Margaret, I certainly agree with what you are saying here. You are so correct. However, the attitude from these folks at the church level is not one that is "friendly". It is like don't bother me, I have records to take care of/work to do/get out of here. I do not understand why the Diocese would not let the records be filmed. It certainly would save them a lot of headaches. I asked once when I was in the Diocese office and LDS has approached them several times and was refused. I think it is because of the sealing LDS does, etc. However, if a special contract/arrangement was made not to do those things with these records, perhaps something could be worked out? I don't suppose the local historical centers or genealogy societies have any influence here and feel sure they have already tried to remedy the situation. Carole in Georgia ----- Original Message ----- From: "M. E. Potter" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Friday, September 01, 2000 5:31 PM Subject: Re: Cleveland Diocese and genealogical records > On my soapbox again :-) I think these are all good suggestions, but it's a > shame that we have to have ways to tiptoe around parish administrators, > etc. After all, who paid for these records in the first place, and who > continues to pay for the buildings they're housed in, the salaries of the > people who administer them, and on and on. If a parish runs a building > campaign or other money-raising effort, I'm sure they don't expect that we > will all "get around" to donating when we have time, maybe in a year or so. > > And then there is that commandment to "Honor Thy Father," which, in our > way, we're all trying to do. > > Margaret > > > At 08:19 AM 9/1/2000 -0700, you wrote: > >Charlene: > > > > You might try to approach parish > >administrators/officials/pastors on an individual > >basis, and in person; In my experience, these folks > >are more likely to help you out if you're on their > >doorstep, and appear to be respectable/ friendly, etc. > >You are not looking for "genealogical" records; you > >are looking for "baptismal / funeral Mass / parish > >history" records. Speak the parish lingo. > > If you know a member of a parish, it also might > >help to get yourself "in the door." It also doesn't > >hurt to wear an article of clothing from your alma > >mater, if a graduate of Catholic high school/college > >(no joke!). If the parish whose records you are > >looking for no longer exists, you are at the mercy of > >the diocese office. Couldn't tell you what do there; > >I've never approached them for records. > > I have been allowed access to individual parish > >baptism and Catholic burial books (under supervision), > >and also have had parish staff volunteer parish > >histories and newsletters for study. All research must > >be done on-site(obviously), and you HAVE to have a > >specific information item(s) which you are searching > >for, and can cite relevant info, to put them at ease > >that you are not just "fishing." > > They really don't have time to search for you, or > >to watch over you for a lengthy period of time. Most > >parishes in the Cleveland diocese are on skeleton > >staff levels, and have only one or two priests > >assigned to them. The priests are very busy. > > The bottom line is, you just may have better luck > >at one parish than another(or from one parish worker > >to another). What is forbidden by one may be allowed > >by someone else. And remeber: parish workloads and > >personnel change as time goes by; if at first you > >don't succeed, try again at another time of year(not > >Advent or Lent), or when there's a new pastor/staff > >member. > > > >Good luck, > >P. J. Manning, M.L.S. > >Akron, Ohio > >[email protected] > > > >--- Charlene Quinn <[email protected]> wrote: > > > A few years back, I tried to reach anyone in the > > > Diocesan Offices, or at > > > Holy Name Church who would reveal the existance of > > > records. They both told > > > me FIRMLY, that they had no records for genealogical > > > research. > > > If anyone can lead me to a contact, I would > > > appreciate it. > > > > > > > > > Charlene Quinn > > > Registrar/Financial Aid Director > > > Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing > > > Case Western Reserve University > > > Cleveland, OH 44106-4904 > > > Phone: (216) 368-2183 > > > Fax: (216) 368-0347 > > > http://fpb.cwru.edu/admin/regnots.html > > > >__________________________________________________ > >Do You Yahoo!? > >Yahoo! Mail - Free email you can access from anywhere! > >http://mail.yahoo.com/ > >