GUIDE TO CATHOLIC RECORDS ABOUT NATIVE AMERICANS IN THE U.S.
Volume 3: Western United States
Colorado: CO-20

Catholic Church. Diocese of Pueblo. Chancery
101 North Greenwood Street
Pueblo, CO 81003

Phone: 719-544-9861 Extension 1171
Email: See website (Offices)

 

Hours: By appointment only

Access: Some restrictions apply

Copying facilities: Yes

 

History: The Diocese of Pueblo was erected for southern Colorado from territory in the Diocese of Denver, 1941. Pueblo and its predecessor have administered the following missions and parishes among Ute Indians in Colorado:

1898-present (Pueblo, 1941-present)	St. Ignatius Mission (Ute), Ignacio, Southern Ute Reservation
1911-present (Pueblo, 1941-present)	Immaculate Heart of Mary Church (Ute), Pagosa Springs
1911-present (Pueblo, 1941-present)	St. John Baptist Mission (Ute), Pagosa Junction, Southern Ute Reservation
1951-ca. 1998 (closed)	Towaoc Mission (Ute), Towaoc, Ute Mountain Reservation

 

Holdings of Catholic records about Native Americans: 

Inclusive dates: 1850s-ongoing  

Volume: Ca. 1.0 cubic foot 

Description: 7 series includes Native Catholic records:

 

/1 Sacramental Records

Inclusive dates: 1850s-ongoing

Volume: Several entries among several diocesan-wide volumes and 2 reels of microfilm Description: Divided into volumes by year beginning in 1942 and arranged starting with the see city of Pueblo and the cathedral parish followed alphabetically by other parishes in Pueblo and then alphabetically by other places and there under by parish name; includes baptisms, first communions, confirmations, marriages, and burials for the following predominantly Native and non-Native parishes with attended missions and stations with some Native American parishioners:

A. Conejos, Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, 1942-ongoing

B. Cortez, St. Margaret Mary Church, 1942-ongoing; includes Towaoc Mission

C. Durango, Sacred Heart Church, 1942-ongoing; also reel 41: baptisms, 1948-1957, communions, 1924-1937, confirmations, 1920-1953, marriages, 1917-1957, deaths, 1917-1953; includes Ignacio, St. Ignatius Mission, Monticello, St. Joseph Mission, and Pagosa Junction, St. John the Baptist Mission

D. Grand Junction, Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, 1942-ongoing; also portion of reel 41: communions, 1955-1957, confirmations, 1957, marriages, 1955-1957, and deaths, 1956-1957

E. Ignacio, St. Ignatius Mission, 1976-ongoing

 

/2 Parish Files

Inclusive dates: 1886-ongoing 

Volume: 9 folders

Description: Arranged alphabetically by location of parishes and there under by name; includes clippings, correspondence (between pastors and bishops and Catholic Church Extension Society), and property deeds for parishes and attended missions and stations; re: some Indian-related documents may be included.

A. Conejos, Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, 1886-ongoing, 3 folders

B. Cortez, St. Margaret Mary Church, 1948-ongoing, 1 folder; includes Towaoc Mission, 1951-1990s

C. Durango, Sacred Heart Church, 1904-ongoing, 4 folders; included Ignacio, St. Ignatius Mission, 1905-1975, Monticello, St. Joseph Mission, 1947-1953, and Pagosa Junction, St. John the Baptist Mission, 1911-ca. 1970

D. Ignacio, St. Ignatius Mission, 1976-ongoing, 1 folder

 

/3 Architectural Drawings 

Inclusive dates: 1940, 1950

Volume: 2 sets of drawings

Description: Arranged numerically by number with an alphabetical inventory arranged by location of parishes and there under by name; includes Durango, Sacred Heart Church, number 13, 1940 and number 31, 1950; names of architectural firms also given.

 

/4 Photographs 

Inclusive dates: Unknown

Volume: Few prints

Description: Unprocessed in 2006.

 

/5 Priests’ Personnel Religious Communities

Inclusive dates: 1943-ongoing  

Volume: Few folders

Description: Arranged alphabetically by surname. 

 

/6 Religious Communities 

Inclusive dates: 1943-ongoing

Volume: At least 2 folders

Description: Arranged alphabetically by religious community, including the Theatines, Rome, Italy, re: mostly financial and personnel concerns.

 

/7 Diocesan Newspapers

Inclusive dates: 1941-ongoing 

Volume: Very few articles

Description: The diocesan newspapers have included virtually no coverage of Native Americans and Catholic evangelization in the territory of the present-day Pueblo Diocese. The newspapers are: the Denver Catholic Register, 1941-1945, the Southern Colorado Register, 1945-1962, Dateline Colorado, 1962-1971, Catholic Crosswinds, 1972-1988, and the Chronicle of Catholic Life, 1988-ongoing; the latter is archived online, 2004-ongoing.

 

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/rev2019