Office of the Chancery
Areas of Focus
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Catholic Relief Services Grants
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Good Standing Request
This Testimonial of Suitability for Priestly Ministry is required for priests/deacons visiting the Diocese of Boise: Please contact the Chancellor a minimum of four weeks before you will be in the Diocese.
Office of the Chancery
Much of the work of the Chancery is in relationship with the Holy See, national Catholic organizations, local parishes, Catholic institutions and pastoral leadership. In this respect, the office of the Chancery provides multiple services to the Diocese, parishes, communities and individuals.
Listed below are some of the services provided.
Archives: The purpose of our archives is to collect, preserve, and make available to research these historical records which document the presence and mission of the Catholic church in Idaho. The diocesan policy is to keep our records closed. We can do research on a time available basis upon request.
Images in the Archives: (We are happy to provide digital scans of images upon request but there will be a fee for documents over 2 pages/2 scans)
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General Policies:
The purpose of our archives is to collect, preserve, and make available to research the historical records which document the presence and mission of the Catholic Church in Idaho. The diocesan policy is to keep our records closed. We can do research on a time available basis upon request.
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Requesters will not have access to original records, only official copies, or summary of information.
Genealogical Research:
The Archives Office is not open to those engaged in genealogical studies or family research; however, specific research requests may be submitted by mail or email only. Please include as much detailed information as possible. Only specific searches can be conducted.
Papal Audience: Papal Audiences are held on Wednesdays if the Pope is in Rome, giving pilgrims and visitors the chance to "see the Pope" and receive the Papal Blessing or Apostolic Blessing from the successor of the Apostle Peter during their visit. Please go here for more information and to request tickets: http://www.papalaudience.org/tickets.html
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Due to the pandemic, the schedule for General Audiences is updated on a week-to-week bases. Please reference www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/events/year.dir.html/2021.html for the must current Papal Calendar.
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Papal blessings are now requested directly from Office of Papal Charities, NOT via the local diocese. You can learn about and request Papal Blessings at the website of the Office of Papal Charities in the Vatican City State. Requests will only be accepted in person at the Vatican or via the online form; mailed or faxed requests are not possible.
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Sacramental Records: Parishes have five types of Sacramental records: Baptismal, Marriage, Death, First Communion and Confirmation records. The information in the records can vary from parish to parish. According to the Code of Canon Law, pastors are required to maintain Sacramental records. The Code specifies what kind of information is to be reported in those records. In the Diocese of Boise, Sacramental records dating from approximately 1960 are kept at the parish of baptism. Older records are kept at the Chancery Office. It is Diocesan policy to keep our records closed. We can research information requests on a time available basis.
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Statistical Data: The Chancery is responsible for gathering and maintaining all statistical records for the Diocese.
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Official Catholic Directory (OCD) forms will be available electronically at a later date for:
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Schools
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Parishes
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Non-profits
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Religious Immigration: The Diocese of Boise works directly with USCCB – Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. (CLINIC) for all immigration issues concerning priests, seminarians and religious communities.
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Real Estate: The Chancery oversees all real estate and property issues for the Diocese.
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Collections: All diocesan collections are determined and approved by the Bishop on an annual basis. Any other collections must be authorized by the Bishop.
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