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St. Mary Catholic Church records

 Collection
Identifier: MSS-131

Scope and Contents

This collections consists of records from St. Mary Catholic Church of Muncie, Indiana ranging in date from circa 1920 to 2012 and includes bulletins, newsletters, parish directories, commemorative programs, and other publications; a digitized scrapbook of photographs and newspaper clippings (1930-1987); and a large number of digitized architectural drawings and building specifications (circa 1920-1990).

Dates

  • circa 1920-2012

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Legal title, copyright, and literary rights reside with Archives and Special Collections, Ball State University Libraries, Muncie, IN. All requests to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted to Archives and Special Collections.

Administrative History

The establishment of St. Mary Catholic Church dates to World War I when the pastor and parishioners of St. Lawrence Catholic Church began to plan for a second Catholic parish in Muncie. In July 1930, the Bishop of the Fort Wayne Diocese appointed Father Edgar J. Cyr as pastor of the new parish and designated parish boundaries. In September 1930, construction began on a church building at the corner of West Jackson and Nichols streets. The first Mass was celebrated on December 8, 1930, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary, in the basement of the church. The upper floor of the church was not completed until 1958.

In 1944, the parish became part of a newly created Diocese, Lafayette-in-Indiana. In 1949, the parish purchased the Kitselman estate for $250,000. The Kitselman house was renovated to serve as a convent for Sisters who taught at the newly established school. Both buildings were dedicated in 1952. Additional school buildings were dedicated in 1954 and 1956.

Ground was broken for the present St. Mary Church at 2300 W. Jackson Street on May 31, 1963, and the completed building was dedicated on August 15, 1965, the Feast of the Assumption of Mary. The new church was consecrated on August 15, 1968. In 1975 a new rectory-administration building was completed, and in 1977 an adjacent 3.4 acres with two buildings were purchased. The Cyr Center, which provided additional classroom space as well as a multipurpose center and gymnasium, was completed in 1984, and the Kitselman sunken gardens were restored to contain the Stations of the Cross in 1990. The Kitselman house was renovated in 1998 and became a home for retired priests.

In 1980, the Parish Council appropriated $12,000 for the establishment of Hospitality House at Ball Memorial Hospital, and a board of directors made up of parishioners and Muncie community members was formed. Hospitality House opened in 1982.

Extent

2.5 Cubic Feet (2 boxes)

Language of Materials

English

Arrangement

This collection is arranged in the following series and subseries:



Series 1: St. Mary Catholic Church records, ephemera, 1930-2005

Series 2: St. Mary Catholic Church records, publications, 1973-2012

Subseries 2.1: The Voice of St. Mary's newsletter, 1981-2009

Subseries 2.2: St. Mary Catholic Church bulletins, 1973-2012

Series 3: St. Mary Catholic Church digital records, circa 1920-1990

Series 3: St. Mary Catholic Church website archive, 2019-

Custodial History

This collection was received by Archives and Special Collections as a donation from St. Mary's Catholic Church on 2006/01/20. Addition was donated by John Weakland on 2014/06/05.

Accruals

Further additions are expected.

Existence and Location of Originals

Original scrapbook, architectural records, and building specifications were digitized and then returned to the church.

Processing Information

Collection processing completed 2009/12/15 by L. Anderson. EAD finding aid created 2012/10/22 by Julie Hausknecht. EAD finding aid revised 2013/08/02 by Leslie Nellis. EAD finding aid revised 2014/06/10 by Kasey Mock and 2014/06/11 by Brandon Pieczko

Title
St. Mary Catholic Church records
Status
Completed
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script

Repository Details

Part of the Stoeckel Archives of Local History Repository

Contact:
Alexander M. Bracken Library
2000 W. University Avenue
Muncie Indiana 47306 USA