Australian Diocesan Australian Diocesan ArchivistsArchivists

Circular LetterCircular Letter “The Pastoral “The Pastoral Function of Church Archives” Function of Church Archives”

of the Pontifical Commission for the of the Pontifical Commission for the Cultural Heritage of the Church Feb 2, Cultural Heritage of the Church Feb 2,

19971997 Pauline Garland SAAPauline Garland SAA

“…“…the traces of the traces of Christ’s action Christ’s action

are revealed…are revealed…” 1.2 ” 1.2

MISSION OF CHURCHMISSION OF CHURCH

Sole intent of the Church Sole intent of the Church is the announcing of the is the announcing of the GospelGospel

Church archivesChurch archives

Preserve the unique and Preserve the unique and Spontaneous documentation Spontaneous documentation

produced by persons and eventsproduced by persons and events Cultivates the memory of life of Cultivates the memory of life of

ChurchChurch Manifests a sense of traditionManifests a sense of tradition

Cultural goods of Church are Cultural goods of Church are created by:created by:

Memory of worksMemory of works Witness of membersWitness of members Continual search of believersContinual search of believers

Archives are a cultural good Archives are a cultural good because they record the path because they record the path

followed by the Church followed by the Church through the centuries through the centuries

1. TRANSMISSION OF 1. TRANSMISSION OF DOCUMENTSDOCUMENTS

As a moment of TraditionAs a moment of Tradition As memory of evangelisationAs memory of evangelisation As a pastoral instrumentAs a pastoral instrument

1.1 Documents of Tradition1.1 Documents of Tradition

Enable reconstruction of daily eventsEnable reconstruction of daily events Represent primary source of historyRepresent primary source of history Can be gathered from Apostolic Can be gathered from Apostolic

times onwardstimes onwards Express oneness and continuity of Express oneness and continuity of

Church Church Record events of salvation Record events of salvation

1.2 Documents as memory of 1.2 Documents as memory of evangelisationevangelisation

Contain history of pastoral work of Contain history of pastoral work of bishops, pastors, missionaries, bishops, pastors, missionaries, religious and lay organisationsreligious and lay organisations

Consists of reports of ‘Consists of reports of ‘ad limina ad limina visits’, visits’, national councils, diocesan national councils, diocesan synods, chapters, dispatches of synods, chapters, dispatches of missionaries, correspondencemissionaries, correspondence

Includes Parish recordsIncludes Parish records

1.3 Documents as a pastoral 1.3 Documents as a pastoral instrumentinstrument

Are a means of enlightening pastoral Are a means of enlightening pastoral actionaction

Make more concrete the memory of Make more concrete the memory of the facts of Tradition the facts of Tradition

Are a useful source of knowledge of Are a useful source of knowledge of different experiences of the pastdifferent experiences of the past

Provide a forward looking awareness Provide a forward looking awareness as a means of adaptation to the as a means of adaptation to the needs of the faithful needs of the faithful

2. Concrete plan of action2. Concrete plan of action

Have an effective diocesan historical Have an effective diocesan historical archivearchive

Adapt archives for current affairsAdapt archives for current affairs Collaborate mutually with civil bodiesCollaborate mutually with civil bodies Adopt common guidelines for Adopt common guidelines for

Episcopal ConferencesEpiscopal Conferences Employ qualified personnelEmploy qualified personnel

2. 1 Effective diocesan historical 2. 1 Effective diocesan historical archive – Can 381.2archive – Can 381.2

Need to be adequately Need to be adequately conserved conserved

Ought to be carefully kept Ought to be carefully kept andand

Systematically organisedSystematically organised

2.2 Adaptation of archival 2.2 Adaptation of archival documents for current affairsdocuments for current affairs

Be organised according to present day needs Be organised according to present day needs with openness to future developmentswith openness to future developments

Show awareness of process of changes since Show awareness of process of changes since Vatican IIVatican II

Collect documentation from restructure of Collect documentation from restructure of institutionsinstitutions

Possess a certain urgency and care for current Possess a certain urgency and care for current affairsaffairs

Set criteria to acquire acts of special initiativesSet criteria to acquire acts of special initiatives Use modern technical methods of organisation Use modern technical methods of organisation

2.3 Mutual collaboration with 2.3 Mutual collaboration with civil bodiescivil bodies

By awareness of cultural heritageBy awareness of cultural heritage By mutual agreements of Church By mutual agreements of Church

bodiesbodies Through using Norms of ownership, Through using Norms of ownership,

nature and origin nature and origin By respecting civil lawsBy respecting civil laws Through collaboration with political Through collaboration with political

communitycommunity

2.4 A. Common guideline for the 2.4 A. Common guideline for the Episcopal ConferencesEpiscopal Conferences

Respect of Church towards culturesRespect of Church towards cultures Be efficient instrument of dialogue Be efficient instrument of dialogue

with contemporary societywith contemporary society Preserve acts of concrete life of Preserve acts of concrete life of

Church communityChurch community Draft diaries of local eventsDraft diaries of local events Care in gathering documents of Care in gathering documents of

traditions and initiatives becoming traditions and initiatives becoming extinctextinct

2.4 B. Common guideline for the 2.4 B. Common guideline for the Episcopal ConferencesEpiscopal Conferences

Converge on common practical guidelines Converge on common practical guidelines that effect particular churchesthat effect particular churches

Study ways to recover confiscated archivesStudy ways to recover confiscated archives Remind administrators of responsibilities Remind administrators of responsibilities

to protect material documentationto protect material documentation Promote current training; membership of Promote current training; membership of

professional Associations; conferencesprofessional Associations; conferences Reawaken pastors sensitivity to archivesReawaken pastors sensitivity to archives Maintain Parish registers Maintain Parish registers

2.5 Employment of qualified 2.5 Employment of qualified personnelpersonnel

Archival direction be given to qualified Archival direction be given to qualified and properly trained individualsand properly trained individuals

Or combine other archive collectionsOr combine other archive collections Use management policy Use management policy Staff be active in archival scienceStaff be active in archival science Possess professional background Possess professional background Use technical competenceUse technical competence

3. Conservation of Documents 3. Conservation of Documents of Memoryof Memory

Be aware of unique quality of Be aware of unique quality of documentsdocuments

Use appropriate storage spacesUse appropriate storage spaces Utilise inventory and computerised Utilise inventory and computerised

methodsmethods

3.1 Unique quality of documents3.1 Unique quality of documents

Because unlike library materialBecause unlike library material Are principle sources of historical researchAre principle sources of historical research Require appropriate access policyRequire appropriate access policy Work towards recovery of dispersed Work towards recovery of dispersed

materialmaterial Need of cooperation with other Church Need of cooperation with other Church

archivesarchives Choice of paper etcChoice of paper etc Correct collection managementCorrect collection management

3.2 Appropriate storage spaces3.2 Appropriate storage spaces

Utilise properly equipped spacesUtilise properly equipped spaces Hygiene – lighting, ventilation, Hygiene – lighting, ventilation,

temperaturetemperature Security - fire and burglar alarmsSecurity - fire and burglar alarms Practise vigilence towards collectionPractise vigilence towards collection Use of technical instruments, finding Use of technical instruments, finding

aids, computerised equipmentaids, computerised equipment

3.3 Inventory and computerised 3.3 Inventory and computerised methodsmethods

Use computer catalogue programsUse computer catalogue programs Establish inventory procedureEstablish inventory procedure Other useful measures of accessOther useful measures of access Linking of various archive cataloguesLinking of various archive catalogues Copying of important documents for Copying of important documents for

preservationpreservation

4. Appreciation of patrimony 4. Appreciation of patrimony in the historical culture and in the historical culture and the mission of the Churchthe mission of the Church

Universal destination of the archival Universal destination of the archival patrimonypatrimony

Require regulations concerning Require regulations concerning archivesarchives

Interpretation of documents within Interpretation of documents within their contexttheir context

4.1 Universal destination4.1 Universal destination

Offered primarily at service of Offered primarily at service of creating communitycreating community

Also heritage of all humanityAlso heritage of all humanity History of the Christian peopleHistory of the Christian people All researchersAll researchers Disinterested openness, kind, Disinterested openness, kind,

competentcompetent

4.2 Regulations concerning 4.2 Regulations concerning archivesarchives

Make known individual regulationsMake known individual regulations And harmonise with civil regulationsAnd harmonise with civil regulations Use common guidelines for parish Use common guidelines for parish

archivesarchives Coordination of recording processes Coordination of recording processes

and collections and collections Set limits to use of personal files Set limits to use of personal files

(privacy)(privacy)

4.3 Interpretation of documents 4.3 Interpretation of documents within their contextwithin their context

Use specific archival procedures and Use specific archival procedures and Bibliographical aids Bibliographical aids Understand right context – principle Understand right context – principle

of provenanceof provenance And principle of original orderAnd principle of original order Apply instruments and facilities for Apply instruments and facilities for

use, copy and reproduction of use, copy and reproduction of manuscriptsmanuscripts

4.4 Cultural formation through 4.4 Cultural formation through archival depositarchival deposit

By use of archival deposit staff of By use of archival deposit staff of Archives contribute towards cultural Archives contribute towards cultural developmentdevelopment

When they use scientific competence When they use scientific competence Give access to researchers and foreign Give access to researchers and foreign

scholars, different nationalities scholars, different nationalities Contribute towards understanding, Contribute towards understanding,

peace and unity of peoplepeace and unity of people

4.5 A. Promotion of historical 4.5 A. Promotion of historical researchresearch

Promote cultural importance among civil Promote cultural importance among civil bodiesbodies

Make heritage of memory a point of Make heritage of memory a point of reference and meeting placereference and meeting place

Can inspire cultural initiatives and Can inspire cultural initiatives and historical research, centres of historical research, centres of documentationdocumentation

Need to become priviledged places for Need to become priviledged places for research the subject of conferences, research the subject of conferences, didactic exhibitsdidactic exhibits

4.5 B Promotion of historical 4.5 B Promotion of historical researchresearch

Assume a role of cultural agencyAssume a role of cultural agency By promoting critical editions of By promoting critical editions of

sources and collections of studiessources and collections of studies Become ‘Become ‘tabernacles of memory’tabernacles of memory’