Special Collections at Seton Hall University

The Archdiocese of Newark celebrated the 125th anniversary of its founding in 1978. Materials in the Archdiocese of Newark 125th Anniversary records include correspondence and memoranda related to the planning and attendance of celebratory events.
½ linear foot, approximately 180 items.

The Diocese of Newark was created in 1853 and was elevated to an Archdiocese in 1937. The Chancery Office required parish priests to submit yearly reports reflecting the financial and spiritual condition of their churches. The Diocese of Newark Church reports include the annual reports of parish priests to the Chancery Office from 1843-1925, which themselves include information on population and sacramental statistics.
20.0 Linear feet, Approximately 6,000 items.

The Archdiocese of Newark has 221 parishes. The Archdiocese of Newark Parish records include correspondence, parish histories, parish reports, brochures, and other materials documenting the activities of the parishes and their parishioners. Parishes that have closed have also sent their sacramental records to the Archives. For more information on sacramental records, please see our homepage. Types of records vary across parishes, and there is material from parishes outside the Archdiocese, as well.
Approximately 100 linear feet.

The Bishop's Relief Fund refers to Catholic Relief Services, a humanitarian organization founded by the United States Council of Catholic Bishops. Within the Archdiocese of Newark, the director of the Bishop's Relief Fund oversaw an annual collection within the archdiocese, as well as organizing any special collections in response to disasters and calamitous events. The Bishop's Relief Fund of the Archdiocese of Newark records include materials related to the collection of monies for Catholic Relief Services (CRS) within the Archdiocese of Newark.
3 linear feet.

Catholic Ephemera collection, 1941-1965, MSS 0119
This small collections consists of pamphlets, booklets, and ephemera relating to the Catholic Church and Catholic teachings. It also includes some materials produced for Catholic audiences to educate them about Catholicism and other religions.
0.1 linear feet

Catholic Left Ephemera collection, 1933-1965 (Bulk: 1933-1937), MSS 0109
This small collection of ephemera contains materials dating from 1933 to 1937 and comprises booklets, pamphlets, and leaflets that document liberal Catholic ideology. The majority of the material relates to social justice, including several pamphlets published by the Social Action Department of the National Catholic Welfare Conference. This collection will be of interest to researchers studying the Catholic left, social justice, and Catholic social teaching.
0.125 linear feet

Catholic Right Ephemera collection, 1944-1994 (Bulk: 1955-1972), MSS 0106
This collection contains booklets, pamphlets, and leaflets that document conservative Catholic ideology. Much of the collection comprises materials documenting a traditionalist backlash against the changes imposed by the Second Vatican Council. It also includes materials from the years before the Second Vatican Council, such as several issues of The Point, a newsletter edited by the conservative Catholic priest Father Leonard Edward Feeney that often expressed anti-Semitic sentiments. This collection will prove useful to researchers interested in the Catholic right, reactions to Vatican II, Jewish-Christian relations, and anti-Communism.
0.2 linear feet

Francis Joseph Parater of Richmond, VA, was determined to enter the priesthood as a diocesan priest and entered the Pontifical North American College in Rome in 1919, where he died in 1920. In 2001 proceedings began in Richmond for the Cause of Beatification and Canonization of the Servant of God, Frank Parater, Seminarian. The Cause for Frank Parater papers primarily consist of materials gathered by the Historical Commission for the Servant of God Frank Parater. Materials relate to the life, activities, and spirituality of Frank Parater, and are largely duplicates of original material held elsewhere.
0.25 Linear feet, approximately 100 items.

Pope Benedict XVI was head of the Roman Catholic Church from 7 May 2005 until his resignation effective 28 February 2013, the first pope to resign since the 15th century. Pope Benedict XVI visited the United States in 2008 and celebrated Mass at Yankee Stadium in New York City. The Collection on Pope Benedict XVI includes materials related to the life and papacy of Pope Benedict XVI. The collection consists of memorabilia from the Pope's visit to the United States in 2008, primarily through a piece of the carpet from Mass celebrated in Yankee Stadium by the Pope.
1 item.

Pope John Paul II was elected to the papacy of the Roman Catholic Church in October of 1978. In 1995, Pope John Paul II visited Newark, NJ, and East Rutherford, NJ, as well as New York and Baltimore. While in New Jersey, he celebrated Mass at Sacred Heart Cathedral Basilica in Newark. The Collection on Pope John Paul II's visits to the United States describes and shows the build up, events, and aftermath of the Pope's visit. The bulk of the material covers Pope John Paul II's visit to Newark on October 4, 1995, but additional material is included on the Pope's trip to Baltimore on October 8, 1995 and past trips to the United States.
4.5 linear feet.

Pope Paul VI was head of the Roman Catholic Church from 21 June 1963 until his death on 6 August 1978, presiding over the conclusion of the Second Vatican Council called by his predecessor, Pope John XXIII. The Collection on Pope Paul VI consists of one issues of the New York News magazine dated 16 February 1964 featuring an article about the Pope.
1 item.

Walter William Curtis was born on 3 May 1913 in Jersey City, New Jersey. He attended Seton Hall University and Immaculate Conception Seminary, was ordained in 1937, became a professor of moral theology at Immaculate Conception, and was appointed Bishop of Bridgeport (N.Y.) in 1961. Bishop Curtis attended all sessions of the Second Vatican Council in Rome. The Walter W. Curtis papers primarily consist of Bishop Curtis' day-by-day reports on the proceedings of the Second Vatican Council from 1962-1965, which include notes on all major points of discussion during the council and includes Bishop Curtis' perspective on many of these issues. Also included in the collection are two folders of material written by Bishop Curtis regarding the issue of birth control.
0.5 linear feet, Approximately 400 items.

Quarterly priest publication by priests within the Archdiocese of Newark.
Approximately 0.4 linear feet.

John L. Gerety (1916-2000), brother to Archbishop Peter L. Gerety, was an insurance agent and a Lieutenant in World War II before becoming a priest of the Diocese of Trenton in 1957. The John L. Gerety papers include correspondence with family, including Archbishop Gerety, Fr. Gerety's military file and awards, books and personal items, scrapbooks, newsclippings, and photographs.
7.0 linear feet
This is a pdf version of a print finding aid, and has not been edited.

The Legion of Decency was an organization dedicated to determining the moral content (objectionable or acceptable), according to the view of the Roman Catholic Church, of motion pictures in the United States. The Legion of Decency of the Archdiocese of Newark records primarily consist of index cards with titles and ratings, newsclippings, letters to government officials, records of the Legion's meetings and members, and other documents.
1.5 linear feet.

The Liturgical Commission of the Archdiocese of Newark was created after the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy was produced by the Second Vatican Council and gave guidance to the priests and lay congregation of the Archdiocese of Newark on changes to the liturgy. The Liturgical Commission of the Archdiocese of Newark records includes materials related to the work of the Liturgical Commission during the 1960s to assist in selecting and incorporating new materials for and into the Liturgy.
2 linear feet.

Justin J. McCarthy was a priest and then auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Newark and Bishop of Camden. The Justin J. McCarthy papers primarily consist of the lecture notes and sermons of Bishop Justin J. McCarthy.
Approximately 1.5 linear feet.

Ambassador Thomas P. and Dr. Margaret B. Melady have been involved in diplomatic and international affairs since the 1950s, particularly on the continent of Africa. Ambassador Melady has held multiple diplomatic posts for the United States, including Ambassador to Burundi, Ambassador to Uganda, and Ambassador to the Holy See, and the couple have written multiple books on politics in Africa, including Ten African Heroes: The Sweep of Independence in Black Africa. The Thomas and Margaret Melady papers primarily consist of correspondence related to African political leaders and movements during the 1960s and 1970s. Some materials are in French and Spanish.
2.5 linear feet, approximately 400 items.

John J. O'Connor was born in Newark, NJ in 1855, attended Seton Hall College and the North American College in Rome. He was a priest of the Diocese of Newark, a professor at Seton Hall College, the Vicar General of the Diocese under Bishop Winand Wigger, and became Bishop of the Diocese of Newark upon the death of Bishop Wigger, in 1901. He served as bishop until his death in 1927. The John J. O'Connor papers include the personal and professional papers of Bishop O'Connor, primarily from his time as the Bishop of the Diocese of Newark; these materials include episcopal and legal documents, correspondence, visitation ledgers, and other materials. The collection also includes some professional papers of Bishop O'Connor's Vicar General, Rev. John Sheppard, and his Chancellor, Rev. Thomas Wallace.
9.5 linear feet.

John M. Oesterreicher was born February 2, 1904 in Stadt-Liebau, Moravia, then a part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, into a Jewish family. He studied theology at the Universities of Graz and Vienna, was ordained to the priesthood in 1927, and In 1953 he founded the Institute for Judeo-Christian Studies at Seton Hall University in South Orange, NJ. The John M. Oesterreicher papers include manuscripts, correspondence and sermons centering on his work in Judeao-Christian Studies and anti-Semitism.
Approximately 125 linear feet.

The Office of Research and Planning for the Archdiocese of Newark initiates and maintains program-oriented planning and development to maximize the resources of the Church in Newark. The Office of Research and Planning of the Archdiocese of Newark records include materials related to the beginning of the ORP in 1975 and its activities through the 1970s and 1980s.
6.5 linear feet.

Rev. Monsignor. George W. Shea was born on 27 December 1910 in Newark, New Jersey, and attended Seton Hall University. He was ordained on 29 March 1936, became a Navy chaplain during World War II, and was a Peritus (expert) of the Second Vatican Council, attending all four sessions. He died on 8 July 1990 in Orange, New Jersey. This collection covers the professional areas of Monsignor George W. Shea's life. Research topics with great significance are centered on the Second Vatican Council, one of his longest and most prominent studies.
Approximately 15 linear feet.

Fulton J. Sheen was a popular radio and television host of the Catholic Hour and Life is Worth Living, is considered the first televangelist, and was the director of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith from 1958-1966. The Society of the Propagation of the Faith supports the missions of the Catholic Church around the world. Edith C. Grissing of Montclair, NJ, made substantial contributions to the Society from at least 1957-1970. The Fulton J. Sheen letters to Edith Grissing regarding contributions to the Society of the Propagation of the Faith consist of approximately 40 letters, from 1957-1971, which were written by Fulton Sheen to personally acknowledge and thank Edith Grissing for her financial contributions.
Approximately 40 items.

The Second Vatican Council took place from 11 October 1962 to 8 December 1965 in St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City and is seen to mark a great change in the history of the Church, as the effects of its documents were wide-ranging and far-reaching. The Kathleen Skrupskis scrapbook on the Second Vatican Council consists of one large scrapbook and photocopies of the scrapbook pages containing numerous newsclippings and articles on the events and decisions of the Second Vatican Council.
(1 scrapbook and 1 set of photocopies of scrapbook)

Diocesan synods are called by the bishop of the diocese for the purpose of introducing, deliberating on, and promulgating statutes regarding matters pertaining to the members of the diocese. The Synod of the Archdiocese of Newark records include materials related to the synod called by Archbishop Thomas J. Walsh in 1941.
0.75 Linear feet , Approximately 150 items.

Rose Elizabeth Thering was born on 9 August 1920, entered the Dominican sisterhood at 16 and later became a teacher. She was a lifelong activist dedicated to increasing tolerance and understanding between Christians and Jews, and her work had great impact, from legislation mandating the teaching of the Holocaust in New Jersey schools to documents created at the Second Vatican Council changing the relationship of the Catholic Church with Jewish people. Sister Rose Thering died 6 May 2006. The Rose Thering papers consists of the professional and personal papers of Sister Rose Thering. The collection includes writings, correspondence, speeches, travel information, and subject files.
Approximately 18.0 linear feet.

Vatican II scrapbook, 1962-1964, MSS 0110
This scrapbook contains newspaper clippings and magazine articles relating to Pope John XXIII, the Second Vatican Council, and the effect it had on the church.
0.125 linear feet

The Vicar for Religious, historically a member of the clergy or a member of a religious order, serves as the liaison between the Archbishop and the religious orders of the diocese. The Vicar for Religious of the Archdiocese of Newark records primarily consists of correspondence between members of religious orders, primarily the womens' religious orders, and the Archbishop, via the Vicar. The correspondence covers topics including contracts, ceremonies, practices of the religious orders, canonization of the founders of some orders, and other matters.
Approximately 19 linear feet.

James A. Weisbecker was a priest of the Archdiocese of Newark from the 1930s-1960s. This collection contains his various sermons, newspaper clippings, correspondence, and scrapbooks from the 1930s to the 1960s.
2.0 linear feet.

The Second Vatican Council took place from 11 October 1962 to 8 December 1965 in St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City and is seen to mark a great change in the history of the Church, as the effects of its documents were wide-ranging and far-reaching. The Mrs. Frank Whitrock scrapbooks on the Second Vatican Council consists of ten volumes of scrapbooks containing documents and newspaper articles about the Council.
Approximately 4 linear feet.

This collection documents the history, activities, and celebrations of many of the women's Religious Orders throughout New Jersey, generally spanning the years from 1968-2012. The collection also contains materials related to some out-of-state orders, particularly in New York, and materials related to Saint Elizabeth Anne Seton and individual sisters of some orders.
7.0 boxes

Pope Paul VI was head of the Roman Catholic Church from 21 June 1963 until his death on 6 August 1978, presiding over the conclusion of the Second Vatican Council called by his predecessor, Pope John XXIII. The Collection on Pope Paul VI consists of one issues of the New York News magazine dated 16 February 1964 featuring an article about the Pope.
1 item.

Walter William Curtis was born on 3 May 1913 in Jersey City, New Jersey. He attended Seton Hall University and Immaculate Conception Seminary, was ordained in 1937, became a professor of moral theology at Immaculate Conception, and was appointed Bishop of Bridgeport (N.Y.) in 1961. Bishop Curtis attended all sessions of the Second Vatican Council in Rome. The Walter W. Curtis papers primarily consist of Bishop Curtis' day-by-day reports on the proceedings of the Second Vatican Council from 1962-1965, which include notes on all major points of discussion during the council and includes Bishop Curtis' perspective on many of these issues. Also included in the collection are two folders of material written by Bishop Curtis regarding the issue of birth control.
0.5 linear feet, Approximately 400 items.

John H. Koenig was born 24 December 1916. He graduated from Seton Hall college in 1938, was ordained into the priesthood on 30 May 1942 at St. Patrick's Cathedral in Newark, N.J., and served as director of the Archdiocesan Ecumenical Commission. Msgr. Koenig died on 15 August 2004. The John Koenig papers contain the professional papers of Rev. John Koenig from his work in the Archdiocese of Newark and as a parish pastor.
Approximately 3 linear feet.

The Liturgical Commission of the Archdiocese of Newark was created after the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy was produced by the Second Vatican Council and gave guidance to the priests and lay congregation of the Archdiocese of Newark on changes to the liturgy. The Liturgical Commission of the Archdiocese of Newark records includes materials related to the work of the Liturgical Commission during the 1960s to assist in selecting and incorporating new materials for and into the Liturgy.
2 linear feet.

In 1953 Msgr. Oesterreicher founded the Institute for Judaeo-Christian Studies at Seton Hall University in South Orange, NJ. Father Oesterreicher and members of the Institute were, in large part, responsible for having the relationship of the Church to the Jewish People made part of the Vatican II agenda. He served as consultor to the Secretariat for Christian Unity during several sessions of the Council and was named an Honorary Prelate in recognition of his work.

Rev. Monsignor. George W. Shea was born on 27 December 1910 in Newark, New Jersey, and attended Seton Hall University. He was ordained on 29 March 1936, became a Navy chaplain during World War II, and was a Peritus (expert) of the Second Vatican Council, attending all four sessions. He died on 8 July 1990 in Orange, New Jersey. This collection covers the professional areas of Monsignor George W. Shea's life. Research topics with great significance are centered on the Second Vatican Council, one of his longest and most prominent studies.
Approximately 15 linear feet.

The Second Vatican Council took place from 11 October 1962 to 8 December 1965 in St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City and is seen to mark a great change in the history of the Church, as the effects of its documents were wide-ranging and far-reaching. The Kathleen Skrupskis scrapbook on the Second Vatican Council consists of one large scrapbook and photocopies of the scrapbook pages containing numerous newsclippings and articles on the events and decisions of the Second Vatican Council.
(1 scrapbook and 1 set of photocopies of scrapbook)

The Second Vatican Council took place from 11 October 1962 to 8 December 1965 in St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City and is seen to mark a great change in the history of the Church, as the effects of its documents were wide-ranging and far-reaching. The Mrs. Frank Whitrock scrapbooks on the Second Vatican Council consists of ten volumes of scrapbooks containing documents and newspaper articles about the Council.
Approximately 4 linear feet.