks

Subjects: Asia; Buddhism.; Catholic Church.; Catholic.; Christianity.; Columbia University; Cultural interactions; Cultural relations; Eisenhower, Dwight D. (Dwight David), 1890-1969.; Merton, Thomas, 1915-1968.; Monasteries; Monks; Polonnaruwa (Sri Lanka); Religion.

Partial Transcript: And, as, uh, good Catholics, should we be threatened that he had this mind blowing experience, soul rending experience in front of a Buddha, and as opposed to a crucifix or a Mary?

Segment Synopsis: Wilkes discusses whether Catholics should be threatened by the idea that Merton found God in Buddha, but Wilkes quotes the Dalai Lama with the idea that "all good paths lead to the same place." Wilkes says Merton is a threatening figure because he challenges traditional religious belief and says God is bigger than one religious path. A question and answer in the audio is repeated. He discusses Merton resonating with the Dalai Lama as a fellow monk as well as his own experience in Polonnaruwa in Sri Lanka.

Keywords: Catholic monks; Interfaith dialogue; Trappist monks

Subjects: Asia; Buddhism.; Catholic Church.; Catholic.; Christianity.; Church.; Cross cultural communication; Cultural interactions; Cultural relations; Dalai Lamas; Intercultural communication; Merton, Thomas, 1915-1968.; Monasteries; Polonnaruwa (Sri Lanka); Religion.

Partial Transcript: Does Merton continue to shape the church or a certain kind of spiritual seeker or is he a thing of the past?

Segment Synopsis: Wilkes says spiritual writers fall into two categories, inspirational ones and ones that go deeper, and Merton is one of the latter. Wilkes says baby boomers would be the most taken with Merton, but that his words will live on. This question and answer are repeated in the audio. Wilkes attempts to summarize Merton's message as find God through who you are.

Keywords: Catholic monks; Catholicism; Trappist monks

Subjects: Authors; Buddhism.; Catholic Church; Catholics; Christianity.; Legacies; Merton, Thomas, 1915-1968.; Monasteries; Religion; Theology; Writing

Partial Transcript: Uh, what is the role of a monk who can seem so marginal and inconsequential in a broader culture?

Segment Synopsis: Wilkes says in the midst of the fray of life, it can be hard to figure out what life is about and monks help us to look at ourselves. He thinks the mystics' role is to help others become mystics themselves. Wilkes says Merton did not want to retire from the world completely, he hungered for contact with people through his writing and communications. He thinks people go to countries in Eastern Asia and see a "primitive and holy" approach to life. He says Merton was assaulted, charmed, and educated by these places.

Keywords: Catholic monks; Catholicism; Interfaith dialogue; Trappist monks

Subjects: Buddhism.; Catholic Church; Catholics; Christianity.; Cross cultural communication; Cultural interactions; Cultural relations; Intercultural communication; Merton, Thomas, 1915-1968.; Monasteries; Monks; Mysticism; Mystics; Religion.; Temples

Partial Transcript: You've been reading and, uh, documenting Merton for many years, uh, has, you've probably found the same thing I've found, there are many Mertons out there, uh, for different people, has your Merton changed through the years?

Segment Synopsis: Wilkes describes Merton as a friend he grew up with. Wilkes says he wouldn't have started his humanitarian work in India without the influence of Merton. The audio jumps back and repeats this segment again. Wilkes says he started work to provide homes for orphan girls in India, and relates a story where he was on his way to a Trappist monastery when he encountered a blind little girl. He thinks the appeal of Merton's writing was that he humanized both other research and his own thoughts and feelings.

Keywords: Humanitarian aid; Humanitarian work; The Seven Storey Mountain (Thomas Merton); Trappist monasteries

Subjects: Authors; Blind children; Blindness; Buddhism.; Catholic Church.; Catholics; Christianity.; Church.; India; Kurisumala Ashram; Merton, Thomas, 1915-1968.; Orphanages; Religion.