File 39 - Letters from John Garvey

2 cm of textual records. - 1 photograph ; col. ; 11 x 9 cm

File consists of copies of Nouwen's letters to John Garvey. The correspondence took place between 1970 and 1993. The 36 letters are typed for the most part, with the exception of two. One letter seems to have been exchanged per year, while there are several years for which no correspondence took place. The letters are friendly in tone, offer snapshots of Nouwen's state of mind, as well as his whereabouts. Occasionally the letters exchange intellectual ideas on such issues as celibacy, marriage, Eastern Orthodoxy, and the writings of Flannery O'Connor. File also includes two letters from John Mogabgab who assisted Nouwen with the preparation and teaching of the course on Heyschasm. Garvey appears to have been instrumental in encouraging Nouwen to develop this course on the eastern spirituality and the Desert Fathers.

A second folder consists of 22 original letters from Nouwen to John Garvey (two of which are hand-written), and one letter from John Garvey. The second folder also includes a photograph of an unidentified woman carrying an infant on her back, taken in Bolivia on December 28, 1982, with an inscription by Nouwen on the verso. Also included in the file are two letters from John Mogabgab to John Garvey. Letters in the second folder include:

• Typed letter from Henri to John – February 25, 1993
• Typed letter from Henri to John and Maria Garvey – November 30, 1993
• Typed letter from Henri to John – June 29, 1990
• Typed letter from Henri to John – November 7, 1988
• Typed letter from Henri to John – November 22, 1987
• Typed letter from John to Henri – December 10, 1987
• Typed letter from Mabel Treadwell to John – October 3, 1984
• Typed letter from Henri to Jon – September 14, 1984
• Handwritten letter from Henri to John – August 10, 1983
• Typed letter from Henri to John – August 14, 1982
• Handwritten letter from Henri to John – January 27, 1982. Attached is a photograph with the inscription “for the Garvey Family: With many thanks for your constant prayers, Henri. Picture take in Bolivie on Dec. 28, 1982”
• Typed letter from Henri to John – September 24, 1981
• Typed letter from Henri to John – January 21, 1981
• Typed letter from Henri to John – November 13, 1979
• Typed letter from Henri to John – September 18, 1979
• Typed letter from Henri to John – November 8, 1979
• Typed letter from Henri to John and Regina – July 22, 1979
• Typed letter from Henri to John – April 10, 1979
• Typed letter from Henri to John – March 11, 1979
• Typed letter from Henri to John – February 27, 1979
• Typed letter from Henri to John – December 20, 1978
• Typed letter from Henri to Todd – August 17, 1976
• Typed letter from Henri to John and Regina – June 26, 1970
• Typed letter from John Mogabgab to John Garvey (copy to Henri) – May 30, 1970.

The first folder contains copies of letters found in the second folder.

Revised by T Wong, 21 September 2021