Saint Tolkien

 

August 8, 2025

Perhaps I may say also now (as I have meant to do for some time) that though I only briefly thanked Austin [one of the correspondents] for his booklet on the Rosary (I hope I did!), I have now had it by me for a long time, and have derived profit and encouragement from it. I was late in finding the Rosary, and it has been in addition a great delight to know that others whose virtue and learning is far above mine are companions. I began to use it only after hearing Knox [Mgr. Ronald Knox, Tolkien’s chaplain at Oxford] (on a private occasion) say: ‘Personally I do not like the Rosary, but I have a suspicion that Our Lady does.’ Very Knox. But obedience to one’s Mother is only a beginning! It can be greatly rewarded.

J.R.R. Tolkien (letter 242a)

Over on Substack - which seems to a growing place for online writing, including blogs - there is a site called Saint Tolkien run by Kaleb Hammond. He describes himself as:  I am a Roman Catholic, an aspiring writer of both fiction and nonfiction and a graduate student at Holy Apostles College & Seminary pursuing an MA in Theology. My special topics of interest are St. Thomas Aquinas and J.R.R. Tolkien.

He offers a Tolkien Quote of the Day, and a Saint Tolkien Weekly Roundup in which he links to Tolkien-related posts by others, as well as links to other posts of interest to fans of the Inklings and Tolkien. 

August 7, 2025 

I shall miss you v. much at Christmas, though I know it cannot be helped. But I am cheered by the thought that I shall see you again before 1956 is very old. You know that I shall be thinking of you with love, and I know the same of you. I am not attempting to send any Christmas present, since I think it would be much nicer to find something when you are here. I enclose a cheque for £1, in the hope that you may find a chance to say two masses for me. One I should particularly like you to say, for my mother Mabel Tolkien; the other a mass in honour of Our Lady in thanksgiving, you could ‘send back’, if you are (as may well be) overburdened.

J.R.R. Tolkien (letter 179a, to his son, Fr. John, who could rarely come home for Christmas due to the busy parish season)