Office of Archives and Records

As stated above, sacramental records are confidential until 100 years after the date of the sacrament, with access restricted.

After 100 years, many records may be available to inquirers. Genealogical queries should be submitted using the form Request for Research Information. Please see our policy under Fees.

For legal purposes or inquiries about St. Monica’s Home or St. Anthony’s Orphanage, please contact the Archivist directly. Email is preferred. Adoption records are governed by the state laws of Iowa. Legal documents require a fee.

The physical sacramental registers are not available for examination in any circumstance. This protects the confidentiality and conservation of precious and often fragile records.

Normally, church records are organized by location and then chronologically. If an exact date or church is not known, detailed information such as parents’ names, birth dates of first children, address, name of the priest who performed the marriage, etc., is very helpful. For early records in Sioux City itself, if the name of the church is not known, the native language or ethnic heritage of the person sought can be helpful.