The Diocesan Archives’ mission is to collect, organize, preserve and provide access to the official and ancillary records which reflect the work of the people, parishes, institutions, and departments of the Albany Diocese. General access to the unrestricted records collections in the Archives is open to all interested researchers.
The Archives holds a variety of records and books which include: National Catholic Directories, Diocesan Directories, Episcopal Papers, Parish subject files, Real Property records, Children and Maternity Home records. The Archives has sacramental records for institutions which have closed including for St. Clare’s Hospital Chapel, Schenectady, the Chapel of the Maternity Hospital and Infant Home of Albany (Brady Maternity Hospital), as well as some children homes which operated within the Diocese of Albany. For more information on the types of records available for research, or for specific research questions or sacramental record inquiries, please contact the Archives directly.
The Diocesan Archives does not hold sacramental records for parishes which have merged or closed. Those sacramental records are kept within a designated successor parish. The Archives does not maintain cemetery records nor, with few exceptions, general parish records.
Research visits may be scheduled by appointment only. To schedule an appointment or to learn about the fees associated with research visits and requests, please contact the Archives directly.