Parochial Archives - a Source to the Research on the Religious Life of Polonia

Abstract

The above paper has been based on my personal experience and research on the history of the Polish-American parishes in Connecticut, the U.S.A. Parochial news /transformed into bulletins after 1950/ constitute the most valuable archival source in the Polish-American parishes. They present a comprehensive histrical material on the pastoral care in the parish as well as its social, cultural and informal life. Annual Reports of the parish, sent to the Bishop’s office on the turn of each year, are also of considerable value. As a matter of fact, these reports are collected mostly in the diocesan archives. They supply information on the movements of parishioners, the existing Church societies and organizations, participation in the sacraments, and above all, the financial and economic life of the parish. The Sacramental Reports /the numbers of baptism, the First Holy Communion, Confirmation, matrimonies and eaths/ are of primary importance for the research on demography and assimilation. The records of the Easter Communion are of similar value. Moreover, the reports of various fraternities, Church and national societies excellently present the social and national life of Polonia, Next, such archival collections as censuses, cash books and accounts casually inform about the sacramental life, services, missions etc. The archival materials of the parish school may additionally touch upon some aspects of the religious life of the parish, the theatre and so on. All these sources contribute a lot to the research on the religious national, cultural, and social life of Polish-Americans.