Archives
Family Genealogy Research | Statistics | Diocesan Shield | Exhibit Hall | Sacramental Records | Timeline | History |
The Archives of the Diocese of Shreveport is the repository for materials relating to the history of the Catholic Church in north Louisiana. This area includes the sixteen civil parishes (counties) of Bienville, Bossier, Caddo, Claiborne, DeSoto, East Carroll, Jackson, Lincoln, Morehouse, Ouachita, Red River, Richland, Sabine, Union, Webster and West Carroll.
The sacramental records program of diocesan archives maintains a centralized copy of Catholic baptisms, marriages, and burials that are 72 years old or older with the earliest records dated 1856.
Adoption Records: Information regarding adoptions that took place within the boundaries of what is now the Diocese of Shreveport
The Diocese of Shreveport has never held a license as an adoption agency. However, prior to the establishment of the Shreveport Diocese in 1986, a Catholic maternity home did operate in the Shreveport area. The home was named St. Ann’s and opened sometime in 1947 when it was acquired by the Diocese of Alexandria. It was located at 1530 Arlington in Shreveport. Today the lot is vacant.
When control of the home was assumed by the Alexandria Diocese, the Hospital Sisters of St. Francis of Springfield, Illinois, were asked to staff it. They withdrew in the early 1970s and the home was closed shortly thereafter. The property on Arlington was sold by the Alexandria Diocese in 1975. All records were transferred to Alexandria and until 2018 have been with the Diocese of Lafayette due to state licensing requirements.
Presently (2018) records are held by Catholic Charities of New Orleans Adoption Services, telephone: 504-885-1141.
Prior to being St. Ann’s Maternity Home, the location operated as the Hephzibah Home of the Union Mission Association of St. Louis. This was not a Catholic agency and archives has no information on the home during that time.
To learn more about the archives, contact
Lisa Marcalus- lmarcalus@dioshpt.org
or
Rosalba Quiroz - rquiroz@dioshpt.org
