Steps through Time

We have a new exhibit at the Catholic Pastoral Centre!

Since the Archdiocese of Toronto is one of the most ethnically diverse Catholic dioceses in the world, we wanted to take an opportunity to celebrate this fact.

Steps through Time takes the viewer on a visual tour through six properties in downtown Toronto, uncovering over nine different cultural communities represented in their histories.

Come see items from Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, St. Patrick's Church, Catholic Settlement House, Felician Sisters Convent/Nursery, St. Stanislaus Church and St. Mary's Church.

We invite viewers to engage with these histories not only visually but physically, as well. Since all properties are still important and functioning fixtures of the Archdiocese of Toronto, we have a self-guided walking tour that goes along with the display.

 

Next time you're at 1155 Yonge Street, come up to the Archives Department on the 5th floor to take a look!

Exhibit Opening: Love Your Neighbour as Yourself

Last Thursday, we had the pleasure of attending the launch of Love Your Neighbour as Yourself: Catholic Social Teaching in Toronto, an exhibition at the John M. Kelly Library, University of St. Michael's College.

The evening began with a public lecture by Most Rev. Paul-André Durocher, Archbishop of Gatineau, entitled Echo Chamber or Megaphone? The Church in Canada and the Prophetic Voice of Pope Francis. Archbishop Durocher gave a brief history of Catholic Social doctrine, which is constantly enriched through the writings of the popes. Specifically, he highlighted quotes by Pope Francis on each of the seven themes of Catholic Social Teaching and also shared anecdotes from his own life and career. We were left with a sense that Catholics really are lucky to have the Church's wisdom on social issues to guide their own decisions.

At the reception that followed, we had a chance to see the exhibit for the first time:

ARCAT Staff Photo

Guests peruse the display cases during the reception.

ARCAT Staff Photo

Catholic social doctrine has its roots in scripture and the writings of the saints, such as St. Augustine and St. Francis of Assisi.
However, the Church's contemporary Catholic Social Teaching really began with the publication of Rerum Novarum, the 1891 papal encyclical by Leo XIII on the rights of workers.

This introductory case features the Kelly Library's treasured copies of Rerum Novarum.

ARCAT Staff Photo

This timeline plots the publication dates of the papal encyclicals and letters that contributed to Catholic Social Teaching. Also included are the establishment dates of the religious orders that were fundamental to education at St. Michael's College - the Basilian Fathers, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Toronto and the Loretto Sisters.

The exhibit was curated by James Roussain, Outreach Archivist at the Kelly Library, who decided to organize content around the seven principles of Catholic Social Teaching. St. Michael's College's community partners, including the Archdiocese of Toronto, were invited to contribute brief narratives that exemplify the themes. Many of these stories highlight active ministries and programs, underscoring the fact that Catholic Social Teaching is active and relevant in the College community.

Special Collections from the Kelly Library are also featured, including material from The Henri J.M. Nouwen Archives and from the G.K. Chesterton Collection.

ARCAT Staff Photo

The theme of the case (above) is "Life and Dignity of the Human Person." ARCAT contributed archival material from ShareLife to illustrate this theme. ShareLife is the annual charitable appeal of the Archdiocese of Toronto. It was established in 1975 to ensure that Catholic fundraising would not be used to support abortion counselling and referrals.

ARCAT Staff Photo

The exhibit also includes the art pieces installed along the back wall.

ARCAT Staff Photo

This case allowed each of the participating archives to highlight individuals from their organizations whose careers particularly embodied Catholic Social Teaching.
Top left: ARCAT contributed a biography of Henry Somerville (1889-1953), an ardent socialist and Catholic journalist. With the support of Archbishop of Toronto Neil McNeil, Somerville brought the Catholic social teachings of Rerum Novarum to the attention of Canadians through his work at The Catholic Register.

Curating archivist James Roussain (Kelly Library) and Dr. James Ginther (Dean of the Faculty of Theology) with the archivists of the Loretto Sisters, Sisters of St. Joseph of Toronto, Archdiocese of Toronto, and the Basilian Fathers, who contributed material to the exhibition.

You can visit the Love Your Neighbour as Yourself exhibition on the ground floor of the the John M. Kelly Library, 113 St. Joseph St., Toronto, until June 8, 2018.

Archives Roadshow

Gillian Hearns, Director of Archives at the Archdiocese of Toronto, shows off some of our treasured artifacts at the Eastern Regional Celebration to mark the archdiocesan 175th anniversary.
(ARCAT Staff Photo)

It is the nature of archives that researchers interested in accessing documents firsthand are required to visit the repository that houses and protects them. In other words, our records don't get out much.

Therefore, it was with excitement (and, admittedly, a little trepidation) that we decided to pack up some of our most treasured artifacts and put them on display to mark the Archdiocese of Toronto's 175th Anniversary.

The archdiocese is divided into four pastoral regions and each has held, or will hold, an Anniversary Celebration with mass and reception hosted by Cardinal Thomas Collins and the regional auxiliary bishop. At each event, we have set up a historical display in the narthex and reception hall of the host parish.

It has been a wonderful opportunity to engage with the Catholic community that wouldn't typically use the archives or even know much about the archdiocese beyond parish life. So far, we have taken our roadshow to Merciful Redeemer Parish, Mississauga (Western Region), St. Mary's Parish, Barrie (Northern Region) and St. Isaac Jogues Parish, Pickering (Eastern Region).

The final Regional Celebration will be held at Blessed Trinity Parish (3220 Bayview Ave.) next Thursday, October 19, 2017 at 7 p.m. If you are in the Toronto area, we invite you to come celebrate this milestone with us and see what ARCAT has to offer!

For more information visit: www.archtoronto.org/175

Western Regional Celebration at Merciful Redeemer Parish, Mississauga, September 12, 2017
(ARCAT Staff Photo)

Western Regional Celebration at Merciful Redeemer Parish, Mississauga, September 12, 2017
(ARCAT Staff Photo)

Our display included 19th century vestments, mitres and a pallium. 

Northern Regional Celebration at St. Mary's Parish, Barrie, September 21, 2017
(ARCAT Staff Photo)

Northern Regional Celebration at St. Mary's Parish, Barrie, September 21, 2017
(ARCAT Staff Photo)

Our mannequins have a slight contrapposto stance, otherwise known as swagger.

Eastern Regional Celebration at St. Isaac Jogues Parish, Pickering, October 4, 2017
(ARCAT Staff Photo)

Members of the CWL at St. Isaac Jogues Parish take a break from hosting duties to pose with our timeline posters. 

Eastern Regional Celebration at St. Isaac Jogues Parish, Pickering, October 4, 2017
(ARCAT Staff Photo)

Eastern Regional Celebration at St. Isaac Jogues Parish, Pickering, October 4, 2017
(ARCAT Staff Photo)

Also on display were episcopal jewellery, medals, and souvenirs from the last two papal conclaves.

What's behind the sweet suite door: Archives Open House

The Archives serve the offices of the archdiocese on a daily basis but many employees at the Catholic Pastoral Centre have no idea of what lurks behind the Archives suite door.  So we decided to invite everyone to come and see for themselves during an informal open house last Friday:

Our open house promised three things:

• Treasures: samples of the most interesting, eye-catching or generally awe-inspiring documents and artifacts in our holdings

• Trivia: a contest ballot that visitors could complete while wandering around the archives 

• Treats: we made some edibles based on records in our holdings

ARCAT Director Marc Lerman (left) discusses vestments.

Bling is always a hit with visitors!
In addition to pectoral crosses and episcopal rings, there was also a benemerenti and a Companion to the Order of Canada medal on display.

In our reading room were documents such as papal bulls, the decree erecting the See of Toronto and items from the most recent papal conclave.
We loaded microfilm of an old baptismal register to be deciphered for a trivia question.

Examples of different types of black and white photos and their storage.

Examples of textual records, such as a broadsheet of The Toronto Mirror (1856), a ticker tape telegraph, greeting cards, and a note signed by Prime Minister John A. MacDonald

Visitors were encouraged to explore one of our climate controlled storerooms.  The newest addition is this wall-mounted grid that allows us to hang framed items, including archbishops' portraits, our old archdiocesan coat of arms and a limited edition crucifixion relief by Salvador Dali.

The trivia questions.  Happy to report we some very intrepid trivia hounds and three winners.

On their way out, we invited guests to help themselves to some records-inspired treats.
We made "French Kisses" (coconut and almond meringues) that were listed under Ornamented Confectionery in this 1884 banquet menu (only because we thought "Arches of Buffalo Tongues" was slightly over the top).
We also made a Cinnamon Loaf cake from the 1976 Centennial Recipe Book from St. Patrick's Parish, Schomberg.

In addition, we tried to familiarize our colleagues with some of the work we do by setting up a conservation station, a processing station, and a photography table.

Our conservation "lab" displayed various preservation tools and materials (right) as well as a humidification chamber (centre).  We have been using the chamber to soften brittle, rolled architectural drawings, so they can be flattened and stored flat (left).

At the processing station we demonstrated how contemporary records that are transferred to us are appraised, arranged, described and rehoused.
The photography table in the background is for shooting items for the Sacred Objects Exchange.

We are happy to report that the open house was a sweet suite outreach success. Our colleagues were engaged and it was fantastic opportunity for us to show off the archives!

New exhibit on Military Chaplains

Today, St. James Anglican Cathedral in Toronto opens a new exhibit to mark the centenary of the Great War.  Called to Serve presents records and artifacts from chaplains of numerous faiths serving Canada's military from the nineteenth century to present day.

ARCAT contributed photographs to the exhibit, including the image on the poster below.

According to the media release:

"The first ever of its kind in Canada, this exhibit will chronicle and pay tribute to the
brave service of the padres who donned battle dress and joined members of the armed
forces on the front lines of past wars and still walk with them today in regions of armed
conflict and natural disasters. Unarmed and often working alongside medical field
personnel, chaplains lend spiritual support to fighting troops, comfort the wounded and
bereaved, console the dying and provide dignified burial for the dead. They also care
spiritually for the families of military personnel. 

"Reaching back into history, the comprehensive display will chronicle the Canadian
chaplaincy’s evolution from its largely Christian origins before the Boer War to the
inclusive multi-faith mosaic of men and women it is today. Called to Serve will tell its
powerful story through photographs, paintings, press clippings, posters, letters, poems,
uniforms, insignia, embroidery, liturgical apparel and artifacts, as well as testimonies
from across generations and across the land."

If you are looking for a unique way to observe Remembrance Day, stop by this unprecedented (and free!) exhibit in the heart of Toronto from now until November 16th.

Darn it! Sacred Stitches is sew worth seeing!

If you are anywhere in downtown Toronto this week, it's definitely worth popping over to St. James Anglican Cathedral to see Sacred Stitches: Beauty and Holiness in the Needlework of Many Faiths. The show celebrates the Ecclesiastical Needleworkers' centenary and features over 100 works of embroidery and textile art.

Sacred Stitches is installed in St. James Anglican Cathedral.  The image on the poster (above) comes from the stained glass window on the left of this photo, illustrating the renewal of culture in England during the 9th and 10th centuries following the Viking invasions.

This multi-faith exhibit includes pieces by contemporary artists, cherished family heirlooms, and gorgeous banners, vestments and tapestries created by stitchery guilds.

ARCAT was thrilled to participate in the exhibit.  We loaned a fiddleback chasuble and dalmatic, funeral vestments and a pair of ceremonial gloves.

The dalmatic (the liturgical vestment worn by deacons) from ARCAT's collection features painted velvet flowers which have been stitched to the silk.  Originally from St. Margaret's Parish in Midland. Transferred to ARCAT for preservation after a fire at the parish in 1986.

The pieces have been installed all along the side aisles of the church and in front of the sanctuary. The exhibit is supervised twelve hours a day (even during services) by a large group of dedicated volunteers. Archivist and museum curator Nancy Mallett and her team have spent months coordinating and promoting this show. Their very impressive efforts were rewarded with over 400 visitors on opening day.

The exhibit runs until Friday, November 1st, from 7 am to 7 pm.  Free admission; donations welcome.

A nuptial chuppah (canopy used during Jewish marriage ceremonies); funeral pall (stitched by the Cariboo Group of women at Grace Church-on-the-Hill) and a new cope (created in Ukraine for Christ the Saviour Russian Orthodox Cathedral).

In front of the baptistry are displayed textiles used in infantile initiation rites. To the right is a traditional “elder’s outfit” to wear to a wedding in China.

A personal favourite.
Chasuble with embroidery that picks up the brocade pattern on the fabric.
From St. Thomas Anglican Church, Toronto.