GUIDE TO CATHOLIC RECORDS ABOUT NATIVE AMERICANS IN THE U.S.
Volume 3: Western United States
California: CA-83
Catholic Church. Diocese of San Diego. Archives
3888 Paducah Drive
P.O. Box 85728
San Diego, CA 92186
Phone: 858-490-8208
Email: See website (Search “Archives”)
Policies and Forms: See website (Search “Archives”)
History: The Diocese of San Diego, California, was erected for Imperial, Riverside, San Bernardino, and San Diego Counties from territory in the Diocese of Los Angeles-San Diego, 1936, and Riverside and San Bernardino Counties were separated and erected as the Diocese of San Bernardino, 1978. The San Diego Diocese reported 1,000 baptized Native American Catholics, 1999. San Diego and its predecessors have served the following Native American ministries in San Diego and Imperial Counties, California:
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1769-1853, 1862-1907 (no longer Native) (San Diego, 1936) |
San Diego de Alcalá Mission (Kumiai), San Diego |
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1780-1781 (closed) (San Diego, 1936) |
Puerto de la Purísima Concepción Mission (Yuma), Fort Yuma |
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1795-present (San Diego, 1936-present) |
San Antonio de Pala Mission (Cahuilla, Kumiai, Cupeño), Pala, Pala Reservation |
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1798-1900? (no longer Native) (San Diego, 1936) |
San Luís Rey de Francia Mission (Cahuilla), Oceanside |
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1818-present (San Diego, 1936-present) |
St. Francis of Assisi Mission (Kumiai, Cupeño, Yuma), Warners Springs |
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1818-present (San Diego, 1936-present) |
Santa Ysabel Mission (Kumiai, Cupeño, Yuma), Santa Ysabel |
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1858-present (San Diego, 1936-1978) |
St. Joseph Mission (Cahuilla), San Jacinto |
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1878-present (San Diego, 1936-1978) |
Santa Rosa Mission (Yokuts), Santa Rosa |
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1884-1929 (closed) (San Diego, 1936) |
Fort Yuma Government School (Yuma), Winterhaven/ Fort Yuma |
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1886-present (San Diego, 1936-present) |
Our Lady of Refuge Mission (Cahuilla), La Jolla |
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1887-1907 (closed) (San Diego, 1936) |
St. Anthony School (Cahuilla, Kumiai, Cupeño), San Diego |
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1890-1952 (no longer Native) (San Diego, 1936-1978) |
St. Boniface School (Cahuilla, Serrano, Cupeño), Riverside/ Banning |
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1890-present (San Diego, 1936-1978) |
St. Mary Mission (Cahuilla, Serrano, Cupeño), Morongo, Morongo Reservation |
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1890-present (San Diego, 1936-1978) |
St. Florian Mission (Cahuilla, Serrano, Cupeño), Cabazon |
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1894-present (San Diego, 1936-present) |
St. Thomas Mission (Yuma), Winterhaven/ Fort Yuma, Quechan Reservation |
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1898-present (San Diego, 1936-present) |
St. Dominic Mission (Kumiai, Cupeño, Yuma), Mesa Grande |
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1903-present (San Diego, 1936-present) |
St. Mary Mission/ Holy Trinity Church (Kumiai), El Cajon |
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1903-present (San Diego, 1936-present) |
St. Peter/ St. Therese Mission (Kumiai), Jamul |
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1904-present (San Diego, 1936-1978) |
Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary Mission (Cahuilla), Thermal, Torres-Martinez Reservation |
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1909-present (San Diego, 1936-1978) |
St. Michael Mission (Cahuilla), Temecula, Pechanga Reservation |
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1912-present (San Diego, 1936-present) |
Our Lady of the Rosary Mission (Kumiai), Boulevarde-Manzanita |
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1918-present (San Diego, 1936-present) |
Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary Mission (Kumiai), El Cajon |
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1918-present (San Diego, 1936-present) |
Immaculate Conception Mission (Kumiai), Sycuan Reservation |
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1920s-1990s (San Diego, 1936-present) |
St. Michael Mission (Kumiai, Cupeño, Yuma), Cosmit-Inaja Reservation |
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1925-present (San Diego, 1936-present) (few Natives) |
Our Lady of Mount Carmel Mission and School (Cahuilla, Kumiai), San Ysidro |
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1930-present (San Diego, 1936-1978) |
Our Lady of Guadalupe Church (Cahuilla), Riverside |
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1930-present (San Diego, 1936-present) |
St. James Mission (Cahuilla), Valley Center/ Pauma, Pauma Reservation |
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1930-present (San Diego, 1936-present) |
St. Bartholomew Mission (Cahuilla, Kumiai, Cupeño), Rincon Reservation |
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1940-present |
St. Adelaide Mission (Kumiai), Cameron Corners |
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1958-1996 (transferred to public schools) |
San Antonio de Pala School (Cahuilla, Kumiai, Cupeño), Pala, Pala Reservation |
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1982-present |
Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Mission (Kumiai), Lakeside |
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1982-present |
St./ Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha Mission (Kumiai), Lakeside |
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1982-present |
Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Mission (Kumiai), Alpine |
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2000-present |
El Centro Guadalupaño Mission (Cahuilla, Kumiai, Cupeño, Yuma), Valley Center |
Holdings of Catholic records about Native Americans:
Inclusive dates: 1769-ongoing
Volume: Ca. .2 cubic foot
Description: The Diocese of San Diego Archives were not arranged according to a classification scheme when reviewed by a Marquette University archivist, 2006. Consequently, the description is by record type.
/1 “Bishops Papers”
Inclusive dates: 1936-ongoing
Volume: Few letters
Description: Divided by administration.
A. Bishop Charles Francis Buddy (1887-1966), ca. 1936-1966; Rev. Bonaventure [Oblasser, O.F.M.?], was a notable correspondent since 1938
B. Bishop Francis James Furey (1905-1979), ca. 1963-1969
C. Bishop Leo Thomas Maher (1915-1991), ca. 1969-1990
D. Bishop Robert Henry Brom (1938-), ca. 1990-ongoing
/2 “Parish File”
Inclusive dates: 1891-1911, 1952-1964, undated
Volume: 1 folder
Description: Arranged alphabetically by location of parishes and there under by name; re: Santa Ysabel Mission, Santa Ysabel, which includes a parish history and photographs of sketches by Russell and Elaina Quinn.
/3 “Sacramental Records”
Inclusive dates: 1769-ongoing
Volume: 21 reels of microfilm, in part
Description: Arranged alphabetically by location of parishes and there under by name; includes baptisms, first communions, confirmations, marriages, and burials for Native and non-Native parishes with a few Native parishioners and/or attended Native missions and stations; microfilmed by Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah.
A. El Cajon, Our Lady of Grace Church, 1954-ongoing, 2 reels
B. El Cajon, Holy Trinity Church, 1917-ongoing, 1 reel
C. Oceanside, San Luis Rey de Francia Mission, 1869-ongoing, 3 reels
D. Pala, San Antonio de Pala Mission, 1903-ongoing, 2 reels
E. San Diego, St. Joseph Cathedral, 1856-ongoing, 4 reels
F. San Diego, San Diego de Alcalá Mission, 1775?-ongoing, 2 reels
G. San Ysidro, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Mission, 1925-ongoing, 2 reels
H. Santa Ysabel, Santa Ysabel Mission, 1937-ongoing, 2 reels
I. Winterhaven/ Fort Yuma, St. Thomas Mission, 1894-ongoing, 3 reels
/4 “Diocesan Newspaper”
Inclusive dates: 1913-ongoing
Volume: Few articles
Description: The Southern Cross has included a few articles on Native Americans and Catholic evangelization in the diocese.
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
