General Archives

The General Archives of the Society of the Sacred Heart (AGSSC) is located on the grounds of the house of the Italian province of the Society known as the “Villa Lante” on the edge of the Trastevere neighborhood. It is housed on the ground floor of one wing of the larger building and is the archives of the central government of the worldwide Society of the Sacred Heart, founded in 1800.

Many written, audio-visual documents and artifacts produced by our congregation, from its foundation in 1800 until the present day, are kept there.

Services and Schedule

Yearly Schedule

Dates when the General Archives are closed in 2017

(Dates are inclusive)

  • 6 January 
  • 14-17 April
  • 25 April
  • 1 May
  • 2 June 
  • 29 June
  • 1 July - 1 September (summer closure)
  • 1 November
  • 8 December 
  • 22 Dec 2017 – 6 Jan 2018 

Daily Schedule (by appointment only)

  • Open Mon-Fri, 9am to 12.45 pm; 2pm to 4.45pm. Any change in the daily schedule will be immediately communicated to researchers.

Access

Each year at the first visit to the General Archives, the researcher is asked to register and provide a proof of identity and a letter of recommendation. Every day, the researcher must sign the register when entering and leaving the archives. Those using archival material must have the competence to read the documents provided. Staff will provide only limited assistance.

Restrictions

There is no access to documents produced after 31 December 1964. Researchers who need to consult documents produced after that date will need to make a formal written request to the Superior General explaining the reason for the need.

Using the material

Permission to reproduce material from the archives is granted by the Director only after she has received the proper request form. Materials reproduced are for personal use only. To publish any such material, researchers must first receive permission from the Director. Researchers who have used documents from AGSSC for their theses or publications are expected to donate a copy of their work to AGSSC. AGSSC will not make any thesis available to the public without prior authorization from the author.

 

 

Contact Details

Postal address:
   Società del Sacro Cuore
   Archivio Generale
   Via San Francesco di Sales, 18
   00165 Rome Italy
 
Telephone:  
(39) 06.688.08.506
 
Director:   
Sister Margaret Phelan, RSCJ
 

For more specific information on particular houses, institutions and provinces, refer to the local contacts in the relevant countries (provincial secretary); they will be able to put you in touch with the Provincial Archivist.

For your information, no relics are available from the General Archives.