Archive of the Jesuits in Canada holds open house celebration
The joint English and French Archive of the Jesuits in Canada held an open house and round table discussion from September 22-23 at La Maison Bellarmin in Montréal to commemorate the historic opening of the joint Archive.
Visitors were treated to two days of events that included an official opening on September 22 with a lecture by M. Normand Charbonneau, (Director of the Centre d'archives de Montréal - Bibliothèque et archives nationales du Québec). The highlight of the following day was a round table and debate on the theme: "How can the religious past be in dialogue with today's culture?" Facilitated by Louis Balthazar (Université Laval), speakers included Céline Widmer (Director, Jesuit Archive in Canada), John R. Porter (Honorary Director, Musée des beaux-arts du Québec) and Michael L. Knox, S.J., (Historian).
The events also included a tree planting ceremony to mark the historic joint English and French Archive launch. The oak tree was said to symbolize the theme of the celebrations: linking the roots of the past to serve the future.
The Archive of the Jesuits in Canada is witness to the activity of all the Jesuits who worked in Canada and its foreign missions since the arrival of the first Jesuits to Canada in 1611. The Archive includes rare books, works of art, documents and publications relating to Canadian Jesuit and early Canadian history. Now this joint Archive can better serve historians, researchers, and those interested in Canadian Jesuit history from the 17th century until today.
For further information about the Archive of the Jesuits in Canada: (including bios, photographs, and historical material), please contact:
Pierre Bélanger, S.J. - service des communications - les jésuites at:
(514) 387-2541, ext. 339, email: pierre.belanger@jesuites.org
Céline Widmer - Directrice, Archives des jésuites au Canada at:
(514) 387-2541, ext. 238, email: cwidmer@jesuites.org;
Erica Zlomislic - Communications Officer - Jesuits in English Canada at:
(416) 962-4500 ext. 225, email: communications@jesuits.ca
Or you can visit the Archive website at:
www.jesuites.org/archives/
Read the Catholic Register article: Jesuit archives 'very precious' to Canada
The Archive of the Jesuits in Canada - The past serving the present for the future!
Back to main News page