GUIDE TO CATHOLIC RECORDS ABOUT NATIVE AMERICANS IN THE U.S.
Volume 3: Western United States
Nevada: NV-8

Catholic Church. Diocese of Reno. Chancery
290 South Arlington Avenue
Reno, NV 89501

Phone: 775-329-9274
Email: See website (Our Diocese: Tribunal-Chancery)

 

Hours: See website (Our Diocese: Tribunal-Chancery)

Access: Some restrictions apply

Copying facilities: Yes 

 

History: The Diocese of Reno was erected from territory in Nevada within the dioceses of Sacramento and Salt Lake, 1931. It was renamed the Diocese of Reno-Las Vegas, 1976-1995, and again, the Diocese of Reno, 1995-present. In 1999, the Reno Diocese reported 1,000 baptized Native American Catholics. With diocesan priests, Reno and its predecessors administered the following parishes, which served Native Americans in Nevada:

1896-1915	St. Brendan Church (Paiute, Shoshoni, Washo), Eureka, Eureka County
1917-1920s	St. Joseph Church (Paiute, Shoshoni, Washo) Elko, Elko County
Ca. 1922-present	Holy Family Church (Paiute), Yerington, Lyon County
1930-1980	St. John the Baptist Church (Paiute, Washo), Lovelock, Pershing County
1949-1980 (school closed)	Corpus Christi Church (Paiute, Washo), Carson City

 

Holdings of Catholic records about Native Americans: 

Inclusive dates: 1931-ongoing

Volume: Scant amount

Description:

 

/1 Bishop’s Papers

Inclusive dates: 1935-ongoing

Volume: Few records

Description: Materials (e.g. correspondence, clippings, photographs, reports) pertaining to Native American parishioners and evangelization and the Bureau of Catholic Indian Missions and/ or the Commission for Catholic Missions among the Colored People and the Indians (national Catholic agencies that fund Native American evangelization).

A. Bishop Thomas Kiely Gorman, 1931-1952

B. Bishop Robert Joseph Dwyer, 1952-1966

C. Bishop Michael Joseph Green, 1967-1974

D. Bishop Norman Francis McFarland, 1976-1986

E. Bishop Daniel Francis Walsh, 1987-1995

F. Bishop Phillip Francis Straling, 1995-2005

G. Bishop Randolph Roque Calvo, 2005-

 

/2 Parish Files

Inclusive dates: 1930s-ongoing

Volume: Few records possible

Description: Few records possible (e.g. correspondence, clippings, photographs) pertaining to Native American parishioners or students; see parishes for sacramental records.

A. St. John the Baptist Church, Lovelock, ca. 1930-1980

B. Corpus Christi Church, Carson City, 1949-1980; school closed/ chaplaincy to students ceased

C. Holy Family Church (Paiute), Yerington, ca. 1922-ongoing

 

/3 Diocesan Newspapers

Inclusive dates: 1932-ongoing

Volume: Few articles

Description:

A. The Register, Nevada Edition, a supplement of first The Denver Register and then The San Francisco Monitor, 1932-1972; 1932-1952; includes occasional articles regarding Native American Catholics statewide.

B. Northern Nevada Catholic/ Nevada Catholic newsletter, 1980-unknown; no articles found on Native American Catholics.

C. High Dessert Catholic magazine, unknown-ongoing; articles on Native American Catholics unknown.

 

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