GUIDE TO CATHOLIC RECORDS ABOUT NATIVE AMERICANS IN THE U.S.
Volume 3: Western United States
Arizona: AZ-55
St. Francis Church
9 West Elm Street
P.O. Box 679
Whiteriver, AZ 85941
Phone: 928-338-4432
St. Catherine Mission
Human Services Road
Cibecue, AZ 85911
Phone: 928-338-4432
History: St. Francis Church, Whiteriver, Arizona, and St. Catherine Mission, Cibecue, Arizona, have been predominantly Native American (Apache) parishes on the Fort Apache Reservation and in the Diocese of Gallup (Archives: Gallup, New Mexico).
|
1909 |
Rev. Isidore Ricklin, O.S.B. [Benedictines] (Archives: Shawnee, Oklahoma), from St. Patrick’s, Anadarko, Oklahoma, baptized Geronomo (Apache) while he was incarcerated at Fort Sill, Oklahoma |
|
1921-2010s |
Rev. Justin Deutsch, O.F.M., established and Franciscans (Santa Barbara Province) (Archives: Santa Barbara, California) have administered St. Francis Church (Apache), Fort Apache Reservation |
|
2010s-present |
Gallup diocesan priests have administered St. Francis |
|
1923-1925, 1930-1935 |
Rev. Augustine Schwarz, O.F.M. administered St. Francis |
Franciscans at St. Francis attended to the following Native American (Apache) missions on the Fort Apache Reservation, Arizona:
|
1939-1970 (became a parish) |
St. Catherine Mission, Cibecue, Navajo County |
|
1939-1970 (transferred to St. Catherine’s, Cibecue) |
St. Anthony Mission, Cedar Creek, Gila County |
St. Catherine Mission, Cibecue:
|
1928-1939 |
Franciscans (Santa Barbara Province) (Archives: Santa Barbara, California) established and administered St. Catherine Mission (Apache), Cibecue, Fort Apache Reservation |
|
1939-1971 |
Franciscans at St. Francis, Whitewater, attended to St. Catherine’s |
|
1971-1980 |
Holy Ghost Fathers (Western Province) (Archives: Houston, Texas) administered St. Catherine’s |
|
1980-1981 |
Claretian Missionaries (Western Province) (Archives: Chicago, Illinois) at St. Anthony’s, McNary, also attended to St. Catherine’s |
|
1981-1983 |
Gallup diocesan priests at St. Anthony’s, McNary, attended to St. Catherine’s |
|
1983-1999 |
Gallup diocesan priests administered St. Catherine’s |
|
1999-2010s |
Salvatorians (U.S.A. Province) (Archives: Milwaukee, Wisconsin) have administered St. Catherine’s |
Various priests at St. Catherine’s intermittently attended to St. Anthony Mission, Cedar Creek:
|
1928-1939 (transferred to St. Francis, Whiteriver) |
St. Anthony Mission (Apache), Cedar Creek, Fort Apache Reservation |
|
1971-1979 (transferred to St. Anthony’s, McNary) |
St. Anthony’s |
|
1983-2010s (closed) |
St. Anthony’s |
Holdings of Catholic records about Native Americans:
Inclusive dates: 1921-ongoing
Volume: Ca. 3 cubic feet
Description: The records at St. Francis Church were not arranged according to a classification scheme when reviewed by a Marquette University archivist, 2006. Consequently, description is by record type.
/1 Correspondence
Inclusive dates: 1921-1976
Volume: Ca. .2 cubic foot
Description: Mostly correspondence and reports with the bishops of Tucson and Gallup, the Bureau of Catholic Indian Missions, and the Marquette League.
/2 Chronicles, Journals, and History Notes
Inclusive dates: 1931-1980
Volume: Approximately .2 cubic foot (includes 2 volumes)
Description: Includes 1962 clipping on the baptism of the Apache leader Geronomo and a list of Pastors.
/3 Reports
Inclusive dates: 1923-1988
Volume: Ca. .1 cubic foot
Description: Includes the following:
A. Bureau of Catholic Indian Missions, 1923-1930, 1 folder; re: mission and catechetical reports
B. Diocese of Gallup, 1941-1988, 1 folder, re: financial
C. Franciscan Santa Barbara Province, 1935-1944, 1 folder; re: financial
/4 Sacramental Records
Inclusive dates: 1921-ongoing
Volume: At least .5 cubic foot
Description: Includes baptisms, first communions, confirmations, marriages, and burials.
A. St. Francis Church, 1921-ongoing
B. St. Catherine Mission, 1928-ongoing
C. St. Anthony Mission, 1928-2010s
/5 Photographs
Inclusive dates: 1922, undated
Volume: 1 album
Description: 19 black and white and 8 color prints and captions to several black and white prints, re: parishioners, pastors, and 1922 construction of church.
/6 Clippings and Printed Materials
Inclusive dates: 1931-2004
Volume: Ca. .1 cubic foot
Description: Includes article draft, “A Year at Whiteriver, Arizona,” Rev. Justin Deutsch, O.F.M., 1923
/7 Parish Publications
Inclusive dates: 1971, 1974-1976
Volume: Ca. .1 cubic foot
Description:
A. 50th anniversary commemorative booklet, 1971
B. Weekly bulletins, 1974-1976
Unless otherwise noted, the repository on this page holds (or held) the records described here and they are not held at the Marquette University Archives.
new2006/rev2020
