Although scanning does seem like the best/easiest choice, there is the option of setting up a database such as the new Irish ones. The online record contains the transcription of all the information on the record. Since the information we need are likely lines in a parish register as compared to individual documents, this approach would probably suffice. It would be a matter of someone setting up the database (either the Diocese or a genealogy group), getting access to copies of the registers, and then volunteers keying the information in. It also appears that Immaculate Conception parish already has some kind of database but it isn't available online. It would be a lot of work but imagine the value of the genealogical information! ---- Michelle and Kevin Cassidy <kmct@earthlink.net> wrote: > That would be a great idea. I think there is strength in numbers. I > know that there are Jewish, German and Italian groups. Perhaps if the > Irish researchers along with as many other "Catholic" ethnicities as > possible along with the Jewish group approached the archbishop gently > and privately, he might respond positively. It would also be a good > idea to have bishops(or their archivists) whose records are available > publicly through microfilm to attest that everything is okay in > Chicago etc. > > Lastly, the question is how hard to push if we don't get anything but > a pat on the head? I think a story on one of the morning shows would > be a good start. I am not calling for a hatchet job but if most of > the records in Ireland are available through PRONI or the National > Library and Chicago's are as well, there can not be a canon law > reason as to why NY's records can be kept only in the original book > form. > > Clearly, the parishes mostly detest such requests. Also as clear is > that the pastors and secretaries are woefully ignorant as to the > reality of registration with the Health Department of marriages. They > assume that since they do so today it was always done so why do > researchers bother them with requests when the city ALREADY has a > copy? The answer as we all know is that the City never got copies of > many and I dare say most of the Catholic marriage records between > 1853-1908 for sure. The Canon Law promulgated in 1917 specifically > required priests to not perform marriages that would not be deemed > valid in a municipality. The marriage license law in NY was followed > and full compliance was statistically universal at that point with > possible errors of course. > > Bishop Brancato wrote me a few months ago saying that it would be a > monumental effort and quite expensive. I know the Genealogical > Society of Utah would underwrite it but the proxy baptisms derailed > the FHL getting more than a 1/3 of registers from Ireland. I have to > imagine that is a sticking point. Indexing would be cheaper and > faster and could be done by high school students needing service > hours. The filming would be better long run especially if they can be > scanned online eventually. > > How do we get the ball rolling and organize a group to re-approach > this with the archdiocese? > > > On Dec 28, 2007, at 7:14 AM, Melanie Egan wrote: > > > Perhaps the time has come to plead our case for the records with the > > diocese? I'm sure it was easier in the past just to say "no" to any > > diocesan guidelines but genealogy is now one of the most popular > > "hobbies" > > (seems like more than a hobby!) for Americans. It can be a win for > > the > > diocese in many ways. Certainly the media publicity would be very > > positive > > if the church were to make available records through an index or > > digital > > format , and that could be a source of revenue for them as well. The > > easiest method would just be to allow LDS to scan them, and then of > > course, > > there is the volunteer option of allowing a group like the Italian > > Genealogical Society to index the information. The huge benefit > > would be > > that the information would be preserved forever instead of the > > current risk > > of the records being destroyed in a fire. > > > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to IRISH-NEW-YORK-CITY-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message