Name: Brian P. Fahey
Archival Organization: Roman Catholic Diocese of Charleston Archives/Sisters of Charity of Our Lady of Mercy Archives
What is your favorite part of being an archivist?
My inner child squeals every time I touch an item from the distant past. I distinctly recall the first time I had that sensation: I was about 8 years old at the Corning Museum of Glass. A display of ancient Egyptian glass had an access hole that encouraged visitors to actually "touch the art." How cool is that?! I relished that tactile interface with history. At the diocesan/OLM archives, that physical connection with history is more substantive and intense because I have so much more contextual knowledge about a specific document or object. Fortunately, since my visit to the Corning Museum, I have learned to better control my outward reaction. I no longer laugh giddily when handling papal bulls or letters from foreign heads of state, American and Confederate presidents, significant early American jurists, etc. Or when I flip through the registers of closed children's homes, schools and academies, hospitals, and parishes. At least not when I'm in the presence of others. 😉
What is the most unique project you have worked on so far?
Many moons ago, when I was a cub archivist, the Association of Catholic Diocesan Archivists (ACDA) gave me the opportunity to join a group of other diocesan archivists to assist New Orleans parishes with recovery from Hurricane Katrina. We arrived months, if not more than a year, after Katrina's landfall. The breadth of the devastation was still obvious. Coming from Charleston and being no stranger to hurricanes, it was all the more poignant for me. Our focus was on the recovery of religious objects and any remaining parish records. At first, it felt like an exercise in futility. Most of the parishes had been waist deep in water. The damage was so severe that I thought it would have been so much simpler to demolish everything and start anew. But as I explored more parishes, I came to appreciate the unique qualities of each. Not just the structures were unique. The community of each parish was idiosyncratic. And each community had its own history, its own aesthetic, and its own way to celebrate their faith. All of which deserved preservation.
Another time, a Benedictine community of men reestablished an abbey in Norcia, Italy, the birthplace of St. Benedict and St. Scholastica. They had a significant library particularly relevant to monasticism. Many of the titles came from notable people in the Church, including Cardinal Ratzinger (aka Pope Benedict XVI). Through an outlandish series of personal connections, I spent a week in the abbey working with a few fellow librarians to catalog the library. Between stints of productivity, the monks were extraordinarily gracious hosts. We explored the Apennine Mountains, sampled plenty of rustic cuisine, and regularly engaged with the locals. It was complete immersion into a walled, medieval Italian town. Since then, the monks started brewing beer to support their community. It's absolutely delicious and warrants my return visit to Norcia!
What is a fun fact about yourself?
I'm a beekeeper. I've had a latent interest in superorganisms for as long as I can remember. When I discovered a beekeeping course in my area in 2019, I scratched that itch. I've since held offices in local and state beekeeping clubs, been certified as a journeyman beekeeper, managed more than a few hives, assisted several others with starting and maintaining their beekeeping journey, and given multiple beekeeping presentations to general and trade audiences. Most importantly, I make cool references to our profession and Gen X pop culture in my beekeeping. Check out my honey label:
Very punny!
What are the myths about this line of work you would like to bust?
The myth: A career in archives is a somber and introverted papyrocracy.*
Pop culture leads most to believe that museums, libraries, and archives hold a certain academic mystique, a je ne sais quoi. It often implies that they are esoteric and beyond the interest of the "normal" world. In fact, my job in archives has everyday applications. In the business of the Church, I regularly receive requests for architectural drawings for churches and schools that are undergoing renovation, property tax exemption applications, insurance policies, personnel files, closed school records, etc. I assist staff with records management, and I have become the de facto "authority" of sacramental records. With the general public, I often have the opportunity to share sacramental registers with families that had no idea that their ancestors were practicing Catholics. And I frequently assist academics from several disciplines, secular and religious.
In regard to being introverted: yes, I do get to slip into the vault or sit in a silent office from time to time. But those times come between frequent question-and-answer interactions with staff and the public. Outside of that usual business, I'm making onsite visits, engaging in management meetings, and making public presentations. This field of work is far from the safe haven of social recluses.
*Yes, papyrocracy is a real word. I promise. It's an archaic portmanteau referencing the ancient media of papyrus and bureaucracy.
Do you have a piece of advice for someone looking to become an archivist?
I encourage anyone considering a career in archives to volunteer or intern in several different types of repositories: corporate, business, academic, historical society, etc. Get exposure as early as possible and keep in touch with the people you meet along the way. They may present you with an amazing opportunity in the future.
Brian P. Fahey, Archivist
Office of Archives and Records Management
Article submitted by Sr. Virginia Jung, OSB, Archivist, St. Scholastica Monastery | Benedictine Sisters of Chicago