The Phenomenon of Teilhard

By the entrance to the Ming Tombs. Left: Pierre Teilhard de Chardin S.J., Right: Henri Breuil

The Schmitz-Moorman Teilhard Collection, containing numerous photocopies of correspondence and manuscripts by the Jesuit philosopher and paleontologist, Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, was recently cataloged in Special Collections. A gift from scholar Nicole Schmitz-Moorman, it was painstakingly formed over many years by her and her late husband, Dr. Karl Schmitz-Moorman, editors of the monumental ten-volume edition of Teilhard's scientific work. The files open up new areas of inquiry and cover almost the entirety of his life. Documents date from 1912 when Teilhard completed his theological examinations and continue through his move to Paris and studies under the renowned prehistorian Abbe Henri Breuil, the creative decisive years of World War I, his explorations and discoveries in China in the 1930's, and finally to his death in New York City in 1955. Much of Teilhard's widely dispersed correspondence was recovered and copied by the Schmitz-Moormans, and the collection is a wonderful addition to the extensive holdings in Special Collections of this remarkable man, priest and scientist.

Among the library's other related collections are the Lucile Swan Papers, the Pierre Leroy S.J. Papers, the Lukas-Teilhard de Chardin Collection, the Granger-Teilhard Collections, the Teilhard Houdin Collection and the Leroy-Warre Collection.