Clear and moving, this compilation reveals previously unpublished discussions on prayer and religious vows between Thomas Merton and the Sisters of Loretto in the early 1960s. Offering insight into Merton’s friendship with one of the most influential American religious women of the 20th century, Sr. Mary Luke Tobin-who was one of the 15 official women observers at Vatican II-this history reflects not only Merton’s deep understanding of religious life, but also his affection for this particular community of sisters.