• Spanish and Mexican Manuscript Collection (1519-1890) {54 linear ft.}:

Mission era and Indian records, photostats and originals. Records from different archives in Spain, Mexico, and the United States relating to Spanish and Mexican political and religious affairs in Southwestern United States. Groups of documents containing inventories, lists of families, Texas land grants and transfers of Anglo-American, Irish, German, and other colonies in Texas. Among important documents from archives in Spain (Archivo General de Indias) are testimonies, reports and royal cedulas of missionaries and governors of presidios relating to Indian affairs and exploration of Texas (La Bahia, LaSalle, and the San Xavier Mission). Printed guide to the collection available, records' description on RLIN and OCLC. Included in the collection:
 
• Ecclesiastical Records (1703-1881) {22 linear ft.}:

Detailed records kept by the Church officials giving information about missionary work among the Indians and early settlers: sacramental records, censuses and church records from Archivo de la Cathedral de San Fernando (in San Antonio) 1703-1880; Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe de Paso del Rio del Norte, presently Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico (1707-1890); Iglesia de San Augustin de Laredo (1767-1899), photostats and original documents. Also some copies of records from cathedrals in Monterrey and Durango in Mexico. These records have been also photocopied on microfilm and microfiche (1000 ft. mf.). Also available Archives of Vincentian Motherhouse, Paris (AVMP), (1836-1856) containing correspondence of missionaries in Texas with Paris Motherhouse; includes letters of Jean-Marie Odin, first bishop of Texas. Arranged in two groups: alphabetically under name of sender and chronologically thereunder.
 
• Religious Orders in Mexico (1690-1812) {11 linear ft.}:

Correspondence and records of Franciscan friars from Mexican colleges of Queretaro, Mexico City, and Zacatecas and their missionary work in Texas. Records from Museo Nacional and Biblioteca Nacional in Mexico containing copies of documents relating to the Missions of Coahuila and Texas, includes Fray Joseph Ortiz' Consulta of the Mission of Los Adaes (1746). Also records from Mexican Franciscan colleges containing reports and inventories relating to missions in Texas: San Xavier, San Saba, and others.
For more information about above collections see: Guide to the Spanish and Mexican Manuscript Collection at the Catholic Archives of Texas. Comp. Dedra S. McDonald, ed. Kinga Perzynska. Austin, 1994.
 
• Archives of University of Notre Dame (AUND), Correspondence (1833-1884)

{5 linear ft., 200 mft.}:
Catholic Archives of America, located in Notre Dame, and founded by Rev. Paul J. Foik, who was also one of the founders of the Catholic Archives of Texas, contain records from ecclesiastical repositories of the history of the Church in America. Most of the letters in the collection have been transcribed and translated into English. Records divided into groups:
• Vincentian Papers (AUND-VP), 1833-1847: mostly correspondence of John Timon, Prefect Apostolic of Texas and Superior Of Vincentian Missionaries in the United States, arranged alphabetically by sender.

 
• Cincinnati Papers (AUND-CIN), 1835-1868: correspondence from Archbishop John B. Purcell , Cincinnati to early bishops of Texas, arranged chronologically.

 
• New Orleans Papers (AUND-NOP), 1837-1875: mostly photostats of letters from early Texas priests to Texas bishops; also letters from Bishop Odin to Archbishop Anthony Blanc of New Orleans concerning difficulties in the large missionary territory of Texas; administrative reports; Odin's letters to Ursuline Sisters dealing with their arrival in Texas in 1847. Collection include copies of correspondence generated by the first Diocese of Galveston, established in 1847 in Texas. Material in French and English, some translations, arranged alphabetically by name of senders.

 
• Diocesan Collection (1837--) {70 linear ft.}:

Correspondence, legal papers, appointments histories, scrapbooks, artifacts, video and magnetic tapes from all Catholic dioceses in Texas: its structure, establishment, and relation to clergy and parish. Arranged alphabetically by name of diocese. Collection's description available on RLIN and OCLC.
 
• Episcopal Collection (1841--) {80 linear ft.}:

Correspondence, biographical data, business records, sermons, clippings and other material related to tenure of all past and present Catholic bishops in Texas. Records include correspondence with diocesan priests and religious orders members serving in Texas parishes. Arranged alphabetically by name of bishop.
 
• Parish Collection (1845--) {100 linear ft.}:

Growing collection of original sacramental registers, correspondence and business records of all existing and closed parishes in Texas. Very detailed information on serving priests, history of establishment of churches and information about relation with parishioners; printed booklets and manuscripts on parish histories; related applications to Texas Historical Commission for historical markers; clippings from Catholic and local press. Arranged alphabetically. Collection's description available on RLIN and OCLC.
 
• Clergy Collection (1817--) {50 linear ft.}:

Growing collection of bibliographical records of priests serving in Texas. Correspondence of first missionaries to Texas in Spanish, French, and English; clippings from Catholic and local press, and scrapbooks of dead and living clergy. Also separate section on Diocese of Austin Deceased Clergy. Some of the records restricted (private information), arranged alphabetically. Collection's description available on RLIN and OCLC.
 
• Religious Orders Collection (1845--) {20 linear ft.}:

Growing collection of historical and biographical data on religious congregations of women and men in Texas. This collection contains historical information about religoius sisters and brothers serving in Texas, but doesn't include lists of personnel (with limited exceptions). Divided into two general groups of religious orders of women and men, arranged alphabetically by order name and chronologically within the order's name.
 
• Catholic Institutions Collection (1841--) {15 linear ft.}:

Religious institutions in Texas correspondence, histories, business records, minutes, member lists, clippings, scrapbooks, photographs and artifacts. Divided into several groups: Health Care Facilities, Colleges & Universities, High Schools, Seminaries, Orphanages, Cemeteries, Retreat Centers. Collection includes also several separate papers of different Catholic lay organizations like Ladies of Charity, Catholic Daughters of America and smaller local communities' and parishes' organizations.
 

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• Texas Knights of Columbus and Texas Knights of Columbus Historical Commission Records (1902--) {250 linear ft., 1000 mft.}:

These records include the TKC and TKC Historical Commission growing records. Historical Commission was established in 1923, mandated by the Texas Knights of Columbus to gather material for and conduct the writing of the history of the Catholic Church in Texas. Carlos E. Castañeda, University of Texas librarian and scholar was the historiographer of the Commission's work from 1933 until his death in 1958, and author of the resulting historical work, Our Catholic Heritage in Texas, 1519 - 1936. Historical Commission records include correspondence and writings of individuals acting as "corresponding members" of the Commission. Also, correspondence of four chairmen overseeing the work of the Commission, photographs and publications. Records of the Commission are arranged in four groups: Biographical, Business, Individual Files, and Research. Records gathered by the Commission include programs and bulletins. Related to these records are printed Proceedings of the annual conventions of the Knights of Columbus in Texas.

Texas Knights of Columbus Records are being transferred to the archives from the State Council in Austin, Texas, accessioned and arranged at CAT since 1991. Presently, ca. 150 linear feet of materials have been arranged. Records contain historical material concerning an establishment, activities and involvement of Knights of Columbus in the life of parishes and Catholic community since 1902. Records management program and retention's schedules for Knights Council in Austin records are being prepared and implemented.
 

• Texas Catholic Conference Records, (1964--) {200 linear ft.}:

Records of the Texas Catholic Conference of Texas bishops since its creation in 1964 until present. These records concern all operational matters of the Conference and relationships between the Board of Directors and TCC departments, including Volunteers for Educational and Social Services and Catholic Archives of Texas. Original records, unarranged and stored in boxes are not available for research yet. Records are being sent to the archives on yearly basis from its departments and will be arranged and described in the nearest two years. A published guide to the collection will be created. Also a record management program for TCC will be established to facilitate the future maintenance and timely transfer to the Archives.
 
• Catholic Spirit Records (1984--) {5.5 linear ft.}:

Records of the diocese of Austin newspaper including correspondence, manuscripts of articles, photographs, lay-outs of the paper and publications. A big group of the collection contain negatives and photographs of diocesan events for publishing in the newspaper. These records are organized into two subgroups: Administrative records and issues. The records were created and maintained by its staff, and current arrangement reflects their original organization.
 
• Texas Catholic Herald, Austin Edition Records, (1957-1979) {4 linear ft.}:

Correspondence, financial documents, clippings, photographs and printed material, 1957- 1919 documenting the business life of the Austin diocese newspaper as well as the life of its precursors The Lone Star Catholic and The Lone Star Register and one of its editors, Rev. Victor Goertz. This group of records compliments the CAT microfilm copies of the Austin Edition of the newspaper and other Catholic newspapers of Texas. Most of the documents are in English, but several letters in the international subject files are in Spanish.
 

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• Francis Bouchu Papers (1860-1906) {2 linear ft.}:

Papers of Rev. Francis Bouchu, French missionary priest living in the San Francisco de la Espada Mission in San Antonio. Papers contain personal letters (in French, some translated), lists of his activities connected with Espada Mission buildings construction, and albumen stereograms of Missions in San Antonio area, some possibly made by Bouchu. Correspondence relating to Fr. Bouchu's 50 years of service in San Antonio.
 
• Paul J. Foik Papers (1917-1941) {4 linear ft.}:

Papers of appointed chief librarian at Notre Dame and archivist at the Catholic Archives of America. Moved in 1924 to St. Edward's University in Austin serving as librarian, archivist and dean. Founder and president of Texas Catholic Historical Society; Chairman of Texas Knights of Columbus Historical Commission, 1926-1941, editor of Our Catholic Heritage in Texas, 1519-1936 . Papers contain mostly correspondence relating to professional activities in Catholic librarianship, especially the development of a Catholic Periodicals Index. Papers include also photographs, clippings, notebooks, small publications and posters. A group of papers: Texas Centennial Advisory Board of Texas Historians contains correspondence which may include applications for funding of historical markers for Texas churches and Catholic buildings. Records' description available on RLIN and OCLC.
 
• Sam Houston Papers, (1818-1960) {4 linear ft.}:

Original and transcribed correspondence, appointments, lists, photographs and typed manuscript related to Samuel Houston, congressman and president of the republic of Texas (1836-1839) and governor of the State of Texas (1859-1861). Mainly correspondence from and to Sam Houston, 1818-1860. Prominent correspondents include Hayden S. Arnold, James Hamilton, J. Pickney Henderson, Felix Houston, and Issac Van Zandt. Also Andrew Jackson Houston papers, 1936-1960 and his typed manuscript "History of the Texas Revolution", last will and testament. Records' description available on RLIN and OCLC.
 
• William H. Oberste Papers (1793-1830) {8 linear ft.}:

Original and some copied records collected by Rev. William H. Oberste relating to the early history of Refugio Mission in Texas, documents concerning pastors of the church in Nacogdoches, Oberste's manuscripts, correspondence, transcriptions, translations, publications and photographs, arranged roughly in chronological order. Records' description available on RLIN and OCLC.
 
• Charles S. Taylor Papers, (1812-1951) {5 linear ft.}:

Correspondence, financial and legal documents, certificates and creative works documenting the personal and professional life of Charles Stanfield Taylor and his three associates. Taylor immigrated to Nacogdoches, Texas in 1830 and worked as lawyer and public servant before, during, and after the Texas Revolution. He was an active Catholic and Freemason; he supervised land surveys and issued deeds for the government of Mexico and the state of Texas, had a private law practice, and held elective and appointive offices in Nacogdoches, San Augustin, and Rio Grande Valley. Records' description available on RLIN and OCLC.
 
• BISHOPS OF TEXAS PAPERS:

Correspondence, sermons, journals, legal and administrative records, scrapbooks, albums with photographs, clippings and publications including:
• Fred Bomar Papers (1973-1983): 5 linear ft.
• Laurence J. Fitzsimon Papers (1946-1957): 4 linear ft.
• Bernard J. Ganter Papers (1944-1980): 3 linear ft.
• Vincent M. Harris Papers (1878-1985): 6 linear ft.
• John E. McCarthy Papers (1944---): 14 linear ft.
• Louis J. Reicher Papers (1948-1984): 5.5 linear ft.

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• Sacramental records, 1841--: 10,500 mft. -- microfilms and microfiche parish sacramental records for diocese of Austin, Brownsville and Victoria (considered private information after 1920).

 
• School records, 1886-1991: 2,200 mft. -- microfilmed school records for the diocese of Austin (considered private information after 1920).

• Texas Catholic Newspaper Collection, 1891-- : 15,600 mft. -- Catholic newspapers published by dioceses of Texas, including complete copy of Southern Messenger, starting 1891.

 
• Catholic Directories, 1817-1899: 3,000 mft. -- microfilmed directories of Catholic dioceses and institutions; clergy lists, religious orders of women and men in the U.S., Canada and Mexico; hard copies also available until 1993.

 
• Oblate Missionaries of Mary Immaculate Archives in San Antonio, 1849-1949: 700 mft. -- Correspondence consisting of letters of first bishops and clergy in Texas, codices of various missions, lists of missionary assignments, necrology, etc. of the Oblate Missionaries of Mary Immaculate, San Antonio.

 

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