Guide Helps Trace Catholic Ancestors
“U.S. Catholic Sources: A Diocesan Research Guide” is a new genealogical source that will be especially helpful to those with Roman Catholic ancestors.
Virginia Humling wrote the guide to make it easier to locate records “that are a precious part of our Catholic heritage.”
She also hopes that “in reflecting on the faith journeys of those who came before us, we will appreciate the debt of gratitude we owe for what has been so faithfully handed down to us. Our journeys are truly connected.”
Humling mailed questionnaires to every Roman Catholic diocese within the United States, and all but three responded. She compiled the answers into a 112-page guide giving the name, address and hours of each diocese and a brief sketch of their records. She included information on Catholic newspapers in many dioceses, especially those published in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Humling details which records are available on microfilm through various state libraries, historical societies and the Family History Library in Utah.
Since many records are maintained at the parish level, Humling suggests researchers consult The Official Catholic Directory to obtain correct parish addresses. The directory, published annually by P.J. Kenedy & Sons, is accessible at the main diocese office and many parish offices.
I consulted Washington state’s information with its three dioceses, including Seattle’s archdiocese. The guide provides the address, phone number and archivist’s name for each diocese, the counties they cover, what records they hold and for which years. A suggestion of fees is included, as well as information on area Catholic newspapers.
The Rev. Theodore F.X. Bradley is archivist for the Diocese of Spokane, 1023 W. Riverside (99201); telephone, (509) 456-7100. There are 13 Eastern Washington counties in the Spokane Diocese.
The guide states: “Sacramental records through 1956 are on microfilm at the Diocesan Archives, with the originals retained at the parish level. Some of the early records have been microfilmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah and are available for viewing at the LDS Family History Library and all Family History Centers.
“Early records from the Walla Walla area are included in Catholic Church Records of the Pacific Northwest, by Harriet D. Munnick, and are available from The St. Paul Mission Historical Society, PO Box 158, St. Paul, OR 97137-0158.”
There is no set fee charged in the Spokane Diocese, but donations are appreciated.
The Inland Register is the Spokane Diocese newspaper (P.O. Box 48, Spokane WA 99210), established in 1942. Past issues may be viewed at the newspaper office by appointment.
Do not - I repeat, DO NOT show up at the diocese office without an appointment. The nice folks there are busy running the diocese and do not have the manpower to stop and help you dig into dusty records. Besides, Bradley lives in Moses Lake and comes to Spokane only twice a month.
When I visited with him a couple of years ago, he said there is no set rule in the church for parishes to turn over their records to the diocese office. Some do, some don’t. He recommends researchers be prepared to check into the records at the parish level before coming to the diocese office.
“U.S. Catholic Sources: A Diocesan Research Guide” may be ordered for $14.95, plus $3.50 postage and handling, from Ancestry, Inc., P.O. Box 476, Salt Lake City, UT 84110; or by calling (800) 931-1790. You might also check to see if Ancestors Plus at Shadle Center (328-6558) has a copy.
Today’s laugh
Oh, if it were only this easy in real life: According to an October 1994 Newsweek article, computer software can now “zap” a certain face from a family photograph - like a divorced spouse - and replace it with the current wife’s face. Boy, won’t that confuse future genealogists!
, DataTimes The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = Donna Potter Phillips The Spokesman-Review