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Archives
Boston CSJ Archive provides tactile knowledge of the Congregation’s heritage and motivates the present membership to keep alive and viable the spirt which marks one as a Sister of Saint Joseph.
Hours of operation: Monday – Wednesday, 9-4 p.m.
Call or email Ava Doogue at: ava.doogue@csjboston.org or 617-746-2117
Below, we have a compilation of articles that bridge the gap between our past and present, and share the spirit of our charism. To view more artifacts that aren’t necessarily attached to articles, visit Omeka, a free database that contains a collection of photos and letters.
We need your help in completing the CSJ story. Add to the collections and become a part of history!
Recent exhibitions…
Mount Saint Joseph Academy: Vivid Recollections
Throw Open the Windows! Digitizing the Experiences of the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Boston During the Era of Vatican II
This project conducted by the Archives digitized 237 audio tapes, including oral history interviews conducted in the 1970s-1990s and recordings from the congregation’s Chapter Meetings in 1968 and 1969.
This project was supported by a Recordings at Risk grant from the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR). The grant program is made possible by funding from the Mellon Foundation. Read more about the project here! Listen to the oral histories here!
— Books, Manuscripts, & Written Artifacts —
The Doway Bible
The Douay-Rheims Bible is a translation of the Bible from the Latin Vulgate into English by members of the English College, Douai, in the service of the Catholic Church.¹ The purpose of publishing this version of the Bible was to uphold Catholic tradition during the Protestant Reformation (1517-1648)
Medieval Manuscripts
A large sheet of parchment paper in the Archives is stored with a note which claims it to be a medieval manuscript dating back between 1400 and 1460 A.D…
Hebrew Book of Psalms, 1914
Fr. Marius Nepper, SJ, a French Jesuit priest, is one of our most influential historians. His book of psalms, covered in notes and serving both as a spiritual resource as well as documentation of his strife, provides a first-hand account of his life…
Letters: Vital Records…
The process of entering a religious congregation holds the same requirement as sacraments in the Catholic Church: a record of baptism…
The Handmade & The Rare: Three Books
These books — Practical Course of Study in Music, Heaven is Tomorrow, and The White Flower of the Passion — highlight the diversity and creativity of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Boston…
Graduation Exercises
The St. Thomas Aquinas High School commencement programs provide a unique and intimate portal into the world of students graduating in the 1930s…
Handbooks, Progress Reports, & Intercom: The Best Parts About Teaching
These materials not only provide detailed accounts of the student-teacher relationship; they also show the best parts of teaching: giving students the means to excel.
Papers of Gretchen Bogan, CSJ
The Boston CSJ Archives recently processed the papers of Sr. Gretchen Bogan, CSJ (1915-1999), a talented playwright, poet, artist and teacher. As a longtime professor at Regis College in Weston, Massachusetts, she directed numerous plays…
— Photographs & 2D Artifacts —
The Habit: An Evolution…
When Vatican II opened the windows, women’s religious orders experienced many changes, one of the biggest being the modified habit…
The 1918 Flue Epidemic: A Snapshot
Current events, like the appearance of COVID-19, can send us looking for the activities of the sisters during the Influenza Epidemic of 1918…
The Poor People’s Campaign: A Snapshot
This movement was “the next chapter” in Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King’s vision for a more equal and just America, as it expanded the focus of the Civil Rights Movement from desegregation and voting rights to economic justice.
— Awards, Signage, & Miscellaneous Artifacts —
Baseball Schedules & Scorecards
On Monday, May 10, 1937, the Gate of Heaven High School baseball team was set to play against Mission High School at Lee Park in South Boston at 3 P.M. The outcome of the game remains a mystery, but the baseball schedule and scorecard offer a glimpse into an important aspect of the high school and parish community experience: rooting for the home team.
The Globe Monocycle & Its Patent Coin…
John T. Quealy was awarded the coin for his invention of the Globe Monocycle in May of 1892… But why does CSJ Archives have this unique artifact?
Christmas Bells
Picture this. A large Christmas tree stands, covered in glowing lights. Merrily, Sisters gather to place beautifully crafted silver bells bearing the title of Soundings, the name of the CSJ newspaper at the time, on the coniferous branches…
Ladylike Deportment
In 1928, this pin was awarded to Mount Saint Joseph Academy student Ellen Leddy for her “Ladylike Deportment”. Nowadays, this kind of award isn’t found at graduations or ceremonies.
Palmer “Pocket” Metronomes
It’s summertime, which means that the Brighton Farmers Market is back up and running, and live music has returned to the park. Seeing people gathered on the green enjoying the sounds of the band got me thinking about a particular item in our collection: a pocket metronome belonging to Sister Blanche Dolan, CSJ.
