The Archives safeguard official church administrative and sacramental records for the diocese, parishes and schools.
The Archives Office is the official repository of the Diocese of San Diego and is charged with collecting, preserving and making available sacramental and church administrative records for the diocese, parishes and schools, as permitted by civil and canon law.
The archives are not open to the public, but information is made available to the Catholic community, diocesan officials, historians and other researchers. Please use the online form to request an archive. Depending on the information requested, additional documentation may
be required.
The information is provided free of charge, but donations are appreciated to help us cover the cost of maintaining the archives.
Sacramental records are provided for church-related purposes, and these are not open to public inspection. Individuals requesting sacramental records must complete the online archives
request form.
We attempt to respond to all inquiries promptly; however, due to limited staffing, some requests may take up to a week or more to research.
Sacramental records, as well as funeral records, are kept at the parish where the celebration took place. In the event that a parish has closed or merged, it is the practice of the Diocese of San Diego that the sacramental records of the closed parish are transferred and maintained by the parish that took over the closed parish’s geographical territory. The diocesan archives, in accord with Canon Law, maintains non-updated copies of parish sacramental records and may be able to assist in identifying the parish where a sacramental record is currently kept.
Requests for sacramental records must be made at the parish where the sacrament took place. However, if you need assistance in finding the location of your record, you may complete the online Request Form and the diocesan archives may be able to assist in locating the record. The archives cannot issue copies for sacramental records, as the official records are kept and maintained at the parish where the sacrament took place.
There is no fee required; however, we do accept donations. These can be done online when submitting the Archives Request Form.
Military personnel’s sacramental records (received on base or by base chaplain) are maintained by the military Archdiocese and can be accessed at www.milarch.org.
While most non-Roman Catholic churches are easy to tell – some are more difficult because they appear to be Catholic and may even include the word “Catholic” in their name. There are various such faith communities in San Diego and Imperial Counties. These communities are NOT in communion with the Roman Catholic Church and often times do not provide the necessary preparation or prerequisites for particular sacraments. It should be noted that sacraments celebrated at these non-Roman Catholic faith communities are not officially recorded and may be completely invalid. Nevertheless, there is usually a way to address the situation so that all will be in accord with Church practice and regulations. Contact your parish for additional information and guidance.
For privacy reasons, we do not release any information to genealogy research companies or to individuals conducting genealogical research. Any and all requests for sacramental records must come from the individual soliciting the information or from a verifiable family member who has a church related reason for making the request.
Sacramental records are not open to public examination. Any requests for sacramental records must be done by completing the online Archives Request Form.
Students or academics conducting a research project who need specific information researched, may submit a request along with:
Chancellor and Director of Pastoral Ministries
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Bishop Pulido’s coat of arms is divided into four quarters with wavy horizontal lines from top to bottom. The blue and white lines represent the Blessed Virgin Mary. They also suggest water, which alludes to Jesus washing the feet of His disciples and to the waters of baptism. The red and gold lines represent the Holy Spirit and fire. The colors also can be seen as referring to the Blood that (along with water) poured from Jesus’ side at His crucifixion, as well as to the bread (gold) and wine (red) transformed into the Eucharist. At the center is a roundel featuring a symbolic representation of the “mandatum” (washing of the feet), which he believes exemplifies service to all humanity. The roundel’s outer edge is a line composed of small humps; it is borrowed from the coat of arms of the Diocese of Yakima, where Bishop Pulido served as a priest before being named a bishop.
Bishop Pham’s coat of arms depicts a red boat on a blue ocean, which is crisscrossed by diagonal lines suggesting a fisherman’s net. This symbolizes his ministry as a “fisher of men,” as well as how his own father had been a fisherman. The boat is also a symbol of the Church, which is often referred to as the “barque of Peter.” At the center of the sail is a red beehive (a symbol of the bishop’s baptismal patron saint, St. John Chrysostom, who was known as a “honey-tongued” preacher). The beehive is surrounded by two green palm branches (an ancient symbol of martyrdom; the bishop’s ancestors were among Vietnam’s first martyrs). The eight red tongues of fire around the boat are a symbol of the Holy Spirit and a representation of the diversity of ethnic and cultural communities. The red of the boat, the beehive and the tongues of fire allude to the blood of the martyrs.
The coat of arms combines symbols that reflect Bishop Bejarano’s spiritual life and priestly ministry. The main part of the shield shows four wavy vertical lines on a gold background. These represent flowing waters. This alludes to his chosen motto and also symbolizes the graces that come from the Divine life to quench our thirst for God. The upper third of the shield is red because it is borrowed from the coat of arms of the Order of Mercy, of which the Bishop’s patron saint, Raymond Nonnatus, was a member. The central symbol resembles a monstrance because St. Raymond is often depicted holding one. The Eucharist is Bishop Bejarano’s inspiration for his vocation. It was through the Eucharist that he received his call to the priesthood at age seven and which keeps his faith and his ministry going. It represents the call to offer oneself as a living sacrifice. The monstrance is flanked on either side by an image of the Sacred Heart, alluding to the mercy of God and echoing the idea of a sacrificial offering of oneself united to the sacrifice of Christ, and of a rose for Our Lady. It is an allusion to Our Lady of Guadalupe, patroness of the Americas, and highlights the bishop’s Hispanic heritage.