Research about the founder and the foundation of the Institute
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Nowadays, the Archives office preserves only copies of archives and documentation about the founder and the foundation of the Infant Jesus Sisters. They are filed in class A of the Archives office and in the library. The originals are in the Providence of Rouen Sisters’ Archives. The complete works of Nicolas Barré are available online on the Website : http://www.nicolasbarre.org/. |
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Researches about theInstitute and its functioning
The general council is at the head of the Institute. It is comprised of the general superior and three consultants. It is the main authority of the Infant Jesus Sisters. There are provinces in the Institute, that are the countries where the Sisters have foundations. A provincial superior is at thehead of the province. She forms the provincial council with several consultants. There are communities in the provinces, also with a superior/person in charge and several team councillors.
The archives concerning governance (detailed reporting of meetings, for example) can only be released 50 years after their being written. However, access to superiors’ circulars is free. These archives are filed in class G and class H.
Records about the Institute during the Ancient Régime are to be found in the French National Archives and in Archives of the French departments and cities.
Researches about foundations
The provinces are made up of communities. Each has its own activities such as: management of a school/hospital, teaching of catechism… To know more about any foundation, you can look up the online database.
Access to the archives of the communities or the schools is free. These documents are filed in class M.
Researches about a Sister
To find information about a particular Sister, for historical or genealogical research, the online database can be consulted. There is information about Sisters who have been dead more than 25 years, or who were born more of 120 years ago if the archivist does not know the date of death.
More information (birth city, parents’ name…) is available if you contact the archivist.
Currently, very few personal documents are preserved in the Archives office. The access is free 50 years after the Sister’s death, but the necrologies can be looked at. The books written by the Sisters are also available in the library, and can be consulted on the spot.