Archives

Mission Statement:
"To acquire, organize and preserve the records which have historical significance to Catholicism, including material culture, in the geographical area comprising the Oakland Diocese.
Further, to collect on-going administrative records of the diocese; to determine those of continuing value, to preserve them for posterity.  As keepers of the memories of the past, the archivist preserves the evidence which makes it possible to tell the continuing story of the People of God, making them available as allowed by law and the Bishop's directions."

Mandated by canon law, the Archives of the Diocese of Oakland are designed to preserve the documents of the diocese and parishes, thereby providing a sense of history and a link to the past. Operated by the Chancellor and the diocesan archivist, the Archives are a valuable resource for anyone doing research on the history of the diocese, especially for parishes preparing anniversary celebrations. Of particular interest are the Archives' "old" files of diocesan parishes prior to 1962. Previously kept at the Archdiocese of San Francisco, these files provide a rich history--some correspondence goes back to the early and mid-1800's.

Ideally, Archives is the depository for non-current files from Central Offices. A major achievement of the Archives' department has been to make other chancery departments aware that they can turn files over to the archives for safekeeping and, therefore, have more space for current files.

Archivist:  Carrie McClish         Contact: cmcclish@oakdiocese.org