Archives, Catholic Diocese of Charleston South Carolina

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Mission Statement

The Diocese of Charleston Archives’ prime objectives are to serve the administrative needs of the diocese and to promote a wider understanding of the Roman Catholic Church by making some of the Archives holdings visible and accessible to the general public. Professional archivists and trained staff collect, preserve, and make available non-current diocesan records of permanent administrative, legal, fiscal, canonical, and historic value as well as records of other institutions, personal papers, and publications documenting the history of the Roman Catholic Church within diocesan boundaries.

 

Brief History of the Archives

In 1960, the diocesan chancellor, Monsignor Joseph L. Bernardin, proposed the organization of a diocesan archives. For the next fifteen years, seminarians devoted their summers to arranging and cataloging a 150-year accumulation of the diocese’s documentary records. The young chancellor later became Joseph Cardinal Bernardin, Archbishop of Chicago, an ardent supporter of archives, and the first episcopal moderator for the Association of Catholic Diocesan Archivists.

Today, we continue to arrange, describe, protect and preserve the diocese’s rich documentary heritage while making the records accessible in accordance with universally accepted archival principles and the norms of church law.

 

Diocesan History Book Available

A limited number of Catholic Diocese of Charleston: A History, 2008, are available for purchase.  The 267 page hardcover provides color-illustrated histories of the Diocese of Charleston and each of its parishes and missions.  To purchase your copy for $30 plus shipping and handling, please contact Archives.

 

Know Your Bishops

David B. Thompson • born 1923
Eleventh Bishop of Charleston, 1990-1999
Christi Impetus Pacis - Working for the peace of Christ
Learn more at Diocesan History

What's New

PLEASE PARDON OUR PROGRESS The Diocese of Charleston is updating and improving its web presence.  During this process, some components of our Archives website have been disabled or altered, and users may experience some technical glitches.  Please excuse the inconvenience.  We're confident that new website will be worth it.

• Diocesan Archives has recently opened portions of Bishop David B. Thompson Records and Papers, 1958-2000.  Bishop Thompson served as the coadjutor bishop of Charleston, 1989-1991; eleventh bishop of Charleston, 1991-1998, and diocesan administrator, 1998-1999.

• The exhibit Habits of South Carolina: A Brief History of Charleston's Nuns is now available online and onsite.

Last updated: 11 May 2012