Type: Archives

The Archives of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toronto (ARCAT) collects, preserves and makes available for research the official records of the Archdiocese of Toronto and those ancillary records which reflect the work of the Church within the Archdiocese.

Programming:

Conservation / Preservation:

Archives / Library

• Episcopacy of the Archdiocese of Toronto – Administrative records of the Bishops, Archbishops and Auxiliary Bishops of Toronto documenting their ecclesiastical challenges and daily activities. This includes papers of Bishop Alexander Macdonell, who was the first bishop of the Diocese of Kingston, which from 1826-1840 included the territory of the current Archdiocese of Toronto.  The papers are described at the file or item level up to the end of Archbishop Pocock’s episcopate. Finding aids, including item level descriptions, are available for research use up to 1961, which marks the end of Archbishop James C. Cardinal McGuigan’s active episcopate.
• Administrative Records of the Archdiocese of Toronto – Documents pertaining to the day-to-day business of the offices and agencies of the Archdiocese, including some subject based collections such as the World Wars, Catholic Cemeteries, Education, etc. The most commonly accessed collections are the Parish Historical Records, and Architectural Drawings.
• Other Collections – Ancillary records regarding Archdiocesan committees and commissions, as well as Catholic institutions and organizations working within the Archdiocese.
• Special Collections – Collections determined by material format. In the past, these items were often removed from other areas of the archives to facilitate preservation and access. Special collections (including photographs, rare books, artwork, textiles, and artifacts) enrich the administrative records of the other three parts of our holdings.

Artefacts

Examples of Special Collections include: Artifacts, Altar Stones, Diocesan Seals, Medallions, Papal Bulls, Relics and Textiles.

Public Programming:

Digital

Weekly posts to blog, The Archivist’s Pencil. http://archives-archtoronto.blogspot.ca/

Other

This archives provides reference service for phone and email inquiries as well as in-house research assistance. Researchers are welcome to book an appointment after consulting with the reference archivist and determining a course of research that is consistent with ARCAT’s policies.

Volunteer/Internship/Placement Opportunities:

N/A

Address & Contact Information:

Archives of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toronto
Catholic Pastoral Centre
1155 Yonge St, Suite 505
Toronto, ON
M4T 1W2

Phone: 416-934-3400 ext. 501
Email: archives@archtoronto.org
Website: http://www.archtoronto.org/archives/

Hours of Operation:

Monday to Friday 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m

REFERENCE AND PUBLIC SERVICE: By Appointment Only

Tuesday to Thursday 9:30a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Key Words: religion