Historical Archives

Historical Archives and Artifacts

Historical Archives and Artifacts

Daughters of Charity New Province of St. Louise USA Archives to be Located in Emmitsburg

Four North American provinces of the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul merged July 31, 2011 and formed the Province of St. Louise USA with administrative offices located in St. Louis, Mo.  The archival collections of the former provinces (Albany, N.Y.; Emmitsburg, Md.; Evansville, In.; and St. Louis, Mo.) will be consolidated in a new 20,000-square-foot facility located within the former St. Joseph’s Provincial House, adjacent to The Basilica of the National Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton and the Seton Heritage Center, in Emmitsburg, Maryland.

Here, scholars and researchers will find a private collection that establishes a link with the past and contributes to maintaining the continuity of the Vincentian spirit through preservation of the Seton papers, historical records of the Sisters of Charity of St. Joseph’s (1809-1849) and the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul (1850-Present).The new archives will also house records of the Province of St. Louise.

This history augments an understanding of the life commitment in the past, in eras of transition, and into the future. The cultural aspects of yesterday and today depict the sisters individually and collectively as a community, as well as the tradition and spirit of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, St. Louise de Marillac, and St. Vincent de Paul.

Rev. Simon Gabriel Bruté preserved the Seton papers for posterity and instructed the early Sisters of Charity in their conservation. Thanks to his foresight this valuable collection has been preserved for over two hundred years and is now published in Elizabeth Bayley Seton Collected Writings (New City Press, 2000-2006).

“This Collection of Papers contains a number of important documents for the Early history of the Sisters and of Mrs. Seton . . . they ought not to be destroyed . . . such papers contain occasionally parts, lines, or expressions that ought to remain sufficiently a matter of trust and special confidence, they should be kept locked in a private place, and only a proper person engaged to prepare them for use." Rev. Simon Gabriel Bruté (1834)

The facility will include a state of the art repository, exhibit areas, and a research and reading room.  Part of a multi-phase construction project now underway, the archives is expected to be ready for transfer of records in late summer 2012 with opening anticipated in 2013.

For More Information

To view detailed information about the Daughters of Charity archival collection, visit the Library of Congress web page.