About Us – Catholic Archives Group

CAG is where stewards of Canadian Catholic archival collections come together.

Who We Are

The Catholic Archivist Group, established in 2004, grew out of the Canadian Religious Conference of Ontario (CRC-O) Archivist Group, which was founded in 1982. In 2020, we changed our name to Catholic Archives Group (CAG).

We are a group of archivists committed to maintaining and promoting the archives of Religious Institutes, Dioceses and Catholic Institutions in order to preserve the social heritage of all of its members.

The main aim of the Catholic Archives Group is that of mutual encouragement and support and to keep before all relevant authorities and groups the importance and significance of our Archives.

We follow the terms of reference of professional archival guidelines in Canada, Canon Law, the Pontifical Commission for the Cultural Heritage of the Church, as well as pertinent government legislation.

What We Do

The Functions of the Catholic Archives Group are:

To provide education programs and workshops for those involved in archival work in areas defined as needed by the members but not duplicating professional training opportunities offered in national, provincial or local areas;
To provide a mechanism for the exchange and distribution of information among archivists;
To provide a forum where relevant issues impacting on the spiritual, cultural and social affairs of the members can be addressed;
To gather and disseminate information regarding the professional care of archives;
To provide an opportunity for projects to be initiated, developed and implemented among the members;
To act in an advisory capacity to those in administration in the organization in which the members work; and
To offer our services to the wider public as they explore the religious dimension of our Canadian cultural and historic heritage.

Mission Statement

We, the members of the Catholic Archives Group are committed to maintaining and promoting the archives of Religious Institutes, Dioceses and Catholic Institutions, in order to preserve the spiritual and social heritage of all its members.

The main purpose of the Catholic Archives Group is for the mutual support of its members. We offer educational and networking opportunities for our members, as well as advice and services to the administration of our organizations, and to the wider public as the need and opportunity arises. We keep before all relevant authorities and associations, the historical significance of our archival stewardship.

By committing ourselves to the ongoing support of our members, and to the mission of raising the profile of Catholic Archives and by being faithful to Canon Law, the Pontifical Commission for the Cultural Heritage of the Catholic Church and pertinent government legislation, we are protecting and preserving the historical heritage they embody for future generations.

Our Logo

CAG Members at the 2008 AGM in Edmonton voted for an official CAG logo from three contest submissions.

The Cross is a symbol of faith in Jesus Christ, and is a reminder of His call to love to the end. The colour blue symbolizes the Blessed Virgin Mary. She is the model and patroness of archivists par excellence, as she “treasured all things in her heart”. The four coloured squares surrounding the arms of the Cross represent the colours of the vestments used by the priest during the Liturgical Year: Purple (Advent, Lent); Gold (Christmas, Easter); Red (Pentecost) and Green (Ordinary Time). As stewards of Catholic Archives, our work is closely intertwined with the life of the Church as we strive to preserve the precious heritage found in the archives of Dioceses, Religious Congregations and other Catholic Institutions.