The Archives of the Diocese of Saint John
One Bayard Drive
Saint John NB
E2L 3l5
Tel: (506) 653-6807 or Reception (506) 653-6800
E-Mail:
Contact: Mary Kilfoil McDevitt, M.A., Archivist
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| Map to Saint John Diocese Archives |
The Diocese of Saint John, established in 1842, is the seventh oldest Roman Catholic diocese in Canada. Originally, it embraced the entire province of New Brunswick. Subsequent divisions and amalgamations followed, and today the Diocese of Saint John serves these 8 counties: Saint John, Kings, Queens, Sunbury, York, Charlotte, Carleton and Northumberland.
The Archives houses most of the extent PRE-1900 diocesan church records and other historical documents, though some still reside in the individual parishes. PRE-1900 church records are open to public research. Except for records of interment, all POST-1900 records must be obtained directly from the church in which the ceremony took place.
Though much of the collection consists of historical documentation related to the history of the diocese and of the individual parishes of which it is comprised, of most interest to genealogists, of course, are the sacramental records – the baptisms, marriages and burials that are the signposts along the genealogical journey into the past. The oldest extant records we have are those of Bartibogue, on the Miramichi, which begin in 1801. Catholic records for the Saint John area begin in 1812, the Fredericton area and Charlotte County in 1827, the Woodstock area in 1842, and the Kings County mission churches, in 1845.
For some time, we have been in the process of indexing and re-organizing these records, making them more accessible to researchers. What has also emerged from this ongoing project could be termed ‘context’, a look at the big picture. It affords not merely lists of names and dates, but glimpses of a culture, of a specific time and place in history. It humanizes the ‘mountain of names.’
We also have on location a complete set of microfilmed editions of “The New Freeman”, the weekly Catholic newspaper begun in 1900 and still published today. Our index to the obituaries from that paper has proved a valuable research tool.
The Archives of the Diocese of Saint John, a church-funded facility, are housed on the ground floor of the Diocesan Centre on Bayard Street which is a short street that runs parallel to Waterloo Street, and is a stone’s throw from the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. The parking lot is at the front of the building, adjacent to the parking lot of St. Joseph’s Hospital. There is also a large lot at the side of the building, providing ample room for parking, even for RV’s. The Centre is within walking distance of the heart of the city, and a very short drive to hotels, restaurants etc. The exit into the city off the Saint John throughway (Route 1) is Exit 123.
The Archives are open 1:30 to 4:30, Monday through Thursday, from September to mid-June. Since, during those months, it is a one-person operation, occasional closures are inevitable. During the summer, we take on a student research assistant, and the office is open Monday to Friday, from 9 to 12, 1 to 4.
Though drop-ins are welcome, we do ask that, if possible, visitors book an appointment for in-office research. Space is limited, and we have only one microfilm reader. Though we do not charge a set fee for the use of the facility, or for our services, we gratefully accept donations to help defray operating costs. We have no microfilm printers on site but photocopying is available. Washrooms are handy and available to patrons of the facility.
All records, files, photos etc. housed in the Archives may be viewed in the office, but are not available for loan or off-site use. During office hours, someone is always on hand to assist. We make the records available, confident that researchers will exercise due care and respect.
Mary Kilfoil McDevitt, M.A.
Archivist, Diocese of Saint John