Norman Castle Holy Card Collection 1870s-1950s (bulk 1870s-1910s) MS.2005.054 https://hdl.handle.net/2345.2/MS2005-054 Archives and Manuscripts Department John J. Burns Library Boston College 140 Commonwealth Avenue Chestnut Hill 02467 library.bc.edu/burns/contact URL: http://www.bc.edu/burns Table of Contents Summary Information .................................................................................................................................... 3 Administrative Information ............................................................................................................................ 4 Historical note: holy cards ............................................................................................................................. 5 Biographical note ........................................................................................................................................... 6 Scope and Contents ........................................................................................................................................ 6 Arrangement ................................................................................................................................................... 7 Collection Inventory ....................................................................................................................................... 8 I: Jesus ......................................................................................................................................................... 8 II: Mary ...................................................................................................................................................... 11 III: Joseph .................................................................................................................................................. 14 IV: Saints and Blessed .............................................................................................................................. 14 V: Sacraments ............................................................................................................................................ 17 VI: Angels ................................................................................................................................................. 19 VII: Holy Spirit ......................................................................................................................................... 19 VIII: Souvenirs (Flowers) ......................................................................................................................... 20 IX: The Holy Family ................................................................................................................................ 20 X: Other ..................................................................................................................................................... 20 Norman Castle Holy Card Collection MS.2005.054 - Page 2 - Summary Information Title: Norman Castle holy card collection ID: MS.2005.054 Date [inclusive]: 1870s-1950s (bulk 1870s-1910s) Date [bulk]: 1870-1910 Physical Description .5 Linear feet (2 Boxes) Language of the French, English, Latin, German, Spanish, Italian. Material: Abstract: The Norman Castle Holy Card Collection includes Catholic holy cards produced in the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century. These cards cover a variety of devotional subjects including Jesus, Mary, Joseph, Saints, sacraments, angels, and the Holy Spirit. These cards were collected by Norman Castle, a Boston College librarian. Preferred Citation Identification of item, Box number, Folder number, Norman Castle holy card collection, MS.2005.054, John J. Burns Library, Boston College. Norman Castle Holy Card Collection MS.2005.054 - Page 3 - Administrative Information Publication Information Processed by Sarah K. Nytroe, 2005. Revised by Mark Clemente, 2012; and Rachael Young in 2019. This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace. Restrictions on access Collection is open for research. Restrictions on use These materials are made available for use in research, teaching and private study, pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used for academic research or otherwise should be fully credited with the source. The original authors may retain copyright to the materials. Provenance Because the current accessioning system was not used until January 1986, it is not possible to know exactly the dates of acquisition of materials received before that time. Norman Castle Holy Card Collection MS.2005.054 - Page 4 - Historical note: holy cards Holy cards are one of many religious objects intended to assist Roman Catholics in their prayer life and religious devotions. These religious objects were often exchanged between friends, given to an individual upon the conclusion of an important religious event, or given to children as rewards in school for good behavior and hard work. Moreover, holy cards served to commemorate these religious events and experiences, as well as deceased family members. The modern holy card came into existence with the invention of the lithographic printing process in the late eighteenth century. In a short time, printers started experimenting with color printing processes, which came into wide use by the mid-nineteenth century. These printing processes opened the possibility for the mass production and the mass distribution of holy cards. Several religious goods firms emerged in Europe in the nineteenth century to produce holy cards. Paris, France served as a central location for many of these firms. By 1862, the city was home to some 120 firms. The French firms relied heavily on the artistic style that came to be known as l'art saint sulpice. The physical make-up of holy cards contributes to the content and functional use of the object. Physically, holy cards are primarily vertically oriented and pocket-sized - with dimensions measuring roughly 2.5 inches wide by 4.5 inches long. Because of the small size of holy cards they were commonly used as bookmarks in prayer books, kept in pockets, or displayed. Moreover, the easy access and content made holy cards good teaching tools for learning about saints and devotional practices. The front side of the holy card includes an image of a religious figure, or pertains to religious events or sacraments. The back of the card was devoted to text of prayers, contemplations, explanations of religious figures or events, or indulgences. The back might also include a handwritten note from the giver to the recipient of the card. This reflects the manner in which holy cards were distributed as gifts. Sources: Bollig, Joe. "Holy Cards see resurgence in popularity." Catholic News Service. 19 April 2004. Calamari, Barbara and Sandra DiPasqua. Holy Cards. New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc. Publishers, 2004. Devitt, Brent, compiler. "Introduction" to "Saints Unlimited: Holy Card Web Page," http:// www.donet.com/~devitt/card1.htm (24 October 2005). McDannell, Colleen. Material Christianity: Religion and Popular Culture in America. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1995. Petruzzelli, James F. "Catholic Holy Cards: Visual, Verbal, and Tactile Codes for the (In)Visible," in The Other Print Tradition: Essays on Chapbooks, Broadsides, and Related Ephemera. Edited by Cathy Lynn Preston and Michael J. Preston. New York: Garland Publishing Inc., 1995. Norman Castle Holy Card Collection MS.2005.054 - Page 5 - Biographical note Norman Castle was born in Newburyport, Massachusetts to George T. and Theresa E. (Dorsey) Castle on December 31, 1908. Castle earned his bachelor's degree in history from Boston College in 1930. While at Boston College, Castle - the "laughing philosopher" - participated in Sodality, the French Academy, and the History Academy. As an undergraduate student, he also worked in the college library during his first two years at Boston College, followed by two years as an Assistant Faculty Librarian. In 1931, Castle joined the cataloging department at Boston College's Bapst Library and held the position of Head Cataloger. He continued his librarian education with certification in librarianship from the Massachusetts Library Association and from the Massachusetts State Department of Education, both in 1945. In 1967, Castle became the Boston College Planning Librarian, a position he held until his retirement in 1974. Castle was involved in organizations that highlighted his interest in history. He was President of the Stow Historical Society, served as Quartermaster of the Stow Minutemen Company, and as Chairman of the Historical Committee of Minutemen Companies. As historian of the Minutemen Council, Castle played a crucial role in the publication of The Minutemen, 1775-1975 (1977). Moreover, Castle's participation in other community organizations included the Stow Boy Scouts, on the Executive Committee of the Stow Civic Club, and as Chairman on the Stow Council on Aging. Castle died in San Francisco on December 6, 1984. Scope and Contents The collection contains 182 holy cards collected by Norman Castle. The cards in this collection address a wide range of devotional subjects including Jesus, Mary, Joseph, the Saints, the Holy Spirit, Angels, and the Sacraments. The majority of the holy cards were mass-produced