Holdings of Catholic national directories, religious institute/order catalogs, and related reference materials held by the Department of Special Collections and University Archives plus links to related resources online. The national directories include listings for dioceses, the national or regional bishops' conference, and national Catholic organizations. The catalogs of religious communities include listings of activities within a service region, typically called a province. Leaders within the organizations are also noted.

International and National Directories, Websites, and Related Reference Aids

Worldwide -- Provide contemporary and historical directory information on bishops and dioceses: Annuario Pontificio; Catholic-Hierarchy; and Giga-Catholic Information.

Catholic Net contains current information with links to websites of several bishops' conferences, dioceses, and other Catholic organizations.

Our Sunday Visitor's Catholic Almanac contains general information on Catholic Church news, events, teachings, initiatives, affiliated organizations, and history with a focus on Canada, Mexico, and the United States.

Canada: Detailed listings for dioceses, Catholic organizations, and clergy are appended in the national directories for the United States, 1858-1861, 1864-1886, 1888-1964. The Index to the Catholic Directories for the United States with Appended Countries, 1817, 1822, 1833- provides further information and navigational assistance.

The website of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops contains current information on the bishops conference of Canada with links to the websites of Canadian dioceses and parishes. The Research Centre for the Religious History of Canada at Saint Paul University serves as the archival repository for the Canadian Bishops' Conference.

The website Catholic Canada contains current information with links to websites of several bishops' conferences, dioceses, and other Catholic organizations.

Great Britain and the British Commonwealth: Detailed listings for dioceses, Catholic organizations, and clergy are appended in the national directories for the United States, 1880-1886, 1888-1947. Commonwealth countries are not included for all years. The Index to the Catholic Directories for the United States with Appended Countries, 1817, 1822, 1833- provides further information and navigational assistance.

The website, Catholic Church. Bishops Conference of England and Wales, contains current information on the bishops conference of the United Kingdom with links to the websites of dioceses and parishes in England and Whales.

Ireland: Detailed listings for dioceses, Catholic organizations, and clergy are appended in the national directories for the United States, 1876-1886, 1888-1947. For details, see Index to the Catholic Directories for the United States with Appended Countries, 1817, 1822, 1833-, which is noted below.

Mexico: Complete holdings, 1958-1995. Summary listings are appended in the national directories for the United States, 1864, 1896-. The Index to the Catholic Directories for the United States with Appended Countries, 1817, 1822, 1833- provides further information and navigational assistance.

The website of the Conferencia del Episcopado Mexicano includes current information on the bishop's conference of Mexico.

United States: These national directories include detailed listings for dioceses, religious congregations, clergy, and other Catholic organizations, which are divided into two parts with related publications listed at the end of part 2. The Marquette holdings are complete and begin in 1817. Part 1 includes all national directories to 1899, which were microfilmed by the Catholic University of America. Part 2 includes all national directories from 1900 to the present, which were microfilmed by the University of Notre Dame. Before 1920, all original directories are in fragile condition. Print outs of all national directory table of contents are available within the department. The Index to the Catholic Directories for the United States with Appended Countries, 1817, 1822, 1833- provides further information and navigational assistance.

Guides to Catholic-Related Records about Native Americans in the United States: The guides contain over 1,000 repository entries in PDF format, which provide contact information on the churches and repositories that hold these records, brief descriptions about records, and identification of the Native groups represented and the related Catholic organizations involved. Many of the entries include institutional chronologies to explain the history of the records.

Religious Institutes or Orders

General: Aids in identifying religious orders with concise descriptions. A Guide to Religious Ministries for Catholic Men and Women, BX2505 .G85, an annual guide. A Dictionary of Religious Orders, Peter Day, BX2420 .D39 2001.

The website Catholic-Hierarchy includes general historical information on religious congregations worldwide.

Franciscans: Two catalogs are included from the Province of St. John the Baptist and one from the Province of the Sacred Heart.

Jesuits: Fragmented holdings of province catalogs worldwide, 1824-. The arrangement is alphabetical, first by continent and then province. Also listed included are necrologies for the Missouri, Chicago, Detroit, and Wisconsin Provinces. The holdings of catalogs are most complete for the Missouri Province, 1824-1991, the Wisconsin Province, 1956-1991, the combined United States provinces, 1992-, and the German province, 1853-1940.

The website of the Society of Jesus and its affiliated links worldwide contain limited current directory information. The Catalogus Defunctorum, lists all deceased Jesuits worldwide, 1814-1970, and Necrology for the Missouri, Chicago, Detroit, and Wisconsin Provinces of the Society of Jesus, BX3755 .J47 2000, third edition, lists all deceased Jesuits of these provinces, 1824-September 30, 2000.

Other Religious: Includes A Guide to Religious Ministries for Catholic Men and Women, 2004-, which annually describes the religious communities in the United States; Guide to the Catholic Sisterhoods in the United States, Thomas P. McCarthy, 1964, which identifies the historic garb worn by women religious; and a catalog from the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament for Indians and Colored People.