1

Archival Connections Newsletter of the Catholic Archivist Group

Volume 10, Number 1 March 2013

From the Editor – Veronica Stienburg

Do you ever get so involved in an archival project that you feel like you are living in the past?

Recently I feel like I’ve been time traveling to 1873 when the Sisters of Providence of St.

Vincent de Paul established their first permanent mission in Holyoke, Massachusetts. I have been

researching the early history of the mission in order to create a display to celebrate the 140th

anniversary of its foundation. In 1892 the mission separated to become a new congregation, the

Sisters of Providence of Holyoke. It is refreshing to lift my head out of the council minutes, and

congregational annals to return to the present to read what my fellow archivists are working on.

This issue of Archival Connections is full of interesting articles highlighting the great variety of

projects that are underway in Canadian Catholic Archives. I encourage you to read about the

retirement of Fr. Jim Mason who was a founding member of CAG, the Jesuit Archives’ gift to

Pope Benedict XVI, the move of the Sisters of St. Ann Archives to the BC Provincial Archives,

the upcoming CAG 2013 conference in St. Albert and much more.

On a sad note, just before printing the newsletter I got word that CAG member Fr. Jim Rent,

CSB passed away on March 2nd

, 2013 in Toronto.

From the Executive – Gillian Hearns (CAG Treasurer)

As I write this, the retirement of Pope Benedict XVI is on the forefront of everyone’s mind. By

the time you read this a new Pope will have been elected to lead the Catholic Church. I have

worked for the Archives of the R.C. Archdiocese of Toronto for 10 years. I never thought I

would see two different Cardinal Archbishops attend a conclave in that time. Before the election

of Pope Benedict XVI no Toronto Cardinal had attended one. Exciting times indeed!

As the Catholic Church enters a new phase, so too does CAG. With this newsletter you should

have received the draft of the Revised Constitution of the Catholic Archivist Group. The Lenten

season is a perfect time to receive this document. As a group we have much to reflect on and

contemplate. Please ensure that you take some time to review it in detail. It is imperative that all

members of the Catholic Archivist Group have a chance to review the revised Constitution as

well as comment on it and seek clarifications.

On a personal note, my time on maternity leave is drawing to a close. I have enjoyed spending

time with my children, but I have had little time to devote to anything else. I am looking forward

to getting back to the routine of the Archives of the R.C. Archdiocese of Toronto, but I will miss

being so involved with the daily lives of my three active girls. I wish you all a blessed Easter.

2

CAG Internship 2012 – Deb Majer (Diocese of London Archives)

As the recipient of funds for the first CAG internship program I only have glowing remarks and

many thanks to the association for awarding the Diocese of London Archives money to fund a

summer intern.

To be awarded $3000 and to hire a qualified individual, who happened to have a Catholic

History degree and a Masters in Library Sciences, was a blessing from above! The project title,

“The Management of Sacramental Registers” was a project I had hoped to have completed for

nearly seven years. Attempts at advancing the project were made regularly but with volunteers

and summer students coming and going the likelihood in completing this large scale project

properly was not looking promising.

So here is a little background with how this project came to be. Over the past eight years aged

sacramental registers have consistently been collected throughout the Diocese of London as

parishes have been suppressed or clustered due to “Parish Reorganization”.

Our diocese, here in south-western Ontario, has some of the oldest records in Ontario concerning

birth, marriage and death information. The oldest registers dates back to 1760 from Assumption

parish in Windsor (the Mother Church of Ontario) and the oldest transcription dating back to

1710. The latter was transcribed in 1802 and notarized as an authentic copy of the original

register which now remains in the Archdiocese of Detroit’s Archives. It was clear that these

registers needed to be formally assessed, inventoried and stabilized.

After a very successful internship, the amount of work which was completed exceeded my

expectations. All registers, nearly 680 in total, have been assessed, physically and intellectually

alphabetized, preserved, and flagged. It is a wonderful feeling to walk into the vault and see rows

of organized, inventoried registers safe and sound and to turn to the hardcopy/digital copy of the

inventory and search for information as requested. Thank you CAG for making this project so

successful!

A Summer at the Diocese of London Archives – Shannon Marrinan (CAG Intern)

This summer I was hired to work as an intern in the archives at the Diocese of London, and

through the following months I was assigned to analyze, examine and notate the necessary

information from sacramental records into an organized manner. After the information was

processed and entered into a spreadsheet, flags were created as a visual aid of each record book.

With hundreds of records ranging from the 1700s to the early 2000s, I realized I had been

presented with a very unique opportunity to be able to handle some of the most crucial elements

of our diocesan history.

With the closing and clustering of parishes, I quickly realized the importance of maintaining the

archives, how it plays an imperative role in the preservation of the history of these communities

and the spiritual significance of parishioners records within the sacramental registers. I was even

able to view my grandparent’s civil and sacramental marital record! Aside from working hands-

3

on with multiple records, I was also presented with the opportunity to travel to Windsor to visit

another church archive. It not only afforded me the opportunity to understand the church’s desire

for the maintenance of the collected registers, but also the work involved in remaining connected

to the many parishes that exist within the Diocese of London.

Although some may view an archive as an assortment and accumulation of unnecessary ‘old

stuff,’ it is important to remember that these belongings are pivotal to recalling the past and are

the basis for both personal and collective memory. Through the management of this type of

information one is able to preserve the culture and knowledge of the time and pass it on to those

in the future.

I consider myself blessed to have been able to work alongside of Archivist Deb Majer and the

rest of the employees at the Diocese of London’s Diocesan Centre. It was a wonderful

environment to be part of for four months. I will always be grateful for the skills and knowledge

I was able to take away from this internship.

Shannon Marrinan working on the Management of Sacramental Registers Project at the

Diocese of London Archives

4

Archdiocese of Grouard-McLennan

Applications are being invited for the full-time permanent position of

Archivist-in-Training/Vice-Chancellor

.

The right candidate for this position is a religious or a lay Catholic dedicated to the mission of the

Church who has an eye for detail and accuracy, enjoys creating and maintaining well-organized files

and registers, is pleasant to work with and courteous to the public, is a highly motivated self-starter,

is looking for a satisfying long-term vocation with opportunities for growth and expanded

responsibilities, and is willing to live in Grande Prairie, AB, and upgrade his/her expertise through

regular participation in professional workshops and institutes.

Position Summary:

To assume responsibility for the collection, recording, and management of the sacramental

registers and other archival materials pertaining to the acts of the Curia and to the temporal

and spiritual affairs of the Archdiocese and its parishes and institutions which are housed in

the archives on the premises of the Chancery.

To provide certificates and other information from these registers and records to persons

entitled to receive them and to supervise the research of those persons granted direct access

to the archives, in accordance with the norms established by the Archdiocese.

To supervise the work of volunteer and/or paid assistants.

To exercise the authority of the Ordinary duly delegated to the Vice-Chancellor.

To be familiar with and exercise oversight on behalf of the Archbishop over the historical

holdings of the Archdiocese which may be held in trust by the Provincial Archives of

Alberta and to arrange for the transfer of additional holdings to the Provincial Archives

when authorized by the Archbishop.

Additional Qualifications:

Basic familiarity with the teachings and practices of the Roman Catholic Church.

Willingness to learn and implement archival theory and to exercise membership in the

Archives Society of Alberta and the Catholic Archivist Group.

Possession of good computer skills and a working knowledge of the French language.

Possession of a license in Canon Law, or the willingness to acquire it in a timely manner.

Duties are to commence on April 30, 2013. The salary follows the grid of the Archdiocesan

graduated pay scale for lay employees. Please submit an application and resume in writing, with the

names and contact information of three references, including your pastor, in confidence to:

Father Joseph Jacobson, Chancellor

Archdiocese of Grouard-McLennan

P.O. Box 388, McLennan, AB T0H 2L0

Tel. (780) 324-3002 Fax: (780) 324-3952

Email: jrjcmj@serbernet.com

We thank all applicants, but only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

5

Chalice Veil Unlocks Part of Canada’s Christian Past - Michael Swan (The Catholic

Register)

Reprinted with permission. Originally printed in The Catholic Register, January 6-13th

edition

A dirty, little cloth rolled up in a ball of

dirt off in a corner winked at Helen Smith

and her daughter four years ago. It had a

secret to tell — the secret of Canada’s

counter-reformation history.

For a small sum, Smith bought the

embroidered cloth from a country antique

store just outside of London, Ont. She

cleaned it up and discovered a beautifully

embroidered chalice veil with gold and

silver silk threads. She immediately knew

she had stumbled upon a fragment of

Canadian history.

With the help of the Jesuits, Smith has

managed to trace its origins.

Various experts had trouble placing it, but

the archivist for the Ursuline Sisters in

Quebec immediately knew it was theirs. In the 1630s the Ursulines ran a workshop in Quebec

where the French sisters taught Mohawk girls to sew and embroider. A careful inspection of the

stitch work reveals the sisters started the intricate embroidery, but a student finished it.

At that point in Canada’s history, Jesuits were almost the only priests in New France and the

chalice veil was certainly destined for Jesuit use on the missions — perhaps at Sainte-Marie in

what eventually became Ontario.

“We need to find more of these things. They need to be brought out,” said Smith, a retired

University of Waterloo staffer who helped establish the university’s computer systems. Smith

had no second thoughts about her decision to give the rare find to the Jesuits.

The chalice veil is more than pretty and old, said Jesuit historian and archivist Fr. Jacques

Monet. It represents the work of the first nuns in the history of the Catholic Church who were

sent out of their cloister to work among the people. The sisters were, like Jesuits Jean de Brebeuf

and his companions, on a mission to found a society in North America based on Christian ideals.

“It’s meaningful, very much, for Jesuits,” Monet said of the artifact. “It’s also meaningful for the

whole Church.”

The framed chalice veil will be kept at the Jesuit curia at 43 Queen’s Park Cres. E. in Toronto.

Photo by Michael Swan

6

Fr. Mason Retires – M.C. Havey (Edmonton-Toronto Redemptorist Archives)

Archives and history advocate Rev. James Mason, C.Ss.R., a

founding member and first treasurer of the Catholic Archivist

Group, has retired after 16 years as the Director of Archives of

the Edmonton-Toronto Redemptorists.

His familiarity with the state of religious archives began in 1988

as a member of the CRC-O Archivist Group. When the

organization expanded across Canada as the Catholic Archivist

Group, Fr. Mason served as its first treasurer (2002-2005).

Often emphasizing that archival records will be a congregation’s

lasting legacy, he hired staff with history degrees and supported

their archival training. In the Redemptorist Archives, he slowly orchestrated the continuous

conversion of the records from files in a bank of filing cabinets to acid-free boxes and folders,

which are stored on 160 metres of metal shelving in a climate-controlled enclosed records area.

Under his guidance, the Edmonton Province records were transferred to the Toronto archives and

donations were arranged for the academic records of Rev. Joseph Owens of the Pontifical

Institute of Mediaeval Studies to the University of St. Michael’s College and for the media

records of Rev. Matthew Meehan to the Archives of Ontario.

For almost four decades, he strove to preserve and chronicle the history of the English-Canadian

Redemptorists. As editor of the Co-Redemptorist Association News (1977-2011), he wrote

articles in monthly issues about confreres, foundations, celebrations, events and changes in the

Canadian congregation. He also oversaw the publication of Redemption and Renewal, a history

of the Redemptorists in English Canada (1834-1997) and the writing of a dictionary of biography

of 250 deceased confreres. Technologically savvy, he arranged that the Canadian Redemptorist

history be documented on separate archives pages of the website of www.redemptorists.ca.

During the decade of the 1990s, Fr. Mason’s responsibilities as Provincial Procurator/Treasurer

(1994-2001) intensified with the merger of the Toronto and Edmonton Provinces. However, the

commitment to promoting and publishing Redemptorist history strengthened. In joining the

North American chapter of the Institute of the Redemptorist Historical Studies (IRHS-NA), his

outlook widened as publisher (1995-2005) of its historical bulletin. As well, he served as a

member of the North American Task Force of the General History of the Congregation and

chaired sessions and presented papers at the Redemptorist history conferences.

For Jubilee Year of 2000, he organized television profiles of 21 religious congregations across

Canada to tell “our story so that history of Canada may be more honest and complete.”

Recognized for a significant contribution to Canadian television, he received an award from the

Association of Roman Catholic Communicators of Canada in 1999.

Much appreciated by the archival staff for a relaxed manner and thoughtful, wise leadership, Fr.

Mason retired in November and was succeeded by Provincial Superior Mark Miller.

7

New Home for Stained Glass Windows – Monica Plante, SCIC (Sisters of Charity of the

Immaculate Conception Archives)

Before our 147 year old Mother House in Saint John, NB was demolished in July 2012, eight

stained glass windows from the chapel and a statue of Mary were donated to Our Lady's Chapel

in St. Michael's Basilica in Miramichi, NB.

Several Sisters travelled north by chartered bus on October 21, 2012 to celebrate the liturgy and

a dinner with the parishioners and to view the windows in their new setting. One window was of

St. Michael.

Guest Blogger Wanted – Ontario Genealogical Society

The Ontario Genealogical Society (OGS) is seeking anyone from the Catholic Archivist Group

who might be interested in being a guest blogger on the OGS blog. From an Archivist’s point of

view, this would be an ideal platform from which to instruct Genealogists on the correct

protocols and best practices when seeking genealogical information from a religious community,

diocese and/or institution.

Interested parties may contact, Frances O’Regan, the OGS Archivist/Librarian at:

foregan@ogs.on.ca

Two of the windows and the statue of Mary in Our Lady's Chapel in St. Michael's Basilica, Miramichi, NB.

8

Yesterday – Today – Tomorrow: Changing Reality of Catholic Archives – 2013 CAG Conference Planning Committee

The work of the Conference Planning Committee is moving ahead well. The conference package

will be mailed out to you and posted on our website in March. With our invitation to attend the

conference, you will also receive the conference program, registration form and travel allowance

forms for CAG 2013 in St. Albert. We hope that you will receive the invitation in time to allow

you to choose the CAG 2013 conference as one of your important continuing education activities

this year.

There will be presentations on textile and conservation, on new technology, on Church historians

and archives, and another one to be announced in March. A longer two-hour session is dedicated

to the new CAG constitution.

A special invitation is extended to colleagues who wish to make a short presentation (15-20

minutes) on their projects in the “From the Stacks” session on Tuesday morning (September

24th

). Please contact a member of the Planning Committee as soon as you have decided on a

topic.

While in St. Albert, you will have an opportunity of joining a tour of historic Mission Hill on

Monday. On Wednesday morning, you will visit the new St. Joseph Seminary, Newman

Theological College, and the archdiocesan archives. In the afternoon, you will walk along the

shore of Lac Ste. Anne where the first Catholic mission west of Winnipeg was established in

1843. (Read Diane Lamoureux’ articles on Lac Ste. Anne in March issue of Archival

Connections and in December 2012 issue for historic St. Albert.)

The 2013 Planning Committee: Éloi DeGrâce, Mary Flynn, Bruce Henry, Shamin Malmas

Constitution Review Committee Update

Over the past few months, the Constitution Review Committee has been busy working on the

revised constitution. Accompanying the newsletter you will find a copy of the draft constitution.

We ask that you review this draft and submit your comments for consideration to Linda Wicks

by April 30, 2013.

Based on your comments we will revise the draft and send out a final revised constitution with

the June newsletter. The revised constitution will be presented, in a session, to the membership at

the 2013 conference in St. Albert and a vote will be taken at the AGM for its approval. Those

members unable to attend the AGM will be able to participate via proxy in the process.

PLEASE SEND YOUR COMMENTS ON THE DRAFT

CONSTITUTION TO LINDA WICKS (lwicks@csj-to.ca) BY

APRIL 30, 2013.

9

Recovering the Past – François Nadeau (Sisters of Charity of Montreal (Grey Nuns) Archives

The Sisters of Charity of Montreal, the Grey Nuns, are vacating their Mother House in March to

become tenants of a newly-built residence in the city’s East end. Concordia University will soon

take over the entire building so everything must be moved out ASAP. From long-forgotten

boxes, shelves and drawers all manner of documents and objects see the light of day for the first

time in decades.

These images show part of Montreal’s 1942 Tercentenary celebrations; along with students,

nurses, orphans and babies from various Grey Nun missions in the city, the Sisters await the

arrival of Mayor Adhémar Raynault and distinguished guests in the Mother House courtyard.

10

Renewal for the Diocese of Hamilton Library & Archives – Dominy Williams (Diocese of Hamilton Library and Archives)

The significance of promoting our faith and history has been vital to the Diocese of Hamilton

since our very beginning. The first Catholic library in the city of Hamilton was opened in 1858;

the diocese was established in 1856. The library was located in the chapel of our Pro-Cathedral,

St. Mary’s. It housed 265 books and was open to individuals in the surrounding area. A Catholic

library continued to exist in one form or another from this point onwards.

This spring our current library and archives will be given new life. Over the past year we have

been renovating a building on the grounds of the Cathedral of Christ the King to become the

home of our Diocesan Library and Archives. The new location will provide much needed storage

space for our archival collections, in addition to research space and library services. Construction

is to be complete within the next few months. I look forward to sharing more about the upcoming

move and opening!

Office Space Becomes Storage Space

Victorian Photo Album – Veronica Stienburg (Sisters of Providence of St. Vincent de Paul

Archives)

One of the treasures in the Archives of

the Sisters of Providence of St. Vincent

de Paul is a Victorian photograph

album, containing photos ranging from

the late 1860s to the 1940s. Most of the

photographs are portraits of individual

sisters from the late 19th

century. While

the album itself had been processed,

the individual photographs had never

been processed or entered into our

databases. I scanned each photograph

and now we have accessible images of

several Sisters for whom the Archives

has no other images, including a

photograph of Sister Mary of the

Sacred Heart who died in 1870 (right).

May 5, 2012 October 5, 2012 January 13, 2013

11

Celebrating St. Kateri Tekakwitha - Bruce Henry (Archives of the Jesuits in Canada)

To mark the canonization of St. Kateri Tekakwitha, the Canadian Conference of Catholic

Bishops gave Pope Benedict XVI a reproduction of the opening page of the biography of St.

Kateri that was written a few years after her death by her spiritual director, Fr. Claude

Chauchetière, s.j. The original, which is kept in the Archive of the Jesuits in Canada, was a

primary document for establishing her reputation for sanctity. On November 10, 2012, 11 days

before the canonization (left to right) CCCB President Archbishop Richard Smith, Vice-

President Archbishop Paul André Durocher and the Vatican Chief of Protocol Msgr. Jose

Bettencourt (a Canadian member of the Vatican Diplomatic Corps) made the presentation. Pope

Benedict called this "molto precioso" and decreed that it be placed in the Papal sacristy, with

other important relics.

The Jesuit Archives team has mounted an exhibition honouring St. Kateri in the lobby of Maison

Bellarmin, their Montreal home base. It is also the location of the Francophone Jesuit Curia. The

exhibition displays various interpretations of Kateri via portraits, drawings, prayer cards and

other images. There is also a copy of the Positio, a published version of the documents submitted

to Rome to support her beatification, and relics, respectfully displayed under glass. There is also

a DVD player on which visitors can watch a video of the people in St. Peter’s Square on the

weekend of her canonization. It includes interviews with First Nations people from North

America, some in their regalia.

12

Member Highlights

Bishop Murray Chatlain of Mackenzie-Fort Smith, Northwest Territories, has been

named Archbishop of Keewatin-LePas, MB. The inauguration will take place Tuesday

March 19th

2013 in The Pas, Manitoba. Congratulations Bishop Chatlain!

Sisters of Charity of the Immaculate Conception, Saint John, New Brunswick were

awarded the Lieutenant-Governor's Excellence in Aging Award in Fredericton, NB on

September 27, 2012. The award was for 158 years of SCIC service to the community,

notably in areas of health and elder care. The Sisters were nominated by two health-care

facilities in Saint John, NB.

Carey Pallister, Sisters of St. Ann Archives; Carol Hollywood, Roman Catholic Diocese

of Calgary; Mary Flynn, Sisters of Providence; and Shamin Malmas, Roman Catholic

Archdiocese of Edmonton are presenting a session at the Association of Canadian

Archivists 2013 conference entitled “Opening the Window: Canadian History in the

Hands of Faith Archives”. The conference will take place in Winnipeg from June 13 to

June 15, 2013.

Welcome Julie Cormier - Friends of St. Ann’s Academy

The Society of Friends of St. Ann’s Academy welcomes its new Executive

Director Julie Cormier. As the former Community Development

Coordinator of the Fairfield Gonzales Community Association, in Victoria

BC, Julie has a solid background in office administration, volunteer

management, project coordination, event management and fundraising. Julie

is a graduate student at the University of Victoria enrolled in the Studies in

Policy and Practice program. Her significant experience combined with her

youthful energy will help carry our Society into its next phase of awareness-

building, community engagement, and fundraising.

The Friends say goodbye to Executive Director Theresa Vogel, who was the

mainstay of the Society’s operation for the past eight years. Theresa received

an offer to work for the Diocese of Whitehorse in the community of

Telegraph Creek, BC. Her remarkable achievements with the Society

included spearheading the sesquicentennial celebrations of the arrival of the

Sisters of Saint Ann on the West Coast. Theresa’s work and vision allowed

the Society to grow into an organization committed to carrying the legacy of

Saint Ann’s Academy into the future. We wish her all the best in her new

endeavour.

The mission of the Society is to honour, celebrate and preserve the spiritual, social, cultural and

historical legacy of St. Ann's Academy. For more information on the Friends of St. Ann’s

Academy contact Julie Cormier at 250-953-8820 or email info@friendsofstannsacademy.com.

Visit the Society’s website at www.friendsofstannsacademy.com

Julie Cormier

13

A Roman Missal – Fr. Wayne Jenkins, SCJ (Priests of the Sacred Heart, US Province

Archives)

Tuesday February 12, 2013

Buongiorno from Rome,

Yesterday, the whole world was shocked by the announcement from the Pope that he was

resigning. At our SCJ residence in Rome, everyone could not stop talking about this! Now,

everyone is awaiting the arrival of the cardinals for the election. I could not have dreamed that I

was going to experience this when I was asked to do some archival work in Rome last

November. The 100th anniversary of our first novice master’s death will be celebrated this

November. Fr. Prevot's manuscripts and papers needed some additional work so I received the

job. I am placing everything into our data base for future research. Everything has to be done on

an item level. Presently, I am working on the correspondence between our Founder Leo Dehon

and Fr. Prevot. These materials are in boxes made from wood that have strings to tie the

documents inside and to keep them shut. I think that the documents have been in these boxes

since the 1940's. I have had to photocopy the correspondence from Fr. Dehon's archives; i.e.,

letters, post cards, official transcripts. The originals are kept on one floor while the duplicates are

on another floor. There are 135 boxes of materials to choose from.

Over the weekend, I had the opportunity of watching the Carneval Romano in the Piazza del

Popolo. The lights were spettacolare as they shone on the running water from the fountain. The

music that accompanied the dancers as they waved their beautiful fans and the horses as they

pranced around the square with their riders was magnifico!

Happy Mardi Gras!

Fr. Wayne

Fr. Wayne Jenkins (left) attended the installation of Fr. Raul Gomez (middle) as Vicar General of the Salvatorians on February 2nd in Rome. Fr. Raul Gomez taught for 24 years at the SCJ Sacred Heart School of Theology in Wisconsin until last year.

14

Lac Ste. Anne, Manito Sakihigan – Diane Lamoureux (OMI Lacombe Canada, Grandin

Province Archives)

CAG 2013 is getting closer. Plans are being made for a trip to Lac Ste. Anne – about 45 minutes

northwest of St. Albert. Lac Ste. Anne plays an important role in the history of the Catholic

Church in Alberta, as it was the site of the first Catholic mission in the Province.

Historically, the Lake was considered a sacred site by the Aboriginal peoples and was thought to

have healing powers. The Cree called it ‘Manito Sakihigan’ – roughly translated as ‘Spirit Lake’

and to the Nakoda Sioux, it was ‘Wakamne’ – or God’s Lake.

In 1843, a secular priest, Father Jean-Baptiste Thibault made his first visit to the lake, which was

home to a Hudson’s Bay Post. Thibault returned the next year and established a residence. He

was joined by another secular priest, Father Joseph Bourassa, shortly thereafter.

In 1844, the first church was constructed and on September 8th

of that year, the two priests

blessed the lake – placing it under the guardianship of Ste. Anne. While one priest remained at

the mission, as well as serving Fort Edmonton, the other travelled as far as northern

Saskatchewan and into the northern and southern regions of Alberta. A hint of their travels is

given by the name of the Sacramental Register they kept – “Forts des Prairies” or literally, Forts

of the Prairies. These two priests remained based out of the mission until the early 1850s.

In September 1852, secular priest Father Albert Lacombe, replaced Father Thibault who had left

the mission in May of that year. The following May, Father Bourassa departed, leaving Father

Lacombe alone. In 1854, Lacombe travelled to Lac la Biche where Oblate Father René Rémas

was posted. Lacombe convinced the other priest to join him at Lac Ste. Anne to await the visit of

Bishop Alexandre Taché, omi. Father Rémas went to Lac Ste. Anne became the novice master

for Lacombe, who had made the decision to join the Oblate Congregation. In September 1856,

Father Lacombe took his perpetual vows as an Oblate. Father Lacombe remained at Lac Ste.

Anne until 1861, continuing the work started by the earlier priests.

By 1860, Father Lacombe, who had tried to instigate farming at Lac Ste. Anne, finally

determined the land was not well suited to agriculture and selected a better farming site closer to

Fort Edmonton. In January 1861, Father Lacombe travelled, with the visiting Bishop Taché, to

the site he had selected on a hill overlooking the Sturgeon River. The Bishop approved of the site

and named it after Father Lacombe’s patron Saint – Saint Albert. Many of the Métis from Lac

Ste. Anne relocated to the new mission site. Lac Ste. Anne continued on as a mission but was no

longer the key Catholic mission in Alberta.

15

In 1887 Father Jean-Marie Lestanc, omi,

convinced the Bishop of St. Albert, Msgr.

Vital Grandin, omi, to create a pilgrimage

facility at Lac Ste. Anne. Thus, in June 1889,

the first pilgrimage was held at Lac Ste.

Anne. A second was held on July 25-26,

1889, the feast of Ste. Anne.

The parish church at Lac Ste. Anne, built in

1889, was destroyed by fire in December

1928. In 1930, a dance hall was brought to

the site for use as the parish church. A new

church was completed just a few years ago.

An Oblate has continually served as the parish priest for Lac Ste. Anne since the 1850s.

Over the years, the pilgrimage became an annual event. A shrine was built in 1918 and added to

over the years until it was destroyed by a tornado in 1930. A new shrine was built in 1931 and

remained in service until the present day shrine was built in the 1980s.

The pilgrimage now attracts up to 40,000 pilgrims annually, most of First-Nations and Métis

heritage. The theme of the 2012 Pilgrimage was ‘Celebrating the life of Blessed Kateri’. A key

event during the Pilgrimage is the Blessing of the Lake – which was held twice during the

Pilgrimage. Early on, one blessing was specifically for White pilgrims and the other for

Aboriginal pilgrims. Over time, these distinctions disappeared.

In 2003 the Oblates transferred

the Pilgrimage land and

buildings to a trust made up of

Catholic and Aboriginal trustees.

A Board, with Aboriginal and

Catholic members, oversees the

operation of the Pilgrimage site.

Lac Ste. Anne was declared a

National Historic Site on July

23, 2006.

There have been many miracles

attributed to the healing waters

of Lac Ste. Anne, and discarded crutches and canes hang inside the shrine.

While the dates for the 2013 Pilgrimage are not yet posted, information will be updated on the

Pilgrimage website: http://www.lsap.ca/index.htm

Source : Lac Ste-Anne: Sakahigan by E.O. Drouin, O.M.I., M.Ed., Ph.D.. Edition de

L'Ermitage, Edmonton, AB, 1973.

16

The Sisters of St. Anne Archives’ Landmark Agreement with the BC Archives – Carey Pallister (Sisters of St. Ann Archives)

Reprinted with permission. Originally printed in the Association of Canadian Archivists’

newsletter The Bulletin, December 2012.

The role of religious congregations across Canada has changed. These once strong and

influential institutions of religious life have been declining in numbers and in importance to

modern Canadian society. As a result, many congregations are making the difficult decision to

transfer or deposit their Archives to secular institutions to be preserved and managed by them.

Congregational and diocesan archives have traditionally been private Archives, created and

maintained by their founding organization for the specific needs of that organization. Access was

restricted to those within the community or those trusted by the organization. The new reality,

essentially a public private partnership will test and challenge the status quo and require

patience, respect and consideration from both parties. It is essential that the new stewards and

users of these records have an understanding of the culture and sense of the historical context in

which they were created. Archivists as stewards of religious archives must find a balance

between the privacy of the founding institution, keeping alive its legacy and sharing it with the

world in a manner that is in keeping with the principles of the original creators.

The Sisters of St. Ann have been leaders in this movement and have recently signed a deposit

agreement with the BC Archives. This innovative agreement benefits not only the two

institutions involved, but all British Columbians.

The Sisters of St. Ann is congregation of women religious founded in Vaudreuil, Quebec in 1850

by Marie Esther Blondin, now Blessed Marie Anne Blondin. On June 5, 1858, four Sisters and a

laywoman arrived in Victoria to begin educating children of the colony. Their arrival in Victoria

coincided with the Fraser River gold rush, necessitating a response to the changing needs of the

burgeoning population, which included helping the sick. The Sisters lived in a log cabin that also

served as their first school. The first pupils were not only the aboriginal children that they had

originally been missioned to teach, but children of the Hudson’s Bay Company employees and

colonists as well. The school flourished, obliging the Sisters to expand and to build various

additions to their buildings and open new schools in several locations. In 1871, the Sisters built

the first wing of what would become St. Ann’s Academy, now a National Historic Site.

Throughout the years, the education and health care provided by the Sisters of St. Ann in

Victoria and across the Province of British Columbia established them as a vital and important

part of the civic communities. In the years that followed, the Sisters founded schools, hospitals

and taught in Indian Residential Schools. They offered a broad spectrum of health, education and

social services to communities throughout British Columbia, Yukon, Alaska and Washington

State.

This landmark agreement places a private archives physically into a public institution with its

own space, access and policies. The records also come with their own archivist who is an

employee of the Sisters of St. Ann. For legal and other reasons, this is being called a deposit with

the records staying within the full custody and control of the Sister for the next 15 years, after

which, the records will be donated to the BC Archives. An archivist from the BC Archives who

17

will subsequently be responsible for the deposit will be inculturated and educated on the

foundation of Congregational archives, the Sisters of St. Ann’s tenets and culture as well as

policies and procedures unique to the Sisters of St. Ann’s Archives holdings.

The main message that came out of the ACA Whitehorse 2012 conference was that Archives

should stay visible, be relevant and accessible and form partnerships. The Sisters of St. Ann

Archives are trying to achieve all these objectives while also keeping their records in the place

they were created and striving to keep alive their legacy and history both a vital and unique part

of British Columbia’s historical memory.

Moving the Sisters of St. Ann Archives to the Royal BC Museum – Carey Pallister (Sisters of St. Ann Archives)

Many years ago Sister Carmelita MacKenzie, said, “Our Archives are filled, not with lifeless

manuscripts, but with a living heritage of a Community whose spirit and unity brought Christ’s

message and healing to a new frontier. The story was begun by our elders, it must be continued

by us.”

While she may not have envisioned the future of the Sisters of St Ann Archives moving towards

an agreement with a secular institution, no doubt she would be pleased that the records will be

preserved for future generations.

It is essential that the SSA Archives stay visible, be relevant and accessible and benefit from

partnerships. The Sisters are trying to achieve all these objectives while also keeping the records

in the place that they were created and striving to keep alive the legacy and history which are

both vital and unique pieces of British Columbia’s historical memory.

There are, like with all partnerships, advantages and some things that you have to give up. The

advantages for the Sisters of St. Ann Archives are many; for example we will be able to draw on

the expertise of their BC Archives conservation and advertising departments. They will supply

security and we will be in a more central and more easily accessible building with a more public

presence. The advantages for the BC Archives are not so immediate; however, they view this as

a precedent setting agreement and hope to make other, similar agreements in the future.

The move itself has gone very smoothly, twelve working days after leaving 1550 Begbie Street;

we are still unboxing and unwrapping and organizing and probably will be for the next week or

so. Our new home is one room with 9 bays of rolling shelving and one large wall to showcase

some of the wonderful art in the collection. We are trying to make it a warm and friendly place

for researchers.

Adjusting to our new home has been made easier by the amazing staff we have worked with.

Everyone has been very welcoming and are all curious about the Sisters of St. Ann.

Our phone number and email are the same as before, only our address has changed. Mailing

address is 675 Belleville Street, Victoria, BC V8W 9W2 and our physical address in case you are

visiting (and we hope you do) is 3-655 Belleville Street.

18

A Survey on Oral History in the CAG Community – Carol Hollywood (Diocese of

Calgary Archives)

Background: When Bishop Henry expressed interest in gathering the life-stories of our retired

clergy it created a dilemma for me as archivist. We have a small archival collection – only 30

linear metres, but we also have a backlog of over 60 banker’s boxes, to say nothing of the

records we know to be out there but which have not yet been actively sought – including

everything digital and those strange boxes, tapes, and discs I have no idea what to do with. There

is no proper catalogue yet, only a rudimentary inventory list and we are still in the process of

establishing a records management programme.

Opportunity: Bishop Henry’s idea

resonated with the historian in me and

dovetailed with my archival studies at the

University of Dundee. This was an

opportunity; but for what, exactly?

Nothing would have happened had not a

colleague, already familiar with

interviewing and filming, jumped in and

started – without considering anything as

mundane as legal clearances, proper

protocol, or appropriate skills. Working

with him proved the best way forward as I

could provide the administrative

framework while Kristoph made contacts,

filmed, and edited. Our ‘studio’ was the

storage area next to the washrooms,

incredibly hot and airless underneath all

the lights. I am surprised we didn’t kill off the priests we interviewed. The first interviews reveal

sweat trickling down stressed faces – more like a police interview of suspects than calm,

delightful reminiscing through lifetimes of ministry!

Experience: We have learned quickly and currently have seven interviews ‘in the can’ and the

idea of going beyond the initial interviews commissioned and funded in commemoration of the

Diocesan 100th

anniversary. During the past year Kristoph left the Diocese, sadly taking his skills

– and cameras – with him. However, after the trial and error of the first few interviews I am

learning the process. I have found a videographer thanks to our Youth Office and an excellent

transcriber in our receptionist, who finds transcribing an interesting sideline during downtimes.

Our first interview has become a poignant document, as the priest concerned died last week. It is

a beautiful, humorous conversation ranging over what it was like to be a miner and a baseball

player in 1930s and 1940s Alberta, and the hardships of the Depression years and how these

gave Fr. Greg a powerful connection to the Vietnamese community, many of whom arrived as

‘Boat People’ in the 1970s.

Sonia Razniewski finds time to transcribe at

the Calgary Diocese.

19

Request: As I consider how or even whether

to grow this oral history programme I am

interested in learning from the CAG

community. What is your opinion of oral

history in the archives? What oral histories

do you have in your collections? How are

they administered, accessed, and used? What

preservation strategies have you adopted? I

have talked with some of you already but to

find out more I have prepared a survey,

which is available at

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1adU6e8v

iZmCt8HIRext7jMBiSGa8p4Sikvd4_wld

D04/viewform, and I hope to share my

findings later this year through CAG.

Martyr’s Shine Archives – Steve Catlin (Martyrs’ Shrine Archives, Midland Ontario)

For the past two years, Martyrs' Shrine has hired a seasonal archives/curator associate. Ms.

Natalie Thornhill (MA Anthropology) has assisted greatly in digitizing the over 3000

Mobert/Heron Bay Jesuit Mission slides (1967- 1996, by Fr. Larry Brennan, sj - copies of which

have been sent to the respective Band Councils). Along with other archive projects, she has also

developed educational programs and created museum displays highlighting the Shrine's reliquary

collection, explorers of New France, and St. Catherine Tekakwitha. Her help has allowed the

volunteer archivist of twenty years, Steve Catlin, to focus on research for the Early Jesuit

Missions to Canada book series (coproduced with Fr. Bill Lonc, sj), spend more time with

researchers utilizing the collection, and to do more fishing. CAG members are invited to visit the

Shrine's archive facilities, museum, and research library during the summer months.

From the Secretary – Diane Lamoureux

I do not yet have numbers for membership renewal but do know that not everyone has renewed

their CAG membership for 2013. So, if you have forgotten, please try to get your renewal in as

soon as possible so I can finish the 2013 Directory. Membership renewal forms were sent out

with the December issue of Archival Connections and the forms are also available on the CAG

website. Remember that there are two forms – one for Individual or Student memberships and

the other for Institutional memberships. I thank you in advance!

On another brief note just as a CAG member:

If you are planning to come to CAG 2013 in St. Albert this September and perhaps have

questions outside of the conference happenings or would like some ideas or suggestions for

either pre or post conference sightseeing, please feel free to send me an e-mail. I used to live and

have worked in St. Albert for a number of years and have a pretty good knowledge of the City.

In addition, I spent a number of years working for Travel Alberta so also know the rest of the

province fairly well. I look forward to seeing you in St. Albert this fall!

Some of the non-standard formats in the

backlog at the Calgary Diocese

20

Visit Our Website

The current issue of Archival Connections is available in colour on the CAG website. Previous

issues of Archival Connections are also available: www.catholicarchivist.ca

Publication Schedule

The newsletter is published three times a year:

March (deadline February 15)

June (deadline May 15)

December (deadline November 15)

Please email your articles and photographs to Veronica Stienburg at archives@providence.ca

Please keep text to 500 words maximum. All submissions will be subject to editing.

Outreach Committee – Contact Information

Newsletter Editor

Veronica Stienburg

P.O. Box 427

Kingston, ON K7P 3K4

Tel 613-544-4525, ext 147

archives@providence.ca

Website

Mary Flynn

3005-119th

St.

Edmonton, AB T6J 5R5

Tel 780-701-1814

info@catholicarchivist.ca

MFlynn@sistersofprovidence.ca

Catholic Archivist Group Executive – Contact Information

Chair

Fr. Wayne Jenkins, SCJ

P.O. Box 289

Hales Corners WI, USA

53130-0289

Tel 414-427-4274

Fax 414-425-2938

provarch@usprovince.org

chair@catholicarchivist.ca

Secretary

Diane Lamoureux

5 St. Vital Avenue

St. Albert AB T8N 1K1

Tel 780-459-5072

Fax 780-459-2650

archivist@branthony.ca

secretary@catholicarchivist.ca

Treasurer

Gillian Hearns

1155 Yonge St., Suite 505

Toronto ON M4T 1W2

Tel 416-934-3400 ext. 504

Fax 416-934-3434

ghearns@archtoronto.org

treasurer@catholicarchivist.ca