Mission Santa Clara Resources

This digital collection is a selection of items curated by archivists in connection with researcher interest. On the main landing page, you will see descriptions and direct links to items of interest. Items with an asterisk are transcribed and translated into English. Click "browse" to view all the items in this collection.

All sacramental records digitized in totality through 1850, as part of the Early California Population Project. Includes baptismal, wedding, confirmation, and burial records. Click "browse" at the bottom of the landing page to enter the listing of all the scanned pages. Use the search function at the top to search by record number or name. Use the download tool in the upper right corner to download a high res scan of the page you are viewing.

Full scans of every page of Father Viader’s Miscellany Book, a collection of 220 manuscripts (676 pages) that was assembled apparently by Father José Viader, one of the most influential Franciscans in Mission Santa Clara (where he served from 1796 to 1833). The book, which is bound in hide, served as a reference book and operating manual for life in Mission Santa Clara; as such, the multiple manuscripts in it deal with a great variety of subjects. Transcriptions and translations of sections of Fr. Viader's Miscellany book are only available in the main Mission Santa Clara Digital Collection.

Documents the life of Fray Magín Catalá. Often referred to as the “Holy Man of Santa Clara,” Fr. Catalá was stationed at Mission Santa Clara for thirty-six years and was widely renowned for his piety and spiritual labors.

Music for the Latin mass. This collection includes the large choirbook in the hand of Father Narcisco Durán as well as three other smaller music manuscripts.

Full scans of two account books from Mission San Jose.

The padres at Mission Santa Clara were intellectuals and kept a library of works to consult in the development of theological doctrine and other topics. The items from that library have not been removed from the chain of custody of Mission Santa Clara to the founding of Santa Clara College, and as such, reside in Archives & Special Collections today. Portions of some of the books have been digitized.