Coming to a parish near you this summer — the first-ever Diocese of Orange Archives Exhibition.
Exhibition Dates & Locations
The Archives Exhibition will be at the following parishes. Admission is free.
Holy Family Catholic Church
Orange, CA
June 18
By invitation only
June 19
3 – 7 pm
June 20 and 21
12 – 5 pm
Christ Cathedral Campus
Garden Grove, CA
June 24, 25 and 26
3 – 7 pm
June 27 and 28
12 – 5 pm
Santiago de Compostela
Lake Forest, CA
June 30, July 1 and 2
3 – 7 pm
July 3
8 am – 12 pm
July 5
8 am – 12 pm, 1 – 3 pm, 6:30 – 8 pm
July 6, 7 and 8
3 – 7 pm
Admission is free. Stay tuned for more updates.
The archives exhibition is being generously co-presented by Mission San Juan Capistrano, St. Michael’s Abbey and “The Shroud of Turin: An Immersive Experience.” Visitors can receive discounted tickets to the Mission and the Shroud Experience (while supplies last).
A First in 50 Years
As part of the Diocese of Orange 50th anniversary celebration, we are pleased to present the first-ever Archives Exhibition — coming to a parish near you this summer.
For five decades, our archives team has been gathering items big and small from our parishes, schools and churches, along with memorabilia tied to the history of Orange County.
Sacred, Historic, Quirky and Strange
To celebrate our history and heritage, we are bringing out a priceless array of items that range from the sacred and historic to the quirky and strange.
You’ll see things signed by Abraham Lincoln, Archbishop Fulton Sheen, Richard Nixon and Mary Pickford. You’ll also discover a piece of an old railroad that ran through Huntington Beach, an abbot’s mitre, relics of bona fide saints, vintage Orange County Fair buttons and even a comic book featuring Mother Theresa.
Rare Treasures from Our History
The exhibition also includes architectural drawings of the old Crystal Cathedral and footage of Crystal Cathedral founder Dr. Robert Schuller encouraging Catholic priests to make the cathedral “a global place for dynamic energy to be generated.”
There are books that date from the time of the American Revolution and Christopher Columbus, a collection from the late Frederick Swann — known as the “Elvis of Organists” — and founding documents of the Diocese of Orange, handwritten in Latin and delivered to Orange County from the Vatican.
About the Diocese of Orange Archives
The archives have been part of the Diocese of Orange since 1976, when the diocese was founded and carved out from the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.
As a matter of Catholic canon law, a diocese is required to archive its history and culture, as well as records of its priests, deacons and other personnel.
Join us this summer as the Archives Exhibition visits three parish locations across the Diocese of Orange.
Preserving the Story of the Diocese
The first archivist was Fr. Bill Krekelberg, who held the position from 1976 to 2015 and then served as archivist emeritus until his death in 2023.
Fr. Bill was a kind of “Catholic picker,” purchasing or otherwise acquiring — from just about any place imaginable — many things he found interesting or relating to local history.
In addition to collecting unique historical items, Fr. Bill carefully curated many essential parts of the Diocese of Orange’s history, including priest records, photographs and special memorabilia.
He was also the author of two books on diocesan history, chronicling the stories of our parishes, centers, chapels and schools.
It is due to Fr. Bill’s careful record-keeping and deep love of history that many moments in our diocese — and, by extension, Orange County — have been preserved.