My Intro to Teilhard de Chardin

Looking through Google Images, I was entranced with this photo of Teilhard de Chardin looking at the skullcap of Peking Man. He was there when that was being authenticated in China in 1940.

As mentioned in yesterday's post, Teilhard's words and life are inspiring me. While at Lebh Shomea this past week, I perused several books about him. At times, I wondered if I could ask Father Kelly Nemeck to recommend some books for me. That was a possibility, but one that I kept talking myself out of--we're supposed to stay quiet at Lebh Shomea; Fr. Kelly is usually not around or is busy; mealtimes do not seem a time to interrupt him in the silence, etc., etc., etc.

The morning I left, I walked out of the main building and there was Fr. Kelly in a golf cart, which was at a standstill. I walked over and quietly thanked him for my time at Lebh Shomea and then asked if someday he would recommend some books about Teilhard.

Fr. Kelly asked if I would be around much longer and if I could meet him in the library in ten minutes! I did not expect such hospitality.

At that time, he took me to the Teilhard section and silently looked at the books, pulling one and another to look at. These are the ones he suggested I read:

• Album by Teilhard de Chardin; preface by Andre George. Designed and edited by Jeanne Mortier and Marie-Louise Aboux from the publications and letters of Pierre Teilhard de Chardin and from papers preserved at the Foundation Teilhard de Chardin.

• The Divine Milieu by Teilhard de Chardin. To be read slowly, according to Fr. Kelly.

•  Writings in Time of War by Teilhard de Chardin. Early writings from Teilhard's time of being a front-line stretcher bearer in WWI. To be read along with:
• The Making of a Mind: Letters from a Solder Priest 1914-1919 by Teilhard de Chardin.

I ordered used copies of the first and last books.

I will see about the others, as I am currently reading the one I mentioned yesterday from the Maryknoll Modern Spiritual Master Series, which has selections from different essays and books (including those above).

AND I have just found the site of Internet Archive, which has links to DOWNLOAD-able copies of Teilhard's works!! Go there and get a taste of him.