With Deep Gratitude for Your Loving Service and Faithful Dedication To The IHM Archives 1980 – 1999
It was during the tenure of Sister Rose Bernard, IHM Archivist, that the Archives finally emerged out of boxes and were put on display at the new Villa Maria House of Studies. In 1980, Sister Rose was given an Assistant Archivist, Sister Genevieve Mary Simons, and the two of them were charged with the moving of the Archives from a small room to a very large display area, the original sewing room on the second floor of Villa Maria House of Studies. This was a massive undertaking. According to Sister Genevieve, it took months to move and unpack the boxes. By this time, though, Sister Rose’s many years of work had resulted in a strong organizational structure for the Archives. Every single document and artifact was catalogued. They purchased display cases, furniture and shelving. The outside room was set up for display and research, the back room, climate controlled, for the storage of catalogued papers and artifacts.