Did You Know?
While it must have been exciting for Father Hugh K. Barr, C.P. to visit American Passionist monasteries of the late 19th century, perhaps when he got to St. Louis he found some important documents missing. Maybe that prompted him to write the following:
Rules of the Archives. The archives are to be locked with two keys. One of them is to be kept by the Superior. The other by the archivist: No document is to be taken out of the archives without the Superiors permission. When a document is thus taken out a memorandum of such action is to be made. No document is to be kept outside of the archives for more than three days. The Superior however may for a good reason prolong the time. Two catalogues of the documents are to be made and signed by the Superior. One of them is to be kept in the archives. The other in the Superior’s room. New documents are to be entered into the Catalogue in the month of January. The [Provincial] Visitor is obliged to see that the archives are kept in proper order. He is also to appoint the archivist or confirm the same in his office. [St. Louis, Volume 7, p. 152.]