Search Collections
The AJC collection comprises three distinct collections. The archival collection holds more than 1.5 km of textual records, more than 500,000 photographs, more than a thousand maps and cartographic material, hundreds of audio-visual records, as well as born-digital records.
The Library and Rare Books collection contains more than 37,000 books and other published material, including 1,500 rare books. The Art and Artifacts Collection includes objects and artworks that testify to the range of activities of Jesuits in Canada and abroad.
Archival Catalogue
Our archival catalogue is an access point to some of the fonds and collections held at the AJC. It holds records that testify to the missionary activities of the Jesuits in Canada, their involvement in educational institutions and community initiatives, their relations with Indigenous peoples, and more.
The catalogue contains descriptions of only a sliver of the AJC’s holdings. New fonds and descriptions are added on an ongoing basis. If you do not find what you are looking for, please contact us at CANarchives@jesuites.org.
Library and Rare Books Catalogue
Search in our library catalogue which contains published works, periodicals, and catalogues of the Jesuit provinces. The catalogue also includes entries on more than 1,500 rare books.
Art & Artifacts
The Archive of the Jesuits in Canada holds an important collection of objects and artworks which testify to the range of experience of the Jesuits in Canada and abroad. The collection includes liturgical objects, sculptures and relics of beatified and canonized men and women, such as Saint Kateri Tekakwitha.
The collection contains altarpieces, icons, portraits, religious scenes and abstract art. Some of the works incorporate typical Jesuit iconography, particularly related to the Canadian Martyrs, St. François-Xavier, and Jesuit founder St. Ignatius Loyola. The collection also features the work of Canadian artists, such as Eugène Hamel, Antoine Plamondon, Charles Huot, and Marcel Lapointe.
Omeka
Our Omeka platform was designed to contain collections of AJC materials that have been digitized and made publicly available. The space is currently a work-in-progress but already hosts unique materials of critical importance : the entire collection of the Catholic Indian News. The platform will also host smaller, stand-alone exhibits, such as the one about Christopher Rupert, S.J., which makes his doctoral dissertation freely available.
As we continue to develop our Omeka, we will share updates via our website, LinkedIn profile, and Instagram page.
Notice on Terminology and Description
The Archive of the Jesuits in Canada contains records that may be harmful or difficult to view. Content may reflect outdated, discriminatory, racist, and offensive views and opinions that are the product of white supremacist and imperialist ideologies. This content does not represent the contemporary vision of the Jesuits of Canada or The Archive of the Jesuits in Canada.
The AJC recognizes that its records have also been used to write histories that have caused further harm to certain communities. While the AJC does not erase original descriptions in order to preserve the historical context associated with the creation of the records, we seek to balance the preservation of this history with sensitivity to how these materials are presented to and perceived by users.
We are committed to developing respectful metadata, descriptions, and finding aids that reflect the plurality of record creators and the dignity of those described in the records. Some of the ways we do this include:
- Informing users about the presence and origin of harmful content;
- Researching the problem, listening to users, experimenting with solutions, and sharing our findings with each other;
- Revising descriptions and standardized sets of descriptive terms, updating descriptions with more respectful terms, or creating new standardized terms to describe materials.
Adapted from the Digital Public Library of America’s Statement on Potentially Harmful Content.
If you encounter a record that requires attention in terminology and/or description, please contact us at:
