Hwo do I find and contact churches?

[DeFilippis78]

Im not sure if I can even contact churches. Do they mail documents or you really need to be in person to see them.
Alicia

[maestra36]

Alicia
You can use the Italian yellow pages to try to find all of the churches in your town.

Congregazione Religiosa Ancelle S. Teresa Del B. Gesu' Casa Generalizia E Casa Del Noviziato
84078 Vallo Della Lucania (SA)
VIA NAZIONALE
tel: 0974 4658

Curia Diocesana
84078 Vallo Della Lucania (SA)
VIA CAMMAROTA F.
tel: 0974 4142

Instituto Diocesano Sostentamento Clero
84078 Vallo Della Lucania (SA)
2, VIA CAMMAROTA F.
tel: 0974 4088

Misericordia Confraternita Di Vallo Dellalucania
84078 Vallo Della Lucania (SA)
VIA MAINENTE
tel: 0974 2131

Parrocchia S. Maria Assunta
84078 Vallo Della Lucania (SA)
LOCALITA' PATTANO
tel: 0974 2187

Parrocchia S. Maria Delle Grazie
84078 Vallo Della Lucania (SA)
VIA CALCINALI
tel: 0974 75338

Parrocchia S. Maria Delle Vittorie
84078 Vallo Della Lucania (SA)
VIA DELLA CARTA - MASSA DELLA LUCANIA
tel: 0974 4153

Parrocchia S. Pantaleone M.
84078 Vallo Della Lucania (SA)
VIA CATTEDRALE
tel: 0974 75177

Parrocchia S. Veneranda
84078 Angellara (SA)
PIAZZA OLMO
tel: 334 2598919

Parrocchia Santuario Madonna Delle Grazie
84078 Vallo Della Lucania (SA)
PIAZZA VITTORIO EMANUELE
tel: 0974 838576

Parrocchia Santuario Madonna Delle Grazie
84078 Vallo Della Lucania (SA)
PIAZZA VITTORIO EMANUELE
tel: 0974 75338

The above is everything I found in the Italian yellow pages under the category of Catholic Churches in your town. You may have to see if any websites and email addresses or just write letters to each parish to determine if your ancestor's records are there. I did write to 13 parishes in the town of Benevento in Benevento Province years ago and one parish priest did send a letter back that he had the ancestors in his registers. After sending a donation, he sent photocopies of the records, plus he typed in Italian what was handwritten in the old script and sent a letter blessing everyone in the family. You just never know. Other times, I have written to parishes and never heard back from them. Some may not have resident priests and some priests because of the shortage of priests now administer to multiple parishes.

[DeFilippis78]

These are all churches? Wow, I have a lot of writing to do.

[maestra36]

Alicia
The ones that start with the word Parocchia are the parish churches, so I would concentrate on those. The Curia Diocesana would be the bishop's office. Since you don't know the specific parish of your ancestor, you might have to contact the individual parishes to see where your ancestors' records are located. I also see that I have one in duplicate in the list at the end. Sorry that about that. You might find the following website helpful in sending a letter. I think there are some form letters on it.

http://www.angelfire.com/ok3/pearlsofwi ... tters.html

[DeFilippis78]

This is perfect. Thanks so much for your help!!

Alicia

[Italysearcher]

If you have searched the LDS microfilms for some years the parish of baptism is mentioned on the birth record. This might narrow down your search. On some records there is also a street address which also narrows things down your parish.

[DeFilippis78]

delete

[maestra36]

The microfilmed records which are civil and have information about a baptism in the right column often just say that the baptism took place in the parish church of the town and do not actually give the name of the church. I have done research of microfilmed records in about 20 towns since 1997 and I think only one of the towns has the actual name of the church on the record. More than likely the baptism took place in the Chiesa Madre of the town in question. What is the town to which you are referring? The Italian internet yellow pages to look up church names and addresses. If you tell me the name of the town, I'll try to give you more specific help.

[maestra36]

Oh, I did post the information from the phonebook for you previously. If you can't determine which is the Mother Church in the town, either from the phonebook or if there is a website about the town, then you may have to write to all of the parishes currently in the town.

[maestra36]

http://www.diocesivallodellalucania.it/ ... e&Itemid=1

This is a website for the diocese of Vallo della Lucania. Where it says contattaci, you may try contacting them to ask which is the mother church in your town. I am searching the website now to see if I can find this info for you

[maestra36]

Years ago, for a cousin, I wrote to 13 parishes in the town of Benevento in Benevento Province to determine where his ancestors' records were. One priest did answer him via regular mail, and my cousin ultimately did get copies of the records from him after sending him a donation.