Beneath the Mask of Holiness Thomas Merton and the Forbidden Love Affair that Set Him Free

by Shaw, Mark

• ISBN13: 9780230616530
• ISBN10: 0230616534
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2009-11-10
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Summary

Thomas Merton is the most influential American Catholic author of the twentieth century, called the "most important spiritual writer of the twentieth century." To his legion of followers, he appeared to be a peaceful, contented monk advocating the contemplative life, but in 1966 he was a troubled, lonely monk--sad, demoralized, guilt-stricken, and depressed over past sins. Despite being promoted by the Catholic Church as its great teacher and philosopher, Merton struggled with his irreverent behavior toward women and never having learned how to love, and be loved.Only when the suffering Merton fell madly in love with a student nurse, a forbidden, erotic affair condemned by the Catholic Church, would he discover whether his devotion to God was stronger than his dedication to the woman he called "a miracle in my life." Truly an inspirational story based on Merton's personal journals, new information and sources such as fellow monks, Beneath the Mask of Holiness presents a unique portrayal of the famous man, one never revealed in its entirety before.

Author Biography

Mark Shaw is the author of fifteen books. He holds a Masters degree in theological studies and is a member of the International Thomas Merton Society. A former defense attorney and columnist for the Aspen Daily News, he has been a television legal analyst for ABC, CBS, and ESPN. He also operates a website dedicated to Merton's work and its relevance in today's society: http://mertonandfriends.wordpress.com. He lives in East Lansing, Michigan.

Table of Contents

Prologue	p. vii
Blossoming Love
"Perfect Freedom Equals Perfect Love"	p. 3
Margie	p. 7
The Seven Storey Mountain
The Orphan	p. 19
Visions of Merton's Father	p. 31
Franciscan Denial	p. 43
The Thomas Merton Journals
Searching for the True Merton	p. 55
Freedom Seeker	p. 69
"People Think I Am Happy"	p. 77
Dancing in the Water of Life	p. 83
The Merton Biographers
The Other Side of the Story	p. 91
Calamity at Cambridge	p. 101
The Restless Merton	p. 107
The Harebrained Neurotic	p. 121
Margie or God
Questions and Answers	p. 139
Merton the Christian	p. 141
Substitute Mothers and Fathers	p. 147
"We Are Terribly in Love"	p. 157
"Margie Loves You and Will Always Love You"	p. 169
Margie or God	p. 181
The True Merton
Broken Vows	p. 189
The New Merton	p. 199
Thomas Merton: The Man, The Legacy	p. 213
Acknowledgments	p. 219
Notes	p. 221
Index	p. 241
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.

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