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Henri Nouwen fonds File
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Van Gogh - resources file

File consists of copies of articles pertaining to van Gogh and a copy of a manuscript on van Gogh by Cliff Edwards at Virginia Commonwealth University. File also contains a copy of a letter of response by Connie Ellis, Nouwen’s administrative assistant.

Letters regarding 12 1/2 Year Ordination Anniversary

File consists of letters regarding the twelve and a half year anniversary of Nouwen's Ordination. The package has been kept together in its original order. The correspondents include:

  • a telegram from Han and Nelson
  • a telegram from Joe (last name unknown)
  • a telegram from Tante Yvonne and Tante Rie
  • a telegram from Mia Janssens
  • a telegram from the van Susante family.
  • a telegram from Tante Puck and Oom Philip van Campen
  • a telegram from W and W van der Grinten
  • a telegram from Wim and Milene (Wolters)
  • a telegram from Paddy and Loliet Kiely
  • a telegram from Seamus and Sophie (Fitzgerald)
  • a letter from Hans van Wissen
  • a letter from Dr. H. A. J. Wegman
  • a letter from Caspar and Anneke (last name unknown)
  • a letter from the Sint- adelbertabdij Abbey (correspondent unknown)
  • a letter from Virginea Scheerman
  • a letter from Kris ter Reide
  • a letter from Tante Mary
  • a letter from W.G. Ramselaar
  • a letter from Tante [Yvonne?]
  • a letter from Rie P[?]
  • a letter from Jan [?]
  • a letter from Tante Corry and Oom Eef (Offerman)
  • a letter from Tante Lien and Oom Jaap (Otto)
  • a postcard from Tante Truus (Derkx-Nouwen)
  • a letter from Tante Hetty (Berghs)
  • a letter from Tante Hetty (Berghs)
  • a letter from Tante Jeanne (Nouwen)
  • a letter from Tante Jeanne (Nouwen)
  • a card [accompanying flowers?] from Dr. H. J. B. Mulders
  • a letter from H. A. van Munster
  • a letter from [Vinent?]
  • a letter form [Vinent?]
  • a letter from Tante Nel Laumans-Ramselaar
  • a letter from [Tante Ella and Oom Jan?] (Leitjen)
  • a letter from Prof. Mr. M. V. M. van Leeuwe
  • a letter from Oom Quirin B. Laumans
  • a card [accompanying flowers?] from Dr. Th. C. de Kruijf
  • a letter from S. C. M. de Jong-Vreeburg
  • a letter from Marie-Thérèse [Honée?]
  • a letter from Dr. P. G. van Hooijdonk
  • a card [accompanying flowers?] from J. Helthuis
  • a card [accompanying flowers?] from G. J. J. Harmelink
  • a card [accompanying flowers?] from Dr. F. J. A. de Grijs
  • a card [accompanying flowers?] from G. A. H. Groothuis
  • a postcard from Didy [Feringa?]
  • a letter from Tante Truus Derkx-Nouwen
  • an envelope from Jan v. Dijk, Joe Wissink, [Marisinus vd Bek?], H[?] vd [Sandt?] and Dave Schlaver
  • an envelope from Tante Truus, Oom Harry, Hubert, Rosemarie, Magdaleen and Joep
  • a letter from Laurien van Campen
  • a card [accompanying flowers?] from C. G. M. Bak
  • a letter from Joop [Bronschot?]
  • a postcard from G. vd Berg (Gerard van den Berg)
  • a postcard from an unknown sender
  • a list of names and addresses from [Louis?] Engels
  • a letter from Maria
  • a letter from Maria
  • a letter from Kees Bak
  • a letter from Ph. M. P. van de Burgt
  • a letter from Joost and Els
  • a letter from Oom G[?] and Tante L[?]
  • a card [accompanying flowers?] from Bernardus Kardinaal Alfrink

Death notice for Truus Derkx-Nouwen

File consists of a death notice for Truus Derkx-Nouwen (November 28, 1911 - January 16, 2006). Further inquiry to Laurent Nouwen revealed that Truus was Nouwen's fraternal aunt.

Postcard scrapbook

File consists of eighteen loose scrapbook pages which contain sixty-two postcards depicting buildings, streets, and other landmarks in the Netherlands and Germany.

Conciliebrief no. 4 by Ramselaar

File consists of two copies of a document entitled “Conciliebrief no.4 – 4e zitting”, written by Msgr. Antonius Ramselaar, in Rome.

Poem to Oma

File consists of a poem for Oma, Nouwen’s grandmother (Maria Rutten?).

Baby Book

File consists of a baby book given to Nouwen’s mother at the time of his birth.

Baptismal records

File consists of a photocopy of Henri Nouwen's baptismal record and birth certificate.

Typescripts of Boisen book

File consists of manuscripts for a book on Anton T. Boisen.

Folder 1 consists of seven typed manuscripts by Nouwen on Boisen. They include:

  • Boisen and Forestry
  • Dr. William Lowe Bryan
  • Boisen and Coe (George Albert Coe (1862-1951) important contributor to religious education in the US)
  • The Symbolic Flower
  • Anton Boisen’s Relationship with Alice Batchelder
  • The Background of a Clinician
  • Boisen and Freud

Folder 2 consists of eight typed manuscripts by Nouwen on Boisen. They include:

  • The Symbolic Flower
  • Dr. William Lowe Bryan (2 copies)
  • Boisen and Freud
  • Boisen and Forestry
  • Boisen and Coe
  • The Background of a Clinician
  • Boisen (2 copies) [3-page document about Nouwen's visit with Boisen in the Elgin State hospital in August 1964]
  • Anton Boisen’s Relationship with Alice Batchelder
    Folder 2 also contains sections of The Symbolic Flower and Anton Boisen’s Relationship with Alice Batchelder, as well as handwritten notes by Nouwen entitled, Richard Cabot and Anton Boisen.

Collected commercial audio cassettes

File consists of 43 commercial audio cassette tapes collected by Nouwen. Audio cassettes include:

Stages of Contemplation: The presence of God - SR189
Stages of Contemplation: Praying in the spirit - SR190
Stages of Contemplation: Marriage: Call to contemplation - SR191
Stages of Contemplation: The process of contemplation - SR192
Stages of Contemplation: Growing in prayer - SR193
Stages of Contemplation: To be Eucharist - SR194
Sister Jose Hobday, OSF: Fidelity to remembering - SR195
Sister Jose Hobday, OSF: Coming home and passing over - SR196
Sister Jose Hobday, OSF: The enfleshed heart of life - SR197
Sister Jose Hobday, OSF: Desert fertility - SR198
Sister Jose Hobday, OSF: The hidden and the revealed - SR199
Sister Jose Hobday, OSF: Brokenness - SR200
Sister Jose Hobday, OSF: The call to harmony - SR201
Sister Jose Hobday, OSF: Retreat and reentry - SR202
"CNN Report": Palm Sunday by K. Himle / 4/4/1993 - SR203
Most significant civil rights case of the decade by David Brown - SR204
The common sense of God - SR205
King of the Nation - SR206
Taking care of business: Called or driven by Bob Buford - SR207

Prophets for today - Cardinal John O'Connor - SR208
Abortion and race genocide - SR209
The war against population by Dr. Kasun - SR210
Christ in the New Testament 3/29/92 - SR211
The Nurturing Network: Pro-life in a pro-choice world - SR212
The Nurturing Network: "Practical idealism: Compassion in action" - SR213
The Nurturing Network: How to build an effective social ministry - SR214
[#]2451 of Rumi and apocalypse with Andrew Harvey - SR215
Creating an inner path for real magic: Applying real magic awareness in everyday life I - SR216
Creating an inner path for real magic: Applying real magic awareness in everyday life II - SR217
Creating an inner path for real magic: Applying real magic awareness in everyday life III - SR218
Creating an inner path for real magic: Applying real magic awareness in everyday life IV - SR219
How can I help? - SR220 (sent to Nouwen from B. Crowley)
The liturgical year - SR221 (given to Sue and Kathy from Bob [last name unknown])
Joni Earekson Tada 11/8/92 - SR222
Michael Kelly Blanchard and selected topics - SR223
Fr. William: Hesychasm: Introduction #201 - SR224
Fr. William: Hesychasm: Desert fathers and doctrine #202 - SR225
Fr. William: Hesychasm: Gnosis #203 - SR226
Fr. William: Hesychasm: and poverty #204 - SR227
Fr. William: Hesychasm and celibacy & Hescichasm and encrateia - SR228

Fr. William: Hesychasm and fasting & hesychasm and moral life - SR229
Fr. William: Hesychasm - The Jesus prayer first conference - SR230
Fr. William: Hesychasm - The Jesus prayer second conference - SR231

Photographs from marriage festivities for Laurien Nouwen and Marc van Campen

File consists of 8 slides featuring Maria Nouwen, Laurien Nouwen, Marc van Campen and other unidentified people likely taken during the festivities surrounding the marriage of Laurien Nouwen and Marc van Campen in June 1966. Six of the slides feature people, including Maria Nouwen (P5100, P5101); Laurien Nouwen and Marc van Campen (P5096); unidentified men in suits and an unidentified women in semi-formal attire (P5097 - P5098). The two slides which do not feature people show houses, which may be the buildings where the couple were married and received by families and friends.

Visit of Conrad T. Fischer - February 19 - March 13, 1991

File consists of correspondence regarding a visit from Conrad Fischer to L'Arche Daybreak. Includes the letter from Fischer requesting to visit, Nouwen's response, and a memo from Nouwen to Sue Mosteller and Joe Vorstermans regarding the visit.

Ordination material

File consists of material from Nouwen’s ordination ceremony on July 21, 1957 in Utrecht and on July 28, 1957 in Scheveningen, including reminder cards, dinner menu and two copies of a photograph of Nouwen as a child playing priest. File also includes copies of Nouwen's ordination certificates from 1955-1956.

Doctoral degree and Police clearance certificate

File consists of photocopies of Nouwen’s degrees and certificates, declarations from October 27, 1988, of Nouwen’s doctorate in Psychology (February 3, 1964) from the department of Social Sciences at the Katholieke Universiteit (University of Nijmegen, Nijmegen, NL) and in Theology (October 7, 1971), and a police clearance certificate from the York Regional Police from October 19, 1988. Material in the first folder was likely gathered while Nouwen was applying for Canadian citizenship. File also consists of a second folder of awards, certificates, memberships, and degrees awarded to Nouwen from 1979-1995. A third folder consists of additional copies of degrees, original grade reports, and a letter from Nouwen's brother on the need for these documents for Henri's work in the United States.

Letters from Christopher de Vinck

File consists of six letters from Christopher de Vinck; including excerpts from his book "Simple Wonders" with annotations by Nouwen, and a book proposal “The Journey with Henri Nouwen: Fellow Pilgrims Speak”.

Funeral materials

File consists of materials from various Nouwen funerals including preparation documentation; eulogies; speech transcripts; programs; articles; poems; in memoriam notices; newsletter notices; a funeral guest book; attendance lists; and sympathy notes.

Drafts of Selma 1965

File consists of five copies (three original copies, two original mimeographs) of a draft typescript of "Selma 1965: naar de 'deep, deep south'", about Nouwen's participation in the civil rights march from Selma, AL, to Montgomery, AL, in 1965. Nouwen wrote this paper while a theological fellow in the program of religion and psychiatry at The Menninger Clinic (Topeka, KS). File also includes a copy owned by L.J.M. Nouwen with annotations.

Video recording of Henri Nouwen at Earlham College

File consists of video recordings of a series of events held at Earlham College centered around Nouwen's receipt of an honourary degree. He gave four talks while at the college, all of which were recorded. Includes a video recording of an address given by Nouwen, Kim Barnes (an assistant from Daybreak) and Thelus George (a core member from Daybreak) at Earlham School of Religion, January 30, 1991. The address is primarily given by Barnes on the subject of L'Arche Daybreak. Video recordings also feature an address Nouwen gave to accept an honourary degree from Earlham School of Religion on January 30, 1991.

V13 v1 Common Meal / Earlham School of Religion consists of a video recording of Nouwen giving an address at the Common Meal at Earlham School of Religion on January 29, 1991.

V13 v2 Living the Spiritual Life / Earlham School of Religion consists of a video recording of Nouwen giving a lecture entitled "Living a Spiritual Life" at Earlham School of Religion on January 29, 1991.

V13 v3 Communion as the source of Christian leadership : Honorary Degree Convocation / Earlham School of Religion consists of a video recording of an address Nouwen gave to accept an honourary degree from Earlham School of Religion on January 30, 1991.

Summary of address:

Introduced by a former student Henry Freeman

I.
Explanation of Communion with God as a series of concentric circles.
Reference to the passage in Luke about Jesus spending the night in solitary communion with God, then returning to his disciples (including Judas) and later going amongst a crowd to minister and heal. Central Circle: Communion with God. Second Circle: Communion with Community (disciples). Third Circle: Ministry through words and healing. Communion is the source of Love. Communion as Connectedness. Communion as Spirit, as a breathing between Father and Son. This relationship between Jesus Christ is both totally unique and totally mutual, and it is called Spirit.

Henri says he is convinced more than ever that all human beings are called to Communion with God. The degree to which a person tastes this relationship will determine their degree of integration into society, how much they can contribute to society. By not acknowledging Communion, an individual will become manipulative and violent in their relations with others. Lacking Communion, people will turn to popularity, success and power in attempts to grasp at Belonging. It is important that Communion takes place at ‘Night’ in this passage of Luke because night is when we (and Jesus) are tempted to seek Communion outside our relationship with God.

II.
Out of Communion will grow Community.
References St. Francis, St. Thérèse, Dorothy Day, St. Bernard, St. Ignatius who formed communities as a fruit of this Communion with God. Mentions the importance of the Quaker tradition and his experiences at Pendle Hill in the development of his ideas about Communion.

Following Communion, you will find yourself calling to people or find people gathering around you. BUT: Community is a place where you will always be reminded that it (community) cannot give you that which you truly desire, Communion with God. Which will push you back to solitary Communion.

There is always a discordant note in communities (the person you least want to live with will be there in the community in which reside) (example of Judas). One needs community – it will constantly challenge you not to expect from people that which only God can give (Love). Community is a place of detachment. Community is the place where you live out Communion and then are called to Solitude. Solitude and Community can never be separated.

III.
Community will lead you to ministry. Ministry must be taught communally in groups. Henri mentions that of late he has found that Ministry has become highly individualized. By ministering in groups, one is prevented from manipulating the Good News, one is not tempted to believe that they are the sole source of Truth etc. In Ministry, we are called to proclaim that Communion with God is being offered to all people. The Spirit of God blows where it wants. Healing and Liberation comes from knowledge that God is offering us Communion. The Love you crave is available, and you can forgive each other for not being God.

IV.
Ministry right now, the lives of everyone present, our reality has changed in the last few weeks because we are now at war (The Gulf War). This fact colours our souls. It is a very dark and dangerous atmosphere. How are we going to live and minister in a world that is in full agony? Your First responsibility is not to change the world but to prevent the world from changing you. Television, News, Media will broadcast dark news that pounds on your heart – don’t let the Darkness take away your connection and Communion with God. Don’t let the Dark rip out the most precious gift of Communion.

Henri mentions Biblical quote of people ‘dying of fear’. Keep your head erect in the face of the Son of Man. Proclaim that this war is unjust. Receive Communion at the mountaintop. We do not receive Communion by changing the world, change is not a condition of prophecy. Source: Video Recordings of Nouwen Series – Video Cassettes of Nouwen at Earlham College Subseries, Box 309, item V13. Summary notes by Anna St.Onge, Archives Assistant, June 2, 2005.

V13 v4 Life at Daybreak : Henri Nouwen, Kim Barnes and Thelus George / Earlham School of Religion consists of of a video recording of an address given by Nouwen, Kim Barnes (an assistant from Daybreak), and Thelus George (a core member from Daybreak) at Earlham School of Religion, January 30, 1991. The address is primarily given by Barnes on the subject of L'Arche Daybreak.

Materials from Pendle Hill Summer Institute

  • CA ON00389 F4-7-1-2145
  • File
  • 1976 - August 1982, predominant 1982
  • Part of Henri Nouwen fonds

File consists of materials related to Pendle Hill, predominantly to the Summer Institute, a 5-week retreat run between June 28 and early August 1982 where Nouwen taught. There are also materials from the 1970s but they were most likely gathered by Nouwen for use during this event.
There are 36 handwritten pages by Nouwen which appear to be preparation notes for various lectures he gave at the institute. There is also a 6-page typed document by John Mogabgab titled "Pendle Hill Conversations Meeting 4 (October 27, 1977) Summary Notes".
Material that relates directly to the 1982 retreat includes correspondence from Pendle Hill dated May 17, 1982 to the 43 participants in the retreat regarding housing arrangements, health insurance, typewriting and cooperative housekeeping chores. There is also a typed list of all the participants and their addresses. As well, there is a eight page group of typed notes titled "Some Notes for a Five Weeks [sic] Reflection on the Gospel of Luke" as well as sheet music and a Curriculum Vitae of a lay reader from Sydney, Australia. There is also a photocopy of a long-distance phone bill containing a letter from one of Nouwen's suite mates regarding an overpayment. Nouwen's long-distance calls are noted.
File also includes three pamphlets from Pendle Hill, namely Parker Palmer's "Meeting for Learning" and "A Place called Community" and Douglas V. Steere's "On Speaking out of the Silence", as well as some ephemera.
Also contained in this file is a program schedule for a commemoration conference on Thomas Merton, hosted by Columbia University between November 27 and December 10, 1978. It appears that Nouwen cancelled some of his plans for this conference to visit Pendle Hill. See Weekly Calendars 1978.
File also contains an introduction package for the institute consisting of a welcome letter by Parker Palmer and brief staff biographies.

Draft of Ukrainian Diary

File consists of a bound draft manuscript of Ukrainian Diary : July 24 - August 14, 1993. The draft includes a copy of a letter from Nouwen dated November 30, 1993 (on L'Arche Daybreak letterhead) to friends saying he was finally able to finish his Ukrainian Diary and it tells about how Nathan [Ball], Zenia [Kushpeta], Borys [Gudziak], and Nouwen lived while in Ukraine. Nouwen says "If you do not have time to read the whole journal you might just focus on the entries from August 1 through August 11 because those were the dates that we were actually in Ukraine. The entries from July 24 to August 1 are preparatory notes, and the entries from August 12 through the 14th are some reflections after we returned from our trip." He concludes by saying he hopes to finish the text during his time away in January (1994).

Drafts of Power, powerlessness and power

File consists of a draft manuscript and typescript of "Power, Powerlessness and Power", including related correspondence. Folder (1) contains a fax copy of a manuscript and typescript. Folder (2) contains faxed correspondence between Nouwen's administrative assistants, Kathy Christie and Lydia Banducci, and Marion Hollis, of L'Arche Limited (Suffolk, England) and Zizi (last name unknown). Includes a fax copy of an illustration by Zizi (last name unknown), that Nouwen intended to use with this article.

Photograph album 3

Album 3 consists of photographs of Henri Nouwen alone and with friends, including Don McNeill, Bob Antonelli and Claude Pomerleau, between 1970 and 1974. Put together by Henri Nouwen the album predominantly contains photos of him socializing with friends at Yale Divinity School in New Haven, Connecticut; posing for portraits along canals in Utrecht, Netherlands for photographer Ron van den Bosch; and working and socializing with friends at the Abbey of the Genesee in Piffard, New York. Also included are photos of retreats, as well as trips to Aspen, Colorado; Elora, Ontario; and Cochabamba, Bolivia.

Photograph album 11

Album 11 consists of photographs taken between 1956 and 1961. Henri Nouwen is seen on a trip to Greece and Israel with a group of fellow students from the University of Nijmegen; on board the SS Maasdam where he worked as Chaplain in 1961; and visiting New York, NY while the ship was at port in the city. Also included are photos of Henri Nouwen and classmates at major seminary in Rijsenburg and at the University of Nijmegen in the Netherlands.

Photograph album 5

Album 5 consists of photographs taken between 1947 and 1954. Compiled by Henri Nouwen, the album is predominantly focused on Nouwen's stay at a boys summer camp, his time at seminary school in Apeldoorn and trips he took to countries such as Italy, Belgium, France and the United Kingdom. The camping group was called de Vossen [the foxes] and was run by Aloysius College. Also included are photos of Laurent J.M., Maria, Paul, Laurent and Laurien Nouwen at their home, in Scheveningen, and celebrating Laurent's First Communion in 1951. Of interest is a photo [P6644] of Henri Nouwen's grandmother Sara M. Ramselaar holding him as a baby in 1932.

Photograph album 10

Album 10 consists of photographs taken in 1981 during Henri Nouwen's final year teaching at the Yale Divinity School. Nouwen is seen at various events, including what may be a farewell party, a graduation ceremony, a baptism, a visit to the country and a lobster bake, with friends and colleagues, many of whom are unidentified. Nouwen is also seen wearing clerical robes while leading Easter Sunday service, outdoors, and celebrating Mass in the Yale Divinity School Prayer Chapel. Also included are shots of Nouwen and an unidentified man while on a trip to San Francisco. Joseph Nunez, Carol Plantinga, Yushi Nomura, Bob Massie, John Mogabgab, Marjorie Thompson, Don and Elaine Postema and Mich and Mary Zeman appear in photos throughout the album.

Photograph album 14

Album 14 consists of photographs taken in 1964. Put together by Henri Nouwen, the album contains photos that were predominantly taken in February of that year. Included are photos of Henri Nouwen during his psychology doctoral exam at the Katholieke Universiteit Nijmegen; at the Hooge Hoenderberg, between Nijmegen and Mook, celebrating his completion of the exam with friends and family including Laurent J.M., Maria, Laurien and Laurent Nouwen, Peter and Anke Naus, Guus Ablregts, and Puck and Philip van Campen; and on a trip to Germany with friends. Also in the album are portraits of Kees Ramselaar and his children, photos of Nouwen with friends in his Piusconvict room and a map from the area he visited in Germany.

Social security documents

File consists of photocopies of Nouwen’s US Social Security card, and a Social Security Summary of Statement of Earnings prior to 1980.

Death documentation

File consists of materials related to Nouwen's death including death certificates; insurance benefits, files, and correspondence; Nouwen's last will and testament; financial records regarding taxes and royalties; memorial cards; notes; arrangements for Nouwen's gravestone; pamphlets from memorial events; instructions for L'Arche Daybreak on responding to inquiries; and the power of attorney for personal care document from 1995.

Certificate of registration to perform marriages

File consists of Nouwen’s Certificate of Registration from the Ministry of Consumer and Commercial Relations authorizing him to legally perform marriages in the Province of Ontario; including material relating to the Marriage Act of the Government of Ontario.

Driving documentation

File consists of a photocopy of a Declaration of Aptitude for driving in the Netherlands with a foreign Driver’s license, and a license renewal form from Massachusetts.

Personal cards

File consists of an envelope containing Nouwen’s Social Insurance card, Ontario Health card, ManuAssist card, York Central Hospital card, and US Social Security card. Also includes his name badge for York Central Hospital Pastoral Services.

Myer-Briggs report

File consists of Nouwen’s report of the results of his Myer-Briggs type indicator personality test; including a photocopy of the description of his personality type.

1981 last will and testament

File consists of a copy of Nouwen’s Last Will and Testament from 1981, including a letter from Nouwen’s father in 1993.

Health insurance documentation

File consists of a summary of Nouwen’s health coverage, including a Blue Cross and Blue Shield brochure, and contract.

Distribution card

File consists of a distribution card issued to Nouwen. This card identified Nouwen and indicated what resources he received following the Second World War.

Curriculum vitae

File consists of Nouwen’s curriculum vitae from 1976 to 1982, including lists of his published works.

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