Sunday, April 11, 2010

Church Record Sunday: Alexian Brothers Archive

A special thanks goes out to my fellow geneablogger Miriam Midkiff of AnceStories for bringing this website to my attention.  Thanks Miriam!

Members of a religion participate in many different way to further that religion's mission and for the sake of their personal salvation.  So many of the records that I concentrate on in this weekly posting have to do with records generated by the attendance and activities of individual members of a faith community.  Today's Church Record Sunday looks at an archive that has to do with those who devote their life's work to a religion. 

The Alexian Brothers are a 800 year old lay, apostolic Catholic order who dedicate their lives to caring for the sick, aged, the poor and the dying.

The Alexian Brothers Archive states that they have: "both the religious and corporate aspects of the organization, including but not limited to correspondence, minutes, reports, manuals and guides, publications, external publicity, and photographs. A valuable adjunct to the archives is the Ministry Museum. The artifacts presented in exhibits on Alexian Brothers Heritage, Spirituality, and Ministry make the records come alive. These objects have been gathered from Alexian Brothers facilities, particularly from the Chicago, St. Louis, and Elizabeth hospitals."

From their website you can learn more about their collections, including  how to can access these records and even how you can donate to their archive. 

From the above link, click on the link to the right hand side of the page, titled History Online to  read articles about the history of the order, a bibliography, and even a 30 page graphic novel detailing the Brother's work.

4 comments:

Unknown said...

Thank you, Gina, for this specific post. I have a record referencing a stay at the Alexian Brothers facility in Chicago. Wonderful news and hadn't even considered the possibility. It's the little things we miss that cause those block walls!

Miriam Robbins said...

I'm always happy to help! You know I love your series!

Gena Philibert-Ortega said...

Ann-

I'm so glad the posting helped you. Thanks for letting me know.

Gena

Unknown said...

Sotheby's New York,
Lot 405, Old Master and 19th Century European Art Sale January 31, 2014. Portrait of St Leonard of Noblac, The painting was a votive offering of Cardinal Jean Jouffroy, ambassador and councilor of King Louis XI of France. This painting was accidental donated by the Alexian Brothers World Headquarters in Tennessee. It is believed it represents something very historically important to the Founders of the Alexian Brothers of Cologne.
The painting includes a document dated October 20, 1473. This document describes the painting and its history. The archives of the Belgium Alexian Brothers has listed it as a notarial record confirming some ten deeds of the cloistered Brothers of Cologne, France and Hildesheim, in Lower Saxony, Germany.
Johannes writes on line one that this was a public document and should be displayed for all and everyone to see. In some parts of the country, the document was regarded with suspicion and people were in disagreement regarding its content. This painting was a votive offering that was given by Cardinal John Jouffroy and was displayed along with the document; the heraldic reference in the painting would further clarify that Johannes was the author of the document and the things written in the document were approved by the King.
This painting has a concealed coat of arms, a monogram and a seal. The coat of arms and seal belong to both of the signers of this document. The signers of this document are Cardinal Jean Geoffroy and Geraud of Salignac, lord of Rochefort, Baron de Fontenay. He was governor of King Henry IV in his youth. He married Isabella de Pierre-Buffière, daughter of Jean Geoffroy, and Marguerite de Bourbon-Busset.
This is an illegitimate branch of the House of Bourbon, being thus agnatic descendants of the Capetian dynasty. The line of Bourbon-Busset descends in male line starting from the son of Louis of Bourbon, Prince-Bishop of Liège (1438–1482).
I am letting all the Alexian Brothers know as to avoid a valuable piece of history to be lost. Here is a link to the full presentation: https://app.box.com/s/2ga0k4xu2ksou1dlrg7u