GUIDE TO CATHOLIC RECORDS ABOUT NATIVE AMERICANS IN THE U.S.
Volume 2: Midwest United States
South Dakota: SD-17

Oblate Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament
St. Sylvester’s Convent
103 Church Drive
Marty (rural Wagoner), SD 57380
P.O. Box 204
Marty, SD 57361

Phone: 605-384-3305
Email: See website (Contact Us)

 

History:

1935

With guidance from Rev. Sylvester Eisenman, O.S.B. [Benedictines] (Archives: St. Meinrad, Indiana), and the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament (Archives: Wynnewood, Pennsylvania), seven former students from St. Paul School (Yankton), Marty, became postulants and founded the Oblate Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament based at Marty, Yankton Reservation

1935-1950

Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament provided guidance to the Oblate Sisters

1940

Oblate Sisters comprised 22 professed sisters

1954

Oblate Sisters received their first non-Native American postulant

1980s-present

Oblate Sisters organized and have collaborated with the Okodakiciye Mission Association (allied laity)

Oblate Sisters have served in the following ministries among Native Americans in South Dakota:

1930s-1970s

St. Paul School (Yankton), Marty [teaching, religious education]

1965-1980s

St. Joseph Church (Hunkpapa), Mobridge [religious education]

1966-1980s

Catechetical Center (Sans Arc), Eagle Butte, Cheyenne River Reservation [religious education]

1968-1973

St. Catherine Mission (Sisseton-Wahpeton), Sisseton [religious education]

1974-1976

St. Joseph’s Indian School (Brulé, Santee, Sisseton-Wahpeton), Chamberlain [teaching, religious education]

1981-1980s

Kateri Indian Center (Sisseton-Wahpeton, Yankton), Sioux Falls [religious education, community outreach/ welfare services, health care]

1981-2008 (Kateri Convent closed)

St. Issac Jogues Church (Brule, Hunkpapa, Oglala, Sans Arc), Rapid City and Rapid City Diocese (Brulé, Hunkpapa, Oglala, Sans Arc) via its Kateri Convent, Rapid City [religious education, community outreach/ welfare services, health care]

1983-1995

St. Paul Church (Yankton), Marty, Yankton Reservation [parish administration]

1980s-present

Yankton Reservation [religious education, community outreach/ welfare services, health care with Okodakiciye Mission Association]

 

Holdings of Catholic records about Native Americans:

Inclusive dates: ca. 1920-present, undated

Volume: At least 1 cubic foot 

Description: The records at St. Sylvester's Convent had not been processed when reviewed by a ÃÛÌÒÓ°Ïñ archivist, 1984. Consequently, the following dates and volumes are approximations or unknown.

 

/1 Subject files of mother superiors

Inclusive dates: ca. 1935-ongoing

Volume: Unknown

Description: Contain most prominent correspondence between the mother superiors, the sisters and priests at the missions and schools, the Sioux Falls Chancery Office, and the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament for Indians and Colored People, Bensalem, Pennsylvania; minutes of Community meetings; and annual financial reports for St. Sylvester's Convent 

 

/2 Chronicle of St. Sylvester's Convent

Inclusive dates: 1981-ongoing

Volume: 1 volume  

 

/3 Personnel files

Inclusive dates: 1935-ongoing

Volume: Unknown 

 

/4 Audiotapes

Inclusive dates: 1978, undated

Volume: Several tapes

Description: Interviews with Sister Anthony Davis (Ojibwa), O.S.B.S., and Rev. Sylvester Eisenman, O.S.B.; and Dakota Indian hymns sung by the Oblate Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament  

 

/5 Mission and Community publications

Inclusive dates: 1924-ongoing

Volume: At least .3 cubic foot

Description:

A. The Little Bronzed Angel, 1924-1972: publication of St. Paul Mission

B. Echoes, 1957-ongoing: publication of the Oblate Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament

C. Community Newsletter, 1976-1977: publication of the Oblate Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament

D. Okodakiciye Newsletter, 1980s-ongoing: publication of the Okodakiciye Mission Association

 

/6 Photography

Inclusive dates: ca. 1920-ongoing

Volume: At least 500 photographic prints

 

/7 Historical writings and notes by Rev. Sylvester Eisenman, O.S.B.

Inclusive dates: Unknown (Between 1935-1948)

Volume: Unknown

 

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.

New1984/rev2003-2020