Archive of the Religious of Jesus and Mary, USA-Haiti Province

Title: Archive of the Religious of Jesus and Mary, USA-Haiti Province (RJM Archive)

Dates: 1873-2023

Scope and Content: 

The timeline of the RJM Archive at Assumption begins in 1877; the majority of the collection ends in 2017. However, as the congregation faces closures, records from other houses and ministries will be added. The latest collection, Joan of Arc Residence in Los Angeles, CA, was transferred to the French Institute in 2024.

The RJM Archive is arranged into three series: “A” - Administrative, “H” – Historical, and “P” – Personnel. The latter contains biographical data and professional details of deceased Sisters. Since these materials contain PII (personally identifiable information), they are not open to researchers and remain in the RJM Provincial Archive.

Arrangement: 

There are three series in the collection:

Series A: Administrative

Series H: Historical

Series P: Personnel

Restrictions: 

The collection at the French Institute is largely available to researchers and other interested parties. Personnel records containing biographies and information about professional work of the Sisters remain with the Province, since they contain PII (personally identifiable information). Files on living Sisters are maintained at the Provincialate while deceased Sisters’ records are held at the RJM Provincial Archive. Information from these items may be requested through the French Institute.

Permission for use or reproduction can be obtained from the French Institute; some items may be subject to consent from the Religious of Jesus and Mary.

Preferred Citation: The Religious of Jesus and Mary Archive, USA-Haiti Province, French Institute, Assumption University

Processing Information: Processed by Denise Gallo, Ph.D. and Sr. Doris Bissonnette, RJM. With the assistance of Kate Bradley, Rachel Green, Leah Kareta, and Sarah Slocum.

Provenance/Source of Acquisition: 

The archival holdings of the Religious of Jesus and Mary in North America were initially held at their Motherhouse at Sillery, Québec, but as the Sisters were called to work with French Canadian immigrants in the United States, each new house began to document its own history. As the RJM’s reputation spread, so did requests for their teaching. This increase required new provinces to administer to the increasing number of Sisters, the property they maintained, and the educational institutions they operated. From their start in 1877 at Notre-Dame-de-Lourdes Parish School in Fall River, MA, the RJM presence spread to other Franco-American strongholds in New England and then into New York. Some 60 years later, RJMs from Mexico were joined by Sisters from the Northeast in Texas, Nevada and California. These new foundations created a series of local archives; provincialates held their  respective archives. After mergers or closures, former provinces joined their records to the new provincialate’s.

Full Finding Aid: