Archival Resources and the New Jersey Catholic Experience Program Recap

Thank you to Alan Delozier from the New Jersey Catholic Historical Commission for speaking about the general history of Catholicism in New Jersey and what resources and repositories are useful for conducting research, including genealogy.  Religion plays a important role in many people’s lives and religious institutions can serve as pillars of the community; the Catholic experience in New Jersey is no different.  Records related to individuals, parishes, and Catholic organizations can provide a wealth of personal and contextual information, allowing us to reconstruct the lives and experiences of deceased priests, nuns, parishioners and others associated with the Catholic Church.

Catholicism in New Jersey

Before diving into records and repositories, it’s important to understand the history of the Catholicism in New Jersey.  Before 1853, churches in New Jersey were split between the Diocese of New York and Diocese of Philadelphia.  On July 29, 1853, the Diocese of Newark was created and encompassed the entire state of New York.  Nearly 30 years later, in 1881, New Jersey was split between the Diocese of Newark and the newly formed Diocese of Trenton.  In 1937, the Dioceses of Paterson and Camden were formed.  Finally, in 1981, the Diocese of Metuchen was formed.  This information is important because depending on what time period you are looking for, documents could be found anywhere from the current diocese to the Archdiocese of Philadelphia or New York.  This can make tracking down ancestors more difficult as records can be scattered, especially as parishes close or merge.

Types of Records

The 4 R’s of Catholic Family Research

There are a lot of different records produced by Catholic churches, with many of the most popular belonging to “The 4 R’s”:

• Registers – Sacramental records that are commonly kept in chronological order.  From baptisms to marriages, these records can contain a wealth of vital information perfect for genealogy research.
• Rights – There are other documents that may be associated with the 7 different sacramental rights performed by members of the Catholic Church.  These records can be considered the religious equivalent of civil records.
• Rites – Priests and nuns may belong to a specific order, or rite, such as Jesuit, Franciscan, or Carmelites.  Records relating to these orders may be held at the local, national, or international offices and are not part of diocesan records.
• Requests – All requests regarding canonical law or parish directives must be in written form.

Parish Life

There is much more to a Catholic parish that just sacramental records.  Parishes can have a rich social relationship with their parishioners and community.  Events such as performances, feast days, and community celebrations are often memorialized in photos, pamphlets, bulletins, newsletters, etc.  These documents can tell a rich history of the parish as well as ancestors who were apart of parish committees, groups, and events.

Other Institutions

The Catholic Church in New Jersey is not just limited to rectories and churches.  The Catholic Church offers a wide-range of social and medical services from orphanages, hospitals, and community centers.  Some societies have very close ties to the Catholic Church, such as the Knights of Columbus or Holy Name Society which may provide important historical and genealogical information.  Additionally, Catholic Charities helps thousands of people each year with housing, child care, meals, and clothing.  Please note that some of these records may contain sensitive and legally protected information so some records may not be available.

Other Records

Administrative records can be very helpful when researching the history of a priest or parish.  Proclamations and pastorals may include information about contemporary events or issues important to the church at a specific time.  Many parishes also had schools, which can include important information about students, staff, and alumni.  Yearbooks, annual reports, and photographs can be tremendous resources for family researchers.

More Information

If you would like to view a recording of this webinar, please visit https://youtu.be/ZekPwTEtYsM.  You can download a copy of the handout at https://www.njstatelib.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Archival-Resources-Handout.pdf.   You can also download a copy of the presentation slides at https://www.njstatelib.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Archival-Resources-Presentation.pdf.  If you have any questions, please contact Alan Delozier at alan.delozier@shu.edu.