Finding aid updated in 2023 by Morgan Lee Wilson
English
German, Ojibwa, Latin, English, French, Slovenian, and Hungarian.
Mrak papers filmed from Mrak correspondence in the Diocese of Marquette collection in the Archives of the University of Notre Dame.
Reprocessed in June 2023 for folder-level description and reparative description.
This collection focuses primarily on the early years of the Diocese of Marquette (then known as the Diocese of Sault Sainte Marie and Marquette) under Bishop Frederic Baraga and later Bishop Ignatius Mrak. Included are the correspondence and papers of Ignatius Mrak; transcripts of letters written by Ignatius Mrak and Frederic Baraga; catechisms composed by Ignatius Mrak, Francis X. Pierz, and Reverend Nicholas Louis Sifferath in Ottawa; a manuscript polyglot dictionary of French, German, and Ojibwe; and a printed biography of Bishop Baraga in Slovene. Materials include newspaper clippings, correspondence, pamphlets, schedules, maps, marriage licenses, periodicals, transcriptions, and microfilm.
In 1853, the area of Upper Michigan came under the jurisdiction of the missionary Frederic Baraga (1797-1868), Vicar Apostolic. In 1857, the Vicariate became the Diocese of Sault Saint Marie, with the transfer of the see to Marquette coming in 1864. Baraga requested the Vatican rename the Diocese and in 1865 it became the Diocese of Sault Sainte Marie and Marquette until 1937 when it was renamed the Diocese of Marquette. Baraga served as first bishop and Ignatius Mrak (1810-1901) as his Vicar-General. Baraga was born in the Duchy of Carniola in modern day Slovenia and was ordained in 1823. He traveled to the United States in 1830 and spent the rest of his life serving the Indigenous American people of the upper peninsula of Michigan. After Baraga's death, Mrak succeeded him as the second bishop of the Diocese in 1870 until his resignation in 1879. Mrak was also born in the Duchy of Carniola and was ordained in 1837. He arrived at the Diocese of Detroit in 1845 and quickly learned multiple Algonquian dialects, including Ottawa. After his resignation, John Vertin (1844-1899), another Slovenian-born priest, became bishop until his death.
This collection is open for research. Advance notice is required.
Diocese of Marquette Collection, DMA, University of Notre Dame Archives.
Newspaper clipping of President of Marquette University, Father William Kelley, defending Catholic college education and printed argument by Francis Steck that Jacques Marquette was not an ordained priest.
English, German, French, Latin, Slovene
Bound volume produced by Notre Dame Archives containing the transcriptions and translations of items in the collection associated with Ignatius Mrak. Transcribed are excerpts from "The Life of a missionary among Indians and others in America", letters, promemoria, and schedules. Also included are despcriptions of papers in CDMA 1/3 and 1/4.
English, German, Latin, French
Dated papers associated with Ignatius Mrak; includes letters, promemoria, certificates of baptism, a painted souvenir from the consecration of Mrak, marriage licenses, etc.
Ojibwe, English, German, Latin
Undated papers associated with Ignatius Mrak; includes letters, manuscripts, memoranda, pamphlets, maps, and pictures.
English, German
Letters by Bishop Frederick Baraga
English, French
Typescript copies of letters from the library of Rev. Antoine Ivan Rezek, author of History of the Diocese of Sault Ste. Marie and Marquette . Majority of letters from Barage to Rev. Patrick Murray and includes letter notifying recipient of Baraga's death.
French, Ojibwe, German
One notebook with columns of words translated from "Francois" to "Sauvage" to "Allmagne".
Ojibwe, French
Eighteen notebooks filled front to back with religious writings, prayers, confessional questions, and catechisms in the Ojibwe language. Some headings in French.
English, Unknown
One small bound journal written by Rev. Louis Sifferath. English creator and content title. Remainder in unknown American Indian language (likely Ottawa).
English, Ottawa
Photocopy of manuscript excerpts of New Testament in Ottawa translated by Rev. Louis Sifferath. English title and creator, remainder in Ottawa. The original is in the Grand Rapids Public Library.
Slovene
Slovene biography of priest Frederic Baraga, published in 1931 Slovenia. Written by Dr. Franc Jaklic.
Latin, German, Slovene
Sixteen bound or folded pamphlets covering various topics in multiple languages. These were found in Ignatius Mraks papers.
Single issue of the official newspaper of the Diocese of Marquette dated March 24, 1968 which announces the insallation of the Most Reverend Charles A. Salatka as the Bishop of Marquette.
Typescript translation by Joseph Gregorich of "At Baraga's Death" by Rev. Dr. Hugo Bren, originally published in "Vzajemnost", volume XXVIII, No. 8-9, 1939. This was a Slovene ecclesiastical review.
Italian, Latin, Ojibwe, Ottawa, English, French, Slovene, Hungarian
Papers of Ignatius Mrak (1810-1901), Bishop of Marquette, 1869-1878, and minister to the Indians of upper Michigan. Includes personal correspondence, parish correspondence of other priests, writings and translations; with an index at the beginning of the reel; also citizenship papers, an 1889 financial report of the Commission for the Catholic Missions among the Colored People and the Indians, a polyglot dictionary in German, French, and Ojibwe, writings and religious instructions in Ojibwe, an index of Mrak's letters in the Notre Dame Archives, and some papers of the Diocese of Detroit.