Catholic Church in Mexico Collection
Scope and Contents
Decrees, proclamations, bulls, indulgences, and circulars illustrate the Catholic Church's role in New Spain and Mexico. Typescripts of research notes contain information on histories of convents, religious orders, churches, and hospitals. Transcripts of correspondence between ecclesiastical and government authorities concern government attempts to acquire revenues from the Church (1847). Materials relating to La Junta Guadalupana consist of various formats. Transcript of José Joaquin Fernández de Lizardi's work, Si el gato saca las uñas se desprende el cascabel, and of responses to it by the Junta Censura Eclesiástica (1832). Ephemeral materials include invitations, solicitations, and anagrams. The collection includes a few manuscript marriage records. A small number of items concern books prohibited by the church.
The documents are primarily in Spanish; some are in Latin.
Dates
- Creation: 1580-1890
Language of Materials
Spanish, Latin
Access Restrictions
Unrestricted.
Use Restrictions
Standard copyright restrictions apply.
Historical Note
The Roman Catholic Church established the archbishopric of Mexico in 1546. It encompassed the dioceses of Tlaxcala-Puebla, Oaxaca, Michoacán, Chiapas, and Guadalajara in the present Republic of Mexico, and those of Nicaragua, Honduras, and Guatemala in Central America. Until the creation of the archibishopric of Guatemala in 1743, all dioceses in continental Spanish America north of Costa Rica were subordinate to Mexico. The following additional dioceses were created in the archbishopric of Mexico: Yucatán (1561), Guadiana-Durango (1620), Linares-Monterrey (1777), and Sonora (1779). The Church exerted influence on Mexico through the establishment of convents, churches, and hospitals, and by the issuance of decrees, bulls, etc. prescribing behavior and activities.
Full Extent
14 inches
Abstract
Materials documenting activities of the Catholic Church in Mexico from 1580-1890, including original official documents and transcripts.
Arrangement
The collection is organized into seven series.
Other Finding Aids
The following guide is available in the Benson Latin American Collection Rare Books Reference: Castañeda, Carlos Eduardo, 1896-1958. Guide to the Latin American Manuscripts in the University of Texas Library. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1939.
Some items are described in the library's card file and on lists prepared by the project staff.
Acquisitions Information
The Catholic Church in Mexico Collection, which forms part of the Genaro García Collection, was purchased by the University of Texas in 1921 from the heirs of Genaro García.
Alternative Form Available
The collection is also available on microfilm.
Publications
- García, Genaro, 1867-1920 Documentos inéditos ó muy raros para la historia de México. Mexico City: Vda. de C. Bouret, 1905-1911.
Processing Information
The collection was described by the Benson Latin American Collection's Mexican Archives Project in November 1993.
Prepared by the Mexican Archives Project, November 1994.
Topical
- Carmelites--Mexico--History--Sources
- Catholic Church--Mexico--History--Sources
- Church and state--Mexico
- Crusade bulls--Mexico
- Franciscans--Mexico--History--Sources
- García, Genaro, 1867-1920--Archives
- Guadalupe, Our Lady of
- Indulgences--Mexico
- Jesuits--Mexico--History--Sources
- Mexico--Church history--Sources
- Mexico--Civilization--Spanish influences--Sources
- Mexico--Religion
- Mexico--Social conditions--To 1810
- Religion and culture--Mexico
- Religion and state--Mexico
- Religion--Economic aspects--Mexico
- Title
- Catholic Church in Mexico:
- Status
- Edited Full Draft
- Subtitle
- An Inventory of Collection at the Benson Latin American Collection
- Author
- Nettie Lee Benson Latin American Collection
- Date
- 2001
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid written in English.
Revision Statements
- August 1, 2002: Edited with XMetaL3 by Bob Stewart according to instructions in Editing TARO EAD XML Finding Aids with XMetaL.
- Tue Jul 22 14:57:49 CDT 2003: urn:taro:utexas.blac.00010 converted from EAD 1.0 to 2002 by v1to02.xsl (20030505).
- 2021 April: Edited by Carla O. Alvarez to fix compliance check errors to prepare for the migration to new TARO website.
- 2021 November: Edited by Devon Murphy to update control access terms and formatting based on the TARO Control Access List.
- 2025 July: Revised by Ryan Sullivant to fix validation errors prior to ingestion into ArchivesSpace.
Repository Details
Part of the Benson Latin American Collection, The University of Texas at Austin Repository
2300 Red River Street
Austin Texas 78712 United States
(512) 495-4578
bensonspecialcollections@austin.utexas.edu