Sit! Stay! Good Dog!

Last week we shared two photos of popes that were in a Carte de Visite album, which we called the 19th century Facebook. Just like Facebook, this album had an amazing pet picture, which we couldn't resist sharing this week:

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One of the best parts of working in the archives is getting to see what has changed and what has stayed the same. It's somehow reassuring to know that people were just as pet-obsessed 150 years ago! If they had the technology, their cats and dogs would have been all over the Internet.

Happy (Holy) Father's Day!

This Sunday is Father's Day. In the Catholic Church, we all share one spiritual father, the Pope. This week we thought we'd highlight records from some of the Holy Fathers who have reigned since the creation of the diocese in 1841.

Gregory XVI: February 2, 1831 - June 1, 1846

1839 apostolic letter of Gregory XVI condemning the slave trade.

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Bishop Macdonell Fonds

Blessed Pius IX: June 16, 1846 - February 7, 1878

This photo of Pope Pius IX is a carte de visite, which was a popular photograph format of the 1800s. Cartes were traded and collected by many. You could almost say they were the 19th century Facebook!

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Part of a letter from Pius IX to the Catholics of Toronto, complete with signature.

July 9, 1862
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Leo XIII: February 20, 1878 - July 20, 1903

Another carte de visite from the same album as the photo above with a drawing of Leo XIII.

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Signed letter from Leo XIII in response to the Bishops of the province of Toronto on the occasion of the Pope's Golden Jubilee of Priestly Ordination.

June 20, 1886
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Saint Pius X: August 4, 1903 - August 20, 1914

Postcard of Pius X from 1954.

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Benedict XV: September 3, 1914 - January 22, 1922

Letter from Benedict XV to Archbishop McNeil imparting apostolic blessings on the occasion of McNeil's 25th anniversary of his episcopal consecration.

September 8, 1920
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Pius XI: February 6, 1922 - February 10, 1939

A telegram from Pietro Di Maria, Apostolic Delegate, informing Archbishop McNeil of the election of Cardinal Ratti as pope under the name Pius XI. The apostolic delegate is the pope's representative to the Church in Canada. Since the 1960s Canada has had an Apostolic Nuncio, who is the pope's representative to the government as well as to the Church.

February 7, 1922
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Venerable Pius XII: March 2, 1939 - October 9, 1958

Postcard of Pius XII.

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Saint John XXIII: October 28, 1958 - June 3, 1963

John XXIII with Toronto Mayor Nathan Phillips and Mrs. Phillips.

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Blessed Paul VI: June 21, 1963 - August 6, 1978

Image of Paul VI printed on silk and used as a greeting card.

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Letter from Paul VI to Cardinal McGuigan congratulating him on his Golden Jubilee of priestly ordination.

May 10, 1968
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Servant of God John Paul I: August 26, 1978 - September 28, 1978

John Paul I blessing Cardinal Wojtyla (Pope John Paul II).

1978
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Booklet from the Requiem Mass for John Paul I at St. Michael's Cathedral. Unfortunately, this pope only lived 33 days in office, which made 1978 a year of three popes.

1978
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International Archives Day 2016: Friendship in the Archives

Happy International Archives Day! This year's theme is Archives, Harmony, and Friendship.

Here in the archives, we have lots of photos of our bishops that show their work and careers. But they were more than just their jobs; they were humans who had friendships. Because we all need friends to...

Chill on the beach with:

Cardinal Carter relaxes with a friend on the beach in Cancun, Mexico.

1970s
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Share a good meal:

Cardinal Carter and friends, including Cardinal Flahiff (right of Carter), enjoy a meal in Rome at the restaurant where Fettuccine Alfredo was invented.

1970s
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Meet the Pope with:

Cardinal Ambrozic and friends enjoy an audience with Pope Saint John Paul II.

February 21, 1998
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Be awed by creation with:

Cardinal Ambrozic (centre) with friends.

1948
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Check out ancient history with:

Cardinal Ambrozic sitting with a friend in front of the Coliseum in Rome.

February, 1998
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Pose for posterity with:

Archbishop Pocock and a friend.

1960s
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Blow out your birthday candles with:

Cardinal Carter celebrates his 87th birthday with friends.

March, 1999
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We can do all these things alone, but aren't they more fun with friends?

Record of the Week: Cardinal McGuigan Gets the Key to the City

One of the best parts of being an archivist is opening a box you've never looked in before and finding something cool. Last week we found a key about the length of hand. As it turns out, we were holding the key to the City of Toronto.

After some research, we were disappointed that the key wouldn't allow us to walk into the mayor's office. In fact, it is a ceremonial key that was given to Cardinal McGuigan at a city reception upon his return from his elevation to the cardinalate in March 1946.

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Special Collections

Archbishop McGuigan's elevation wasn't important only to Catholics; the whole city was proud that the first English-speaking Canadian cardinal was from Toronto. 75,000 people lined the streets to greet him when he arrived at Union Station on the train from Halifax. The band from De La Salle Oaklands played for him, and the Catholic school children had a day off. There were receptions at City Hall and Queens Park, and a few days later there was an event at Maple Leaf Gardens attended by 15,000. The city newspapers covered his trip to Rome, his journey home, his arrival, and the celebrations.

An illuminated address presented to Cardinal McGuigan by the City Council explains the feelings of Torontonians:

"Like all men of genius, your Eminence has found your own road and carried your own lamp along the pathway of life to the goal and zenith of your ambition. Through piety, self-denial and stern discipline of intellect, your Eminence has striven unceasingly to make the best use of those remarkable natural talents, bestowed upon your Eminence by the gift of Providence."

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Special Collections

Cardinal McGuigan is presented with the above illuminated address by Mayor Robert Saunders.

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ARCAT Photo Collection
Photo credit: Globe & Mail

People line the streets with flags and banners to welcome His Eminence home.

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ARCAT Photo Collection
Photo credit: Globe & Mail

Large crowds are gathered at City Hall to receive the new Cardinal.

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ARCAT Photo Collection