The Henri J.M. Nouwen Archives and Research Collection, held in the John M. Kelly Library’s Special Collections: Archives and Rare Books, preserves materials related to Henri Nouwen’s life, work, and enduring legacy. Comprising more than 50 linear meters of material created and gathered during his lifetime, the collection offers an exceptional resource for research, teaching, and discovery.
The collection includes manuscript drafts, more than 16,000 incoming letters, over 200 sound and video recordings, lecture notes, handouts, photographs, publisher and business correspondence, and administrative files from L’Arche Daybreak. It also includes research materials collected by Nouwen on figures and subjects such as Anton T. Boisen, Seward Hiltner, Vincent van Gogh, Thomas Merton, as well as a complete set of his published books, including translations, and a comprehensive collection of articles published by Nouwen between 1957 and 1996.
A booklet about the Henri J.M. Nouwen Archives and Research Collection, produced by Special Collections: Archives and Rare Books, is also available to view online.
Henri Nouwen Archives
The Henri J.M. Nouwen Archives preserves records documenting Henri Nouwen’s life, writing, teaching, ministry, and spiritual legacy. The archives include manuscripts, correspondence, photographs, sound and video recordings, lecture notes, administrative files, and other materials created and gathered during Nouwen’s lifetime.
There are 15 series in the Henri Nouwen Archives:
- Manuscripts
- General files
- Calendar files
- Personal records
- Publisher files
- Financial files
- Teaching materials
- Nouwen’s education records and study notes
- Published works
- Video recordings
- Sound recordings
- Collected materials
- Administrative resources
- Ephemera and artifacts
- Photographs
Henri Nouwen Research Collection
The Henri Nouwen Research Collection is comprised of project files and collections of material assembled after Nouwen’s death. These include original Nouwen documents such as letters, programs, photos and ephemera collected by those who knew Henri and documents assembled by the Henri Nouwen Society and other organizations charged with the preservation of Nouwen’s legacy and remembrance.
There are 11 series in the Research Collection:
- Oral History Project
- Nouwen Letter Project
- Nouwen video collection
- Nouwen sound recordings
- Photographs
- Henri Nouwen Literary Trust and Society
- Material by Nouwen
- Material about Nouwen
- Nouwen memorabilia and ephemera
- Newsletters
- Nouwen family correspondence
The Nouwen Archive Letter Project
In 1998, the Henri Nouwen Literary Centre began the Nouwen Letter Project under the leadership of Sister Sue Mosteller. The project invited members of the public to donate original materials related to Henri Nouwen, including personal and professional correspondence, manuscripts, photographs, and other records documenting his life, work, and relationships.
Through this initiative, and through subsequent donations, the Henri J.M. Nouwen Archives and Research Collection was built and strengthened by the generosity of Nouwen’s friends, colleagues, readers, and the wider community. The materials gathered through the Letter Project are included in the Research Collection, now housed in the John M. Kelly Library’s Special Collections: Archives and Rare Books, where they continue to support research, teaching, and reflection on Nouwen’s life and enduring legacy.
Digital Exhibits
Disclaimer: Access to the photographic images in these exhibitions does not imply permission for re-use. Permission to publish or otherwise use these images, and any accompanying text, must first be obtained in writing from Special Collections: Archives and Rare Books.
Mandate of the Archives
The Archives exists to:
- Collect and preserve archival material created by and about Henri Nouwen.
- Collect and maintain a library of books, articles, interviews and other published material by and about Henri Nouwen, as well as reference material, artifacts and memorabilia that documents the life and work of Henri Nouwen.
- Arrange and describe materials according to archival principles and make them accessible to the general public on a regular basis, unless access is restricted.
- Provide adequate and appropriate conditions for the storage, protection, and preservation of archival material.
- Provide regular reference services to individuals, organizations, or other groups interested in the activities and holdings of the Archives.
- Provide educational and outreach programs whenever possible to increase public awareness and knowledge of the life and work of Henri Nouwen.
History of the Archives
The material in the Henri J.M. Nouwen Archives and Research Collection was donated to the John M. Kelly Library at the University of St Michael’s College on January 19, 2000, by the Literary Executrix of Nouwen’s estate, Sue Mosteller, C.S.J. The donation included more than 124 linear feet of material from L’Arche Daybreak as well as 29 linear feet of material originally deposited by Nouwen at the Yale Divinity Library. The Archives and Research Collection officially opened on September 21, 2000.
Donating Material to the Archives
We actively pursue and accept donation of material by, or about, Henri Nouwen. Letters, notes, audio and videocassettes, transcripts of talks, manuscripts and other material would be of great interest and value to our collections. Please contact us to discuss your interest further.
A New Endowment for Lasting Care
The Henri Nouwen Archives and Research Collection is a living resource that preserves and animates one of the world’s most significant bodies of material from and about Henri Nouwen, supporting ongoing scholarship and spiritual engagement. The Henri Nouwen Legacy Trust has established an endowment to sustain the care and ongoing life of the Nouwen collection in perpetuity. We invite you to help us grow it.
For information on how to give, or to make a donation by telephone, please call the St. Michael’s College Office of Advancement at +1 (416) 926-7271, or donate online.
Contact Us
Telephone: +1 (416) 926-2314
Email: specialcollections.kellylibrary@utoronto.ca
Elizabeth Comper Special Collections Reading Room
John M. Kelly Library
Before visiting, you are warmly encouraged to review our Researcher Guidelines. Rare materials damage easily but if well-treated, they can last many generations and, in some cases, hundreds of years.