GUIDE TO CATHOLIC RECORDS ABOUT NATIVE AMERICANS IN THE U.S.
Volume 3: Western United States
Alaska: AK-54

St. Joseph Church
P.O. Box 9
Tununak, AK 99681

Phone: 907-652-6237

 

History: St. Joseph Church, Tunuak, Bethel Census Area, Alaska, has been a small and predominantly Native American (Yupik Eskimo) parish on Nelson Island of Bering Sea coast and in the Diocese of Fairbanks (Archives: Fairbanks, Alaska).

1889-1892

Jesuits (Turin Province) (Archives: St. Louis, Missouri) established and administered St. Joseph Mission (Yupik Eskimo), Tununak 

1890-1892 (closed)

Jesuits established and staffed a school (Yupik Eskimo) at St. Joseph’s 

1892-1927, 1928-1934

Jesuits (Turin, Canadian, California, Oregon Provinces) (Archives: St. Louis, Missouri, and Montreal, Quebec) at St. Mary’s Akulurak, attended to St. Joseph’s

1927-1928, 1934-1935

Jesuits administered St. Joseph Mission

1931-1960s

Catechists (Yupik Eskimo) staffed St. Joseph Mission

1962-1990s

Became a parish; Jesuits have administered St. Joseph Mission assisted by permanent deacons (Yupik Eskimo)

1968-1976

A Jesuit lay volunteer staffed a Montessori school at St. Joseph’s

1978-1987

A Dominican Sister (unknown) served St. Joseph’s 

1990s-present

Permanent deacons (Yupik Eskimo) and lay administrators (Yupik Eskimo) have administered and served the parish

1990s-present

Visiting Fairbanks diocesan priests and diocesan ministry team members have ministered to St. Peter’s

Jesuits from St. Joseph’s attended to the following missions and stations among the Yupik Eskimo:

1890s

Bethel, Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta; also attended from Holy Cross, Holy Cross

1930-1970 (transferred to St. Catherine’s, Cheforniak)

Umkumute station

1964-1980s

St. Peter the Fisherman Mission, Toksook Bay

1979-1990s

Christ the King Chapel, Umkumute

1980s (became a parish)

Our Lady of Perpetual Help Mission, Nightmute

 

Holdings of Catholic records about Native Americans:

Inclusive dates: 1890-ongoing

Volume: Several volumes  

Description: Sacramental records (e.g. baptisms, marriages, burials) for Native American parishioners of St. Joseph Church.

 

Unless otherwise noted, the repository on this page holds (or held) the records described here and they are not held at the ÃÛÌÒÓ°Ïñ Archives.

new2006/rev2020