A Moderate?

The standard framing of any practical issue... conservative, progressive, moderate... as if moderate were the mean between two (vicious) extremes.

Communion of Love: Thomas Merton and Liturgical Reform by Gregory K. Hillis

Merton was probably right about active participation (and its relation to scale); but did he have any clue about what was coming with respect to changes in prayers and texts?

The Catholic Thing: When Catholicism Shaped Culture by Jude P. Dougherty

Will Have a Talk by a Priest Who Favors Traditional Sacred Music Soon

For a local young adult group. Would he disagree with Merton's assessment? I believe we'll be sampling some attempts to meld traditional sacred music with English.

The Chant Café: Thomas Merton, on Gregorian Chant

Robert Barron on Thomas Merton

The Hundredth Anniversary of Thomas Merton's Birth

No one is supporting his cause for canonization right?

Fr. Barron's apologetic:

They see this as an indication of a religious relativism or a vague syncretism. Nothing could be further from the truth. Merton was indeed fascinated by the Eastern religions and felt that Christians could benefit from a greater understanding of their theory and practice, but he never for a moment felt that all the religions were the same or that Christians should move to some space “beyond” Christianity.

How would Christians benefit? Eastern Christian monks certainly do not think there is anything to be gained from studying Buddhism and the like.

Nuns of the Sisters of Loretto and the Abbey of Gethsemani Resisting Gas Pipeline

Defiant nuns and monks refuse to give up Kentucky land for gas pipeline by David Ferguson

Feast of St. Bernard of Clairvaux, 20 August

On the Love of God

Thomas Merton on St. Bernard of Clairveaux