GUIDE TO CATHOLIC RECORDS ABOUT NATIVE AMERICANS IN THE U.S.
Volume 2: Midwest United States
Illinois: IL-19

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 self-identify with the post-nominal initials, "PO.S.F." The American Province has 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 otherwise noted, the repository on this page holds (or held) the records described here and they are not held at the Marquette University Archives.

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