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Joseph Cardinal Bernardin Archives and Records Center
ORPHANAGE RECORDS RELEASE REQUEST
Request Date:
Name of Client:
Name of Orphanage:
Names of Parents:
Names of Siblings:
Date of Birth: Dates of Attendance:
Personal Records Requested (not all records are available for all orphanages):
□
Medical
□
School
□
Intake Information
□
Visitor’s Logs
□
Other:
Genealogical Request?
□
Yes
□
No
Only directory information will be provided; e.g., intake and release information, parish, previous address, etc.
Requestor:
Address:
City: State: ZIP:
Phone:
Relationship to Client:
Signature of Orphanage Client or Authorized Recipient of Information
Send to:
Address:
City: State: ZIP:
The non-refundable initial research fee and a copy of a state-issued photo ID must accompany this
form. The fee for a copy of a personal client les is $10; les that exceed 40 pages will incur an
additional $0.25 per page fee. Genealogical requests are $20. Cash, cashier’s checks, or money orders
are acceptable forms of payment. Personal checks and credit cards are not accepted. Payments should
be made to the Archdiocese of Chicago. Please see reverse for more information.
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GENERAL POLICIES:
1. The Archives issues information only from the institutions whose records it maintains: closed
archdiocesan parishes, schools, and orphanages in Cook and Lake County. All open institutions
maintaining their own records must be contacted directly.
2. Requests must be submitted in writing using the appropriate form, accompanied by a state-issued
photo ID and fee as outlined below. No information is given out by phone.
3. The Archives does not maintain a central registry or index of all sacraments or student records in the
archdiocese. Records must be searched by parish or school. Archives will search up to two sites if exact
location is unknown.
4. Requesters will not have access to original records, only ocial or genealogical copies, or summary
information.
5. Requests will be completed within 7 to 10 business days.
AUTHORIZED RECIPIENTS OF RECORDS:
1. Sacramental and orphanage records after December 31, 1925, and all student les are restricted and
only available to:
a. The person named in the record (if over age 18 or an emancipated minor);
b. A parent or legal guardian of the person named in the record (if the person is under age 18 or
incapacitated);
c. Other parties as designated in writing by person (a or b) above;
d. Other parties as designated by court order, subpoena, summons, or statute.
2. Pre-1926 sacramental information, pre-1926 directory information from orphanage les, and directory
information from all school records is unrestricted. Anyone can request it.
3. If person (a) above is deceased, or if a sealed record is required for dual citizenship purposes, the
following additional documentation is required. If the original documents are not available, notarized
copies are acceptable. All documentation will be returned.
a. Original death certicate of the deceased person;
b. Original birth, baptismal, or marriage certicate proving next-of-kin status;
c. If the requester is more than one generation removed from the person named in the record, original
death certicates must be provided for each generation.
FEES:
A non-refundable research fee (cash, money order, or cashier’s check) must accompany all requests. Credit
cards and personal checks are not accepted. Payment should be made out to Archdiocese of Chicago.
1. $10 for restricted information: sealed transcript, education verication letter, personal orphanage le,
personal sacramental record;
2. $20 for unrestricted information: genealogical sacramental record, school/orphanage directory
information;
3. $50 for an ocial, sealed sacramental record for dual citizenship purposes. This will bear a red-ink “for
genealogical purposes” stamp.
Joseph Cardinal Bernardin Archives & Records Center
711 West Monroe Street
Chicago, IL 60661
tel 312.534.4400
fax 312.831.0610
School Records: 312.534.4401
Sacramental Records: 312.534.4410
Archival Services: 312.534.4420
Secretary: 312.534.4450
Researchers: 312.534.4420
