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Sacramental Records at Vincennes

April 21st, marks the anniversary, in 1749, of the first official entry in the Sacramental Record at Saint Francis Xavier, Vincennes.

In this day and age, when genealogy is still a very popular pastime, the existence of early Church records makes a genealogist’s pulse increase. Although I am sure that many baptisms, marriages etc. were performed in the early history of Indiana, many priests carried their sacramental records with them, mainly because there was no church to deposit the records into. One example of this would be the Sacramental Record carried by Simon Lalumiere and others. This record, located in the Archdiocesan Archives is from Saint Peter, in Daviess County and Saint Joseph in Terre Haute. Original sacramental records normally carry a particular “form”. The rules have not really changed over the years and yet, even to this day, many priests and parishes take the task lightly and records are not always updated. Then there is the problem with penmanship. Some records are very very difficult to read and, as already stated, Sacramental Records have been shuffled around as parishes and priests have moved around.

Canon Law requires that a “parish” maintain their Sacramental Records:

Can. 535 §1. Each parish is to have parochial registers, that is, those of baptisms, marriages, deaths, and others as prescribed by the conference of bishops or the diocesan bishop. The pastor is to see to it that these registers are accurately inscribed and carefully preserved.

§2. In the baptismal register are also to be noted confirmation and those things which pertain to the canonical status of the Christian faithful by reason of marriage, without prejudice to the prescript of ⇒ can. 1133, of adoption, of the reception of sacred orders, of perpetual profession made in a religious institute, and of change of rite. These notations are always to be noted on a baptismal certificate.

§3. Each parish is to have its own seal. Documents regarding the canonical status of the Christian faithful and all acts which can have juridic importance are to be signed by the pastor or his delegate and sealed with the parochial seal.

§4. In each parish there is to be a storage area, or archive, in which the parochial registers are protected along with letters of bishops and other documents which are to be preserved for reason of necessity or advantage. The pastor is to take care that all of these things, which are to be inspected by the diocesan bishop or his delegate at the time of visitation or at some other opportune time, do not come into the hands of outsiders.

§5. Older parochial registers are also to be carefully protected according to the prescripts of particular law.

Suffice it to say, the Code of Canon Law is not always followed. However, it is always a mark of true ‘stability’, if you will, when a sacramental record ‘stays put’ in one place and taken care of. With that in mind, today we honor the memory of at least three people who helped to make that ‘stability’ happen at St. Francis Xavier in Vincennes. On April 21, 1749 The marriage of Julien Trattier and Josette Marie was witnessed by Fr. Sebastian Louis Meurin S.J.

John Law wrote:

The first entry on the church records here, is dated April 21st, 1749. There is neither title page nor introduction. The first entry is the certificate of marriage between “Julien Trattier, of Montreal, Canada, and Josette Marie, the daughter of a Frenchman and an Indian woman.” The only baptisms recorded during the year, are those of the Indian adults. One of the first deaths was Madam Trattier, aged eighteen years, whose marriage we have above recorded. She was but a short time a bride, having been buried in December, 1750, in the church, under her pew, on the “Gospel side” “” so says the record. The resident priest was “Father Sebastian Louis Meurin.” All certificates except those of deaths are signed by “M. de St. Ange, Lieutenant of Marines and Commandant for the King, at Post Vincennes.” Father Meurin left in 1753. His last official act was the burial of “the wife of a Corporal in the garrison, March, 1753.” He was succeeded by “Father Louis Vivier.” His first recorded act is a marriage, May 20th, 1753. On the 24th of the same month he buried “Pierre Leonardy, Lieutenant of the garrison.” His last record is dated August 28th, 1756. The number of baptisms and marriages is small, but increasing. Half of them are of “Red or Indian Slaves,” belonging to the Commandant and to the inhabitants. It was a number of years after the departure of the Jesuits, who had officiated as priests until about the year 1760, that another priest visited Vincennes. During the interregnum, one “Philibert,” Notary Public, administered baptism as a layman, privately, and duly recorded the names of those to whom he administered the rite, on the register. 1

In the Illinois Catholic Historical Review 2 there is an article about Father Meurin, the Jesuit who made the first entry in the sacramental record. It said:

“In the year one thousand seven hundred and forty nine the 21 day of the month of april ,after having published three bans between julien trottier du rivieres son of julien trottier des rivieres of the parish of Montreal and josette marid daughter of antoine marifi and marie anne chicamicge the parents (“les peres et meres”) living in this parish without their being any impediment, I the undersigned missionary of the company of jesus performing the functions of pastor have received their mutual consent of marriage and have given them the nuptial benediction, with the ceremonies prescribed by Holy Church in the presence of monsieur de St. Ange. Lieutenant of a company of detached marines, Commandant at poste Vincennes, of jean Baptiste Guilbert, Toussaint Guilbert, antoine Bouchard, jean B. Ridet, Louis Gervais witnesses who have signed with me. S. L. Meurin jesuite.

St. Ange Commandant Boucher at poste vincen J. B. Ridday filliatro Louis Gervais
This sheet has been transferred by me the undersigned.
S. L. Meurin Jes.

It went on to say:

This happy family was soon broken up by death. On page 56 of the Records we read:
27 December 1750 died in this parish Josette Marie Wife of julien trottier Desrivieres, trading in this poste, 18 years of age, after having confessed and received the Holy Viaticum and the sacrament of extreme unction. Her body
was buried with the usual ceremonies in the church of the parish under her bench on the gospel side the 28th of said month and year. 8. L. Meurin Jes.

Two months later occurred the death of the infant son, whose birth had most probably occasioned the death of the youthful mother.

“15 February, 1751, died in this parish Julien desriviers son of julien des rivieres & josette marie two months old. Buried with the usual ceremonies in the church of this parish near the body of his mother. S. L. Meurin S. J. ”

[This post originally appeared in April 2016]

  1. Law, John. The Colonial History of Vincennes, under the French, British, and American Governments, from its First Settlement Down to the Territorial Administration of General William Henry Harrison, Being an Address Delivered by Judge John Law, Before the Vincennes Historical and Antiquarian Society, February 22d, 1839, with Additional Notes and Illustrations . Vincennes: Harvey, Mason and Co., 1858[↩]
  2. Illinois Catholic Historical Review, v.3, n.1 July 1920[↩]
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Categories: Postings.

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By mlw
— April 20, 2017 at 10:16 pm

Remembering those who have gone before us…

This site generally tells the stories of the Indiana Catholic church in the 19th century — the earliest days of the Diocese of Vincennes and sometimes up to the present day. That is what we are doing with this post, featuring two individuals who have made a mark in Indiana Catholic History by their lives.

March 12th marks the sixteenth anniversary of the death of Sister Ann Kathleen Brawley SP who served as Archivist of the Sisters of Providence and as the Archivist of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis. Sister Ann Kathleen was a kind and gentle soul who never sought the limelight. If you were to “google” her today, you would get the following:

AI Overview
Sister Ann Kathleen Brawley SP, played a crucial role in the canonization process of Saint Mother Theodore Guerin by assisting with the preparation of the Cause.

As a long-time archivist for the Sisters of Providence, she organized historical records and served as a consultant on the congregation’s history.
Key details of her role included:

Archival Work: She served as general secretary and later as archivist from 1976 to 1991, organizing 136 years of congregation history.
Canonization Assistance: She dedicated many hours to preparing the documentation required for Mother Theodore Guerin’s canonization cause.
Consultant: She served as a consultant to the Archives and to anyone researching the history of the Congregation.

I mentioned that she served as the Archvisit for the Archdiocese. In fact she had the title of “Assistant Archivist” since Msgr. John J. Doyle held the title of Archivist. This was a bit of a misnomer. Msgr. Doyle probably didn’t know a great deal about archival theory or how an archives worked. He was a college professor and a historian. We mentioned his book, “The Catholic Church in Indiana – 1686-1814″ in our last post. He used the Archdiocesan Archives considerably, and Sr. Ann Kathleen was always there to help him find what he was looking for.

Sister Ann Kathleen died in 2010. Here, is a copy of her obituary from the Sisters of Providence website:

“Sister Ann Kathleen said that her greatest joy had been her opportunity to assist those who came to the Archives seeking materials in order to tell the story of the Congregation.”

Preserving the Congregation’s history was extremely important to Sister Ann Kathleen Brawley. “As archivist, Sister Ann Kathleen renewed the presentation of Community History classes, enriching the newer members of the Congregation in their knowledge and appreciation of our past,” said Sister Mary Roger Madden in her commentary for Sister Ann Kathleen, who died March 12.

Born June 18, 1919, in Chicago, Mary Kathleen Brawley was the daughter of John and Noreen (Doherty) Brawley. She and her two brothers attended St. Mel Grade School, Chicago. Sister Ann Kathleen graduated from Providence High School, Chicago. She entered the Congregation July 22, 1937, and professed first and perpetual vows Jan. 23, 1940, and 1946, respectively. Sister Ann Kathleen earned a bachelor’s degree in education from Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College and a master’s degree in European history from Indiana State University.

Sister Ann Kathleen began her teaching ministry in 1940 at St. Patrick, Fort Wayne, Ind. Her pedagogical ministries also included St. John, Robstown, Texas; Our Lady of Sorrows, Chicago; and Saint Mary-of-the-Woods Village Grade School.

“For the next 12 years from 1954 to 1966, Sister Ann Kathleen worked quietly and humbly as assistant to the general secretary of the Congregation. Those of us who belong to a certain generation remember how in the summer vacation time, as we advanced upon Tile Hall 800 strong, with our many and varied needs, she was ever ready to respond to us in her gracious and generous manner. Whatever the problem confronting us we knew Sister Ann Kathleen would solve it quietly and efficiently. She always made each one feel that she was known, loved and appreciated. Those were turbulent years for many of us, but Sister Ann Kathleen was a soothing presence,” said Sister Mary Roger.

For the next 10 years, Sister Ann Kathleen served as the general secretary. Through her position, “she assembled and organized the Congregation’s archival documents,” continued Sister Mary Roger. “She was guided in this work by Sister Eugenia Logan (RIP) who, in her later years, had been named archivist/historian of the Congregation. After the general election, Sister Eugenia suggested that the title of archivist be given to Sister Ann Kathleen. In telling this, Sister Ann Kathleen admitted that it did not make a great deal of difference since she and Sister Eugenia continued to work together. …”

Sister Ann Kathleen served as the archivist from 1976 to 1991, and after her retirement she continued as a consultant to the department. It was under the leadership of Sisters Ann Kathleen and Eugenia and a cadre of volunteers that 136 years of Congregation history were organized and archived.

“In the early 1980s, the administrative offices were moved to Owens Hall where one wing of the ground floor was given to the Archives. For the first time the Archives Department, as we know it today, began to take shape,” said Sister Mary Roger.

“During the past 10 years as her strength declined — although she would never admit this fact — Sister Ann Kathleen served as a consultant to the Archives and to anyone else who had a question to ask relating to the history of the Congregation. She lived to take part in the great celebration of the canonization of Saint Mother Theodore Guerin, so meaningful to her in light of the many hours she had spent assisting with the preparation of the Cause,” said Sister Mary Roger.

The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated March 17, with the Rev. Daniel Hopcus presiding. She is survived by one brother, Robert, of Arlington Heights, Ill.

The following day, March 13 marks the birthday of Msgr. John J. Doyle. Msgr. Doyle was born in Indianapolis on March 13, 1898. He attended St. Joseph’s Parish, which was then located on the corner of North Street and College Avenue. He attended St. Meinrad and was ordained on May 17, 1921 Msgr. Doyle, known to many as the “Mons” spent most of his career as a professor at Marian College in Indianapolis. After his retirement, Monsignor Doyle became the Archivist and Historian of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis. He contributed much to the understanding of Indiana Catholic Church History. In 1976 he published “The Catholic Church in Indiana 1686-1814“. In 1978 he published “Genealogical Use of Catholic Records in North America” for the Indiana Historical Society. Msgr. Doyle’s love of history, especially his love of history of the Church in Indiana always showed through.

We have mentioned the Monsignor numerous times on this websitee.

All of this boils down to the importance of Diocesan Archives. These two individuals contributed to the excellent Archdiocesan Archives that we have today!

For a number of years the archives of the Archdiocese, for lack of a better word, sat somewhat ‘dormant’. This was probably true of most Catholic archives. There were “keepers” of the archives, but it usually consisted of someone in the Chancellor’s office, which is the office responsible for diocesan archives. It was probably a person who had no inclination toward archival theory or maybe even history. In the case of Indianapolis, a lot of the historical archives were stored in the Cathedral Rectory.

The archives can consist of many things, including, for example, the notes and paperwork of one of the diocesan offices. This is commonly called “Records Management”. That’s not what this site is all about. We are interested in the “historical” aspects of the archives. That is, those documents that tell us of the history of the diocese and or persons involved in that history.

There was a movement that began in the mid 1970’s, and probably even earlier, that began to take the notion of diocesan archives more seriously. In the early 1970’s “The upcoming American bicentennial provided the impetus for the United States National Conference of Catholic Bishops to issue in November, 1974, “A Document on Ecclesiastical Archives”. The bishops lamented that the American Catholic Experience had not been “penetrated to the heart” because of the lack of care given the historical records.” 1 This belief became part of the new Code of Canon Law in 1983. In Canon #486 it was written:

Can. 486 §1. All documents which regard the diocese or parishes must be protected with the greatest care.

§2. In every curia there is to be erected in a safe place a diocesan archive, or record storage area, in which instruments and written documents which pertain to the spiritual and temporal affairs of the diocese are to be safeguarded after being properly filled and diligently secured.

§3. An inventory, or catalog, of the documents which are contained in the archive is to be kept with a brief synopsis of each written document.

Larger dioceses began hiring professionals to organize their archives. Religious Orders too, began to take their collective history seriously. In Indiana, one of the congregations of women religious, the “Sisters of Providence of St. Mary of the Woods” appointed Sister Ann Kathleen Brawley as their archivist in 1976. Much of the work of the SPSMW archives was to help with the work of canonizing their foundress, Saint Theodora Guerin.

While continuing in that job, Sr. Ann Kathleen was asked by the Archdiocese to help organize their archives. This would have been about 1978. At that time, Msgr. John Doyle was listed as the Archdiocesan Historian and Archivist. Sr. Ann Kathleen was listed as his assistant. But, as mentioned above, it is unlikely that Msgr Doyle did much in the way of an archivist — he was a historian. But, it was a good arrangement. Msgr Doyle and Sr. Ann Kathleen worked well together, however, Msgr. Doyle passed away in March of 1985 and Sister Ann Kathleen continued as the archivist, traveling between St. Mary of the Woods and Indianapolis about once a week. She was assisted by other sisters from “The Woods”.

  1. History of the Association of Catholic Diocesan Archivists – History of ACDA [↩]
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Categories: Postings.

By mlw
— March 11, 2026 at 1:03 pm