Fonds ARCAE-0127 - St. Boniface Parish Fonds

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St. Boniface Parish Fonds

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    Fonds

    Reference code

    ARCAE-0127

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    Issuing jurisdiction and denomination (philatelic)

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    Date(s)

    • 1956-2021 (Creation)
      Creator
      St. Boniface Parish (Edmonton, Alta.)

    Physical description area

    Physical description

    1.14 m of textual records, graphic materials, and audiovisual materials.

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    Archival description area

    Name of creator

    (1958-2021)

    Administrative history

    St. Boniface Parish was established to serve Edmonton’s German-speaking Catholic community in 1958, and was operational until 2021. Prior to 1958, Edmonton’s German Catholics attended Mass celebrated by Franciscan priests at the Atonement Home and in the gymnasium of St. Joseph’s High School. The Pallottine Fathers became interested in having their congregation in Edmonton when Father A.J. Bertsch arrived in 1956 to work with Catholic immigration. Fr. Bertsch served St. Boniface Mission, which existed from 1956-1958, and St. Boniface Parish was established in 1958 by Archbishop J.H. MacDonald. The church building was originally Beth Israel Synagogue, Edmonton’s first synagogue. Over the course of its 63 year history, St. Boniface Parish was served by 11 priests, most of whom were Pallottines. St. Boniface was an important center of community for German Catholics, well-known for its community events, especially the annual Weihnachtsbasar (Christmas market). The parish valued its groups, particularly the Feierabend (seniors group), the Kolping Society, the choir, and the St. Lioba women’s group. Due to an aging congregation and fewer German-speaking Catholics in the Edmonton area, the parish was closed in 2021 by Archbishop Richard Smith. The building was purchased by St. Jacob’s Syriac Orthodox Church in 2022.

    Custodial history

    Scope and content

    Fonds consists of the following series:
    1) Parish Council Meeting Minutes, 1957-2021
    2) Bulletins, 1956-2021
    3) Correspondence, 2003-2005
    4) Parish Groups, 1980-1985
    Subseries 1) St. Lioba Women’s Group, 1963-1970
    5) Financial Records, 1996-2019
    6) Parish Information, 1956-2020

    Notes area

    Physical condition

    The early parish council meeting minutes (from the 1950s and 1960s) are quite fragile. Some of the early bulletin material (1950s and 1960s) is also fragile. The parish membership forms are also delicate due to age. The two notebooks containing information from the St. Lioba women’s group, as well as the St. Lioba membership list, are very fragile and should be handled with care.

    Immediate source of acquisition

    St. Boniface Parish Council

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        Finding aids

        A:\1-9 ARCHIVES MANAGEMENT RECORDS\FindingAids_ResearchGuides\PARISH\EDMONTON\EDM-St. Boniface Parish Fonds

        Associated materials

        See also the parish file in the Archdiocese of Edmonton Archives.

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