GUIDE TO CATHOLIC RECORDS ABOUT NATIVE AMERICANS IN THE U.S.
Volume 2: Midwest United States
Illinois: IL-18
Hospital Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis. American Province
St. Francis Convent
Sangamon Avenue Road
P.O. Box 19431
Springfield, IL 62794
Phone: 217-522-3386
Hours: By appointment only
Access: Some restrictions may apply
Copying facilities: Yes
History: The Hospital Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis of Springfield, Illinois, have staffed the following Catholic institutions serving Native Americans:
| 1949-1954 | St. Francis Home Nursing Center (e.g. Navajo), Gallup, New Mexico |
| 1953-1980 | St. Isabel Mission (Navajo), Navajo Reservation, Lukachukai, Arizona |
| 1961-present | Our Lady of Fatima Mission (Navajo), Navajo Reservation, Chinle, Arizona |
Holdings of Catholic records about Native Americans:
Inclusive dates: 1940s-1970s
Volume: 1.3 cubic feet
Description: 3 series include Native Catholic records:
/1 "Missions" Inclusive dates: 1949-1970s
Volume: .7 cubic foot
Description: This series is divided into active and closed missions and arranged alphabetically thereunder by location.
A. Closed Mission: Gallup, New Mexico, St. Francis Nursing Center, 1949-1954, .1 cubic foot
1. Mission Newsletter, 1961-1972, l folder
2. Historical notes and newspaper clippings, 1961-1972, 2 folders
B. Active Mission: Chinle, Arizona, Our Lady of Fatima Mission, 1961-1972, .1 cubic foot
1. Correspondence, 1949-1950, 8 letters; major correspondents include Mother Magdalene Wiedlocher, O.S.F., Sister M. Jean Sudkamp, O.S.F., and Reverend Anthony Korcek
2. Historical notes and newspaper clippings, 1949-1954, 4 folder
C. Active Mission: Lukachukai, Arizona, St. Isabel Mission, 1952-1974, .5 cubic foot:
1. Correspondence, 1952-1959, 1965, 35 letters; major correspondents include Mother Canisia Kettman, O.S.F., Sister M. Jean Sudkamp, O.S.F., Rev. Blase Brickweg, and Bishop Bernard T. Espelage
2. Mission newsletters, 1954-1966, 2 folders
3. Mission histories, 1953-1967, 11 folders; noteworthy histories include a 9-page "History of St. Isabel Mission," undated, by Rev. Emanuel Trockur, O.F.M. [Franciscans]; a 29-page history of the mission written by a sister of the community in ca. 1965; a 42-page publication entitled the Lukachukai published in ca. 1958; and The Navajo Indians, a 31-page history written in 1955 by sisters at the mission
/2 "Mother Superiors' Correspondence Files"
Inclusive dates: 1949-1963
Volume:.1 cubic foot
Description: This series is arranged by administration and thereunder alphabetically by location of the mission. Most of the Mother Superiors' files from 1952-present remain in the administrative offices.
A. Mother Magdalene Wiedlocher, O.S.F., 1949-1954, 1 folder: correspondence between Mother Magdalene Wiedlocher, O.S.F., Reverend Anthony Korcek, and Bishop Bernard T. Espelage regarding St. Francis Home Nursing Center
B. Mother Canisia Kettman, 1953-1954, 4 letters: regarding St. Francis Home Nursing Center
C. Mother Ludwina Kraus, O.S.F., 1961-1963, 2 folders: correspondence with Sister Damascene Mehl, O.S.F., regarding Our Lady of Fatima Mission and with Sister Bonita Wagner, O.S.F., regarding St. Isabel Mission
/3 Photographs
Inclusive dates: 1940s-1970s
Volume: 725 prints
Description: Indian mission photographs are arranged alphabetically by location of the mission and chronologically thereunder.
A. Chinle, Arizona, Our Lady of Fatima Mission, ca. 1964-1965, 75 prints
B. Gallup, New Mexico, St. Francis Nursing Center, ca. 1940s-1950s, 150 prints
C. Lukachukai, Arizona, St. Isabel Mission, 1950s-1970s, 400 prints
D. Arizona Missions, 1940s-1950s, 100 prints
Unless noted otherwise, the repository named above holds (or held) the records described and not the Marquette University Archives. However, Marquette’s holdings, e.g. Bureau of Catholic Indian Missions Records, include related records about these Native and Catholic groups and places.
new1984/rev2003-2017
