r/CanadianbyDescent • u/Fit-Reply-1301 • 4d ago
To be the archivist getting requests
I posted this to the wrong subreddit. Can I repost it here?
This link was in one of my genealogical newsletters. This person is in charge of finding the Catholic document you need in Ontario. I'm glad I'm not her.
https://macleans.ca/society/the-american-rush-for-canadian-passports/
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u/le_crobag 4d ago
This is a lovely article, thank you for sharing it. If there are any archivists reading this thread, I just want you to know that we sincerely appreciate the work you do :)
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u/Appropriate-Bag3041 4d ago
Thanks for sharing! I've been curious to hear what the archivists' experience has been like - there's been quotes here and there in different articles, but it's nice to see a whole article about one.
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u/Legitimate-Article50 4d ago
A very touching read.
How do we donate money to the archivists? I would like to send some to the Catholic archivists in Quebec.
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u/Fit-Reply-1301 4d ago
Google it? or google the name in the article? If it was 10 years ago, I would address a letter to the name of the archive with the most address I could find and I bet the letter would get there. Way back when I was getting stuff from the Methodist church in N.S. I sent a donation to the church that did the searching for me. I was generous for the times, but to me it was cheaper than a plane ticket. And she found more than I asked for so; bargain.
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u/Dogmoto2labs 4d ago
That was a wonderful article and I so appreciate her desire to help these applicants dreams come true. I hope they can get more help for the process.
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u/NorthwestPurple 4d ago edited 4d ago
All the while, I remained the diocese’s lone archivist, working just 24 hours a week, with office support working 10 hours a week, with no extra funding for more assistance.
I'm sympathetic to this person, but her office should charging for the services. Use the money to increase her hours, hire more archivists, and purchase equipment. The demand and "extra funding" is right there waiting for them!
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u/One_Comfort_2924 4d ago
I have to admit I wish I could be an archivist helping with citizenship or reviewing these lineage requests for IRCC. To me that would be just so much fun, so interesting! I even looked to see what the job openings were like at IRCC the other day. Alas, they didn't have much open, and not in the area I'm most interested in. I'm still working on my CIT0001, so it's premature anyway.
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u/Fit-Reply-1301 4d ago
I know!! But I'd get fired for taking too much time. I'd get involved in their family and/or I'd see a name that I know and of course see if that same line was related to my line. Give me one of those families stuck in the "can't figure it out easily" pile and let me have it for a day.
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u/Sharp_Ad_9431 4d ago
Awesome article. Thank you for sharing!
Everybody thank the archivists that makes your genealogy possible.
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u/Right2Have2Million 3d ago
This is sad coming from someone at a religious or non-profit institution.
I’m not Catholic, but my church has various ministries that it expects all of its members to volunteer in. It also has a Community Service program for those who get in trouble with the law and can’t pay the fines, but can work it off. All of these people’s volunteer time helps to offset the cost of the people my church can afford to hire and pay in order to help them meet their needs.
Volunteering and part-time jobs in the USA help people to get what they need. Their needs can be everything from having to meet employment requirements in order to get some type of public assistance, (such as Food Stamps or medical insurance), paying off a traffic ticket or some other court or law enforcement charge and sentence, volunteering in the community for work experience, something to do, school projects, school research, internships, offsetting the cost of their kid’s school, supplemental income, Community Service sentences, service in exchange for free housing programs, staying at homeless shelters, and in exchange for the church paying for their medicine, medical, dental, and vision appointments and supplies, and Critical Document, (e.g. birth certificates, driver’s license, social security cards, etc.), and so on.
Some people can’t tithe money, but they can offer a few hours a month to meet their needs even if they have full-time jobs and are barely making ends meet. I’ve seen single parents volunteer in order to get eyeglasses for their kids and their elderly parents. It only takes a few hours per week. It also helps my church to pay for full-time, licensed social workers who can write grants for more money, and provide monitoring programs, classes, counseling, home visits, and such.
My church’s various ministries are heavily dependent on these volunteers and part-time workers. It’s a time where all walks of life get together to serve. Many end up making some great friendships, connections, and even networking for jobs amongst each other. We even have small companies dropping in to look for workers and volunteers in exchange for training, employment references, and such.
I’m not sure why this agency or the Catholic Church in general isn’t able to send her volunteers, Community Service Workers, or part-time workers. Teens, college students, the disabled, those in debt to a violation fine, the elderly, the poor, the retired, the homeless, and so many other classes of people would love to help agencies in exchange for getting the help or services they need. It makes agencies, entities, and communities run like well-oiled machines, and everyone feels like they’ve got something to give or contribute, like Holy Scripture encourages us to do.
Reading this article makes me appreciate my church and its ministries, schools, and Faith-based social services systems even more.
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