Archdiocesan parishes record all celebrations of baptism, confirmation, and marriage in their sacramental registers. First communion and funeral rites are occasionally available as well. The Archives only holds the sacramental records of closed parishes; open parishes maintain their own registers. Availability of sacramental certificates is limited to the participant in the sacrament, and only the participant can request his or her own record. All requests for certificates or information from the sacramental registers (e.g. date of marriage, date of confirmation, sponsor’s name) must be accompanied by the request form below and $10 processing fee. The fee for genealogical information or certificates is $20. The fee for official genealogical certificates for dual citizenship is $50 and must be accompanied by the proper documentation. See the genealogy policy for more details.
 

Sacramental Request (PDF)
Dual Citizenship Applications (PDF)
Correct Sacramental Registers (PDF)
Forma Para Libertar Archivos Sacramentales (PDF)

Records for approximately 400 closed Catholic schools are located at the Archives. Grammar school records may include grades, attendance sheets, test scores and health records. High school records are generally limited to transcripts. Only the student can request a copy of his/her transcript or student file. Open archdiocesan schools maintain their own student records. The fee for an official transcript or education/graduation verification letter is $10. The fee for genealogical or directory information (which may include pupil’s address, phone number, dates of attendance, and parish) is $20.

Student Records Request (PDF)

Chicago was once home to several orphanages and houses for troubled youth. The Archives and Records Center houses client files for Angel Guardian Orphanage, St. Hedwig and St. Joseph Home for the Friendless/St. Joseph Carondelet, as well as admittance registers for St. Mary and St. Joseph Orphanages, St. Mary’s Training School and House of the Good Shepherd. Client files may include sacramental certificates, grades, health records and visitor information. A person can only request his/her own orphanage file, with an initial research fee of $10. Additional photocopy fees may occur. The fee for genealogical information is $20, and may include admittance and discharge information, dates of attendance, parish, and address. No original records are released for genealogical purposes. See genealogy policy for more details.
 

Orphanage Request and Policy (PDF)

A. “If I arrive to your office, in-person, can I receive my record immediately?”

• Records are never released on the same day the request is received. Arriving in person to the office only eliminates the mailing time it takes for your request to reach us.  If you pick up your record in person that eliminates the mailing time it takes for your record to reach you.

B. “Are there any other methods to reduce the mailing time (not the turnover time)?”

• Other than arriving in person to our office, you may send a prepaid envelope along with your request. Our postage has a delivery time of 1-5 days, but you may provide a postage with expedites the delivery time, such as overnight postage. If this request is for an employer, who is willing to accept a verification letter, you may choose to have us send your verification letter (and only this record) directly to them via email or fax.

A. “Can I receive the records in any other method not specified on page 1. (Ex. I’m a former student, and I would like my transcript emailed to me.)”

• If you fall in one of the categories listed on page 1, you will receive the records as specified.

B. “Do you have an online portal which would let me submit a request online, or any other method not specified on page 1. (Ex. I’m a verified from a third-party company that would like to submit a request online.)”

• We do not have the infrastructure necessary to accept online applications, and, if you fall in one of the categories listed on page 1, you must submit the request as specified.

A. “I am the next-of-kin of the student being requested, I am a distant relative of the student being request, or I am unrelated to the student, but I would like to receive any information regarding them.”

• You may request directory information. As recommended by the FERPA guidelines created by the US Department of Education, any person can receive non-sensitive information of any student, such as name, enrollment status, dates of attendance, and degree information. Please put the former student’s information in the required fields, and, on the requestor/recipient field, please put your information, as well as your signature below.
• Our policy does not allow anyone but the student to request their own records. If the student passes away, the records will remain restricted.

A. “My transcript has incorrect or outdated information on it, such as date of birth or attended name. Is there a way I can have that amended? (Ex. My parents registered me to school with a nickname instead of my legal birth name.)”

• The Archives can amend school records, especially if the error was made when the records were originally created at the time of the school’s operation. In order to make any corrections, we would need all original or notarized copies of the certificates related to the mistake be mailed or brought in-person to our office. Once the correction has been made, a photocopy will be created for our legal file, and the certificates provided will be sent back to the student. (Ex. The student’s legal name is different from the name on the transcript. The student will have to provide their original or a notarized copy of their birth certificate to our office, either in-person or via mail.)

A. “I am looking for my sacramental or orphanage records.”

• Please see the appropriate request forms at https://archives.archchicago.org/request-a-record.

B. “I am looking for records regarding my dual citizenship or would like my school record apostilled.”

• Please visit https://archives.archchicago.org/request-a-record.  Under sacramental records, there is a link with information for those requesting records for dual citizenship applications. Please note, school records will not be completed for dual citizenship purposes, such as applying an apostille seal or having it notarized.

C. “The records I am requesting happen to be dated before 1926.”

• Pre-sacramental information and pre-1926 directory information from orphanage files are unrestricted. Anyone can request it. The Archives has a comprehensive research guide on how to view pre-1926 sacramental information on Family Search at https://archives.archchicago.org/genealogy-resources.   School records always maintain their restriction and are only available to the student, with the exception being directory information (please refer to #3.A).

1. The Archives issues information from the institutions whose records it maintains: closed archdiocesan schools in Cook and Lake County. All open institutions maintaining their own records must be contacted directly.

2. The Archives does not maintain a central registry or index of all student records in the archdiocese. Records must be searched by school. Archives will search up to two sites if exact location is unknown.

3. Requestors will not have access to original records, only official copies or summary information.

4. All student files are restricted and only available to:

   1. The person named in the record (if over age 18 or an emancipated minor);

   2. A parent or legal guardian of the person named in the record (if the person is under age 18);

   3. Other parties as designated in writing by person (a or b) above;

   4. Other parties as designated by court order, subpoena, summons, statute, or power of attorney.

5. An exception to Policy 4 is through directory information. Directory information from all school records in unrestricted, please refer to FAQ #3.A.