Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Crowley first donated papers of the Christian Family Movement and its allied organizations to the archives of the University of Notre Dame in 1969. Since then, Patty Crowley and other CFM members have added to the collection.
Christian Family Movement Records (CFM), University of Notre Dame Archives (UNDA), Notre Dame, IN 46556
Correspondence (1946-1969); files on CFM chaplains; correspondence, agenda, and minutes of the national coordinating committee (1949-1969); correspondence, minutes, and research material associated with the publication of the CFM monthly magazine Act, and copies of the magazine itself (1946-1971); newsletters of local CFM federations; programs, reports, financial records, evaluation forms and speeches, including speeches of Monsignor Reynold Hillenbrand, from CFM national conventions; a series of files concerning crises of the CFM in the 1960s, including civil rights, finances, and problems with the National Catholic Welfare Conference; surveys, dissertations, and articles on the CFM; files on interaction with related groups; books, scrapbooks, and tape recordings.
Correspondents include Pat and Patty Crowley, Ray and Dorothy Muldoon, and other lay leaders of CFM; priests including John J. Cavanaugh, CSC, Theodore M. Hesburgh, CSC, and John L. Thomas, SJ; and prelates including John Cardinal O'Hara and Martin D. McNamara.
1. General Correspondence - 54 linear feet.
The first series in the Christian Family movement papers consists of incoming and outgoing general correspondence. Though most of the material pertains to routine affairs, primarily orders for booklets and subscriptions to ACT, some of the letters contain more substantial information. For example, one box contains questionnaires returned from CFM members regarding their views of the movement. Another contains correspondence concerning attempts by the Bishop of Clarksburg, West Virginia, to initiate the movement in his diocese. A letter from Rev. Vincent Waters, Bishop of Raleigh, mentions his meeting with Professor Nutting in South Bend, and his interest in the "new College" idea. There are also letters from Reverend John J. Cavanaugh, President of Notre Dame, Rev. Theodore Hesburgh, dating from before and during his Presidency at Notre Dame, Rev. John L. Thomas, the Jesuit sociologist, Bishop McNamara of Joliet, and Bishop O'Hara of Philadelphia . Copies of replies are usually stapled to incoming correspondence.
The letters are arranged in the order in which they were received from Mr. and Mrs. Crowley. The first nine boxes, covering 1946-1955, are labelled chronologically; subsequent boxes are labelled both chronologically and by area. International correspondence is separated from domestic letters after 1955. Though a preliminary check has been completed, some letters inevitably remain misfiled, particularly in the earlier correspondence.
2. Federation Lists - 1 foot
The CFM organizational structure at the diocesan level is called the "Federation". These boxes contain a large number of lists of addresses, frequently grouped by federation but in no recognizable order.
3. Special Correspondence - 2 feet 8 inches
A. LETTERS TO AND FROM THE MILITARY
These boxes contain correspondence with military personnel and chaplains concerning CFM groups in the armed forces, including some letters from Canadian Army personnel. As in the other correspondence, the majority of items concern subscriptions and purchase orders.
B. LETTERS REGARDING HOSPITALITY TO VISITORS
Letters to and from, and regarding arrangements for foreign visitors to the United States, most of whom were students. The foundation for International Cooperation grew out of this aspect of CFM work. Some pamphlets are included. See also F.I.C. Papers.