The concept of the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine (CCD) began in Italy in the 16th Century in the aftermath of the Council of Trent. It was created for the purpose of giving religious instruction to counteract ignorance or indifference to church teaching. The reform minded St. Charles Borromeo of Milan was a strong proponent. In 1607, Pope Paul V established the Society of Christian Doctrine with headquarters in Rome.
CCD was strongly promoted by Pope Pius X in the early twentieth century, especially with his encyclical letter Acerbo nimis in 1905. Thereafter, parishes and dioceses in America began to organize confraternities because of the need for religious instruction in remote rural areas as well as for immigrants in urban areas such as Los Angeles, New York, and Pittsburgh. However, the CCD only gained official recognition in the United States in 1934 when the National Catholic Rural Life Conference, under the leadership of Bishop Edwin V. O'Hara, featured a 'Confraternity Day' as part of its annual meeting.
Also in 1934, the American bishops, during their annual meeting, created a permanent Episcopal Committee on the CCD under the leadership of Bishop O'Hara. A national center was set up in 1935 and functioned as a bureau under the Executive Department of the National Catholic Welfare Conference known since 2001 as the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops). A driving force in the center was Rev. Joseph Burns Collins, priest-director from 1942 to 1967. Another was Miriam Marks, who served as executive secretary from 1935 to 1960.
The center was transferred to the Education Department in 1969, and was dissolved in 1974. A new organization, the National Conference of Diocesan Directors (NCDD), operated as a part of the bishops conference, was founded in 1967. In 1982 the NCDD became an independent entity later known as the National Conference for Catechetical Leadership (NCCL).
These are the records of the national office, or working secretariat, of the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine (CCD). They complement the records of the Episcopal Committee on CCD and researchers should consider examining these records as well.
Series 1 contains General Correspondence Files, 1935-1974, in boxes 1-13. There are three subseries, all arranged alphabetically. The first, Diocesan, 1935-1971, boxes 1-10, has correspondence with, among others, Baltimore, Kansas City, Los Angeles, the Military Ordinariate, and New York. The second, Foreign, 1935-1974, boxes 10-11, has international correspondence, especially to Africa. The third, Publishers, 1935-1974, in boxes 11-13, is self explanatory. To access a non electronic inventory by Warren Willis for this series please contact archives@mail.lib.cua.edu.
Series 2 has Subject Files, 1935-1982, in boxes 13-30. There are two subseries. The first, General, 1935-1974, in boxes 13-29, is filed alphabetically. Of particular note here is material dealing with CCD Congresses, Episcopal Committee, and the National Center. The second, Biblical and Catechetical, 1938-1982, is a small subseries located in boxes 29-30 consisting primarily of publications and publicity material. To access a non electronic inventory by Warren Willis for this series please contact archives@mail.lib.cua.edu.
Series 3 contains Priest-Director Joseph B. Collins Files, 1943-1952, in box 30. Collins was the long time director of the National CCD Office and these files include his addresses, articles, and books reviews.
Series 4 has Photographs, 1921-1960, in box 41. This Series consists of mounted silver gelatin photo prints with sizes ranging from 2" x 3" to 8" x 10". The photographs record CCD activities, primarily in local parishes. They are arranged by diocese or archdiocese whenever possible. Portraits of national leaders, copies of journal articles, and a correspondence file are included. Phrases identifying photographs in quotation marks are taken from notes on the backs of photographs, captions, or accompanying material. To access an inventory by Mary Owen of photos please contact archives@mail.lib.cua.edu.
Series 5 is Scrapbooks, 1933-1957, in boxes 31-35, and 42. There are five subseries. The first is General Publications and Clippings, 1933-1957, in boxes 31-32. The second, National and Regional Congresses, 1936-1955, is in box 33. The third, Diocesan, 1940-1951, is in boxes 34 and 42. The fourth, Public High School Retreats, 1952-1953, and the fifth, Master List of U.S. Colleges, ca. 1955, are located in box 35.
Series 6 is Publications, 1935-1973, in boxes 36-38 and divided into five subseries. They are Printed Proceedings of the National Convention/Congress, 1935-1966; Bibles and Biblical Readings, 1938-1965; Manuals, Lessons, and Workshops, 1941-1966; Lay Training Course Kits, 1950-1953; and Miscellaneous, 1946-1973.
Series 7 contains the Working Files of the National Catechetical Directory Committee, 1973-1977, in boxes 39-40. It is divided into four subseries: Minutes, 1973-1977; Planning Documentation, 1973-1977; Recommendations, 1973-1977; and Drafts, 1973-1977, both published and unpublished.
The Records of Confraternity of Christian Doctrine (CCD)(NCWC/USCC) consists of 7 Series:
25 Years or Living Persons.
National Conference for Catechetical Leadership (NCCL) Records
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) Education Department Records
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) Episcopal Committee on the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine (CCD) Records
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) Executive Department/Office of the General Secretary (OGS) Records
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) Youth Department Records
This record series is indexed under the following controlled access subject terms.
Donated by USCCB in 1972, 1976, and 1988.
Processing by William John Shepherd in 1992. EAD markup completed in March 2007 by Dale Park, with revisions by William John Shepherd in 2011.
There are three subseries with file arranged alphabetically. To access a non electronic inventory for this series please contact archives@mail.lib.cua.edu.
Subseries 1.1: Diocesan Files, 1935-1971, Boxes 1-10.
Subseries 1.2: Foreign Files, 1935-1974, Boxes 10-11.
Subseries 1.3: Publishers Files, 1935-1974, Boxes 11-13.
There are two subseries. To access a non electronic inventory for this series please contact archives@mail.lib.cua.edu.
Subseries 2.1: General Files, 1935-1974, Boxes 13-29
Subseries 2.2: Biblical and Catechetical Files, 1938-1982, Boxes 29-30.
Includes addresses, articles, and books reviews. Box 30
To access an inventory of photos please contact archives@mail.lib.cua.edu. Box 41
There are five subseries
Subseries 5.1: General Publications and Clippings, 1933-1957, Boxes 31-32
Subseries 5.2: National and Regional Congresses, 1936-1955, Box 33
Subseries 5.3: Diocesan, 1940-1951, Boxes 34, 42
Subseries 5.4: Public High School Retreats, 1952-1953, Box 35
Subseries 5.5: Master List of U.S. Colleges, ca. 1955, Box 35
There are five subseries
Subseries 6.1: Printed Proceedings of the National Convention/Congress, 1935-1966
Subseries 6.2: Bibles and Biblical Readings, 1938-1965
Subseries 6.3: Manuals, Lessons, and Workshops, 1941-1966
Subseries 6.4: Lay Training Course Kits, 1950-1953
Subseries 6.5: Miscellaneous, 1946-1973
There are four subseries
Subseries 7.1: Minutes, 1973-1977, Box 39
Subseries 7.2: Planning Documentation, 1973-1977, Box 39
Subseries 7.3: Recommendations, 1973-1977, Box 39
Subseries 7.4: Drafts, 1973-1977, Boxes 39-40