RG 11.1 Missions Offices Records, Series: New England Jesuit Foreign Missions--Iraq

All physical materials associated with the New England Province Archive are currently held by the Jesuit Archives in St. Louis, MO. Any inquiries about these materials should be directed to the Jesuit Archives . Electronic versions of some items and the descriptions and finding aids to the Archives, which are hosted in CrossWorks, are provided only as a courtesy. The Baghdad Mission was begun in 1932. Responsibility for the mission was assigned to the New England Province. Over time, the mission consisted of two schools for the general public: Baghdad College and Al Hikma University, an Arabic House of Studies for Jesuits, and a Minor Seminary. The government in Iraq was far from stable. In early September 1968 the new government announced that Al Hikma would be “Iraqicized”, meaning that the Iraqi government would take over the school and its administration. The Al Hikma Jesuits left Baghdad in late November 1968. Nine months later, on August 29, 1969, the thirty-three Baghdad College American Jesuits received notification of dismissal from the country as well. Two Iraqi Jesuits remained as Prefects of the Students for Baghdad College and taught religion, choosing to leave Iraq in 1970. The New England Jesuit Foreign Missions (NEJFM)—Iraq Series is sub-divided into the following series: Alumni and Reunions, Contracts/Essential Documents, Iraq Expulsion, Finances, Historical, Places/Works—Al Hikma, Places/Works—Baghdad College, Province Planning and Superiors’ Correspondence. It covers the early 1930s to the 2000s. The bulk of the records are from the 1950s and 1960s. The Financial records are the most extensive