Percy-Romagosa Collection
Scope and Contents
This collection documents the relationship between novelist and priest. It consists mainly of brief letters. Eighteen of these were from Percy to Romagosa-the first was written in 1972; the others were written between 1982 and 1989. The collection's remaining eighteen letters also derive from the Percy-Romagosa relationship. Correspondents include Robert Coles, the psychiatrist and writer; Shelby Foote, the historian and novelist who was Percy's lifelong friend; and Jay Tolson, a Percy biographer.
Dates
- Created: 1972-1993
- Other: Majority of material found in 1982-1989
- Other: Date acquired: 08/10/1999
Creator
- Romagosa, Elmo (Person)
Conditions Governing Access
The collection is open for research use.
Conditions Governing Use
Physical rights are retained by the J. Edgar and Louis S. Monroe Library, Loyola University New Orleans. Copyright is retained in accordance with U.S. Copyright Laws.
Biographical or Historical Information
Romagosa was born in Thibodaux, Louisiana in 1924. He attended St. Joseph Seminary College in Covington, Louisiana and Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans. Following ordination in 1947, he served in various archdiocesan parishes and offices in south Louisiana, mainly in the New Orleans area. In 1963 he helped found the new archdiocesan newspaper, The Clarion Herald, and served as its editor for twelve years. He subsequently held various positions, including Director of the Stella Maris Maritime Center, Chaplain of the Port of New Orleans, and National Secretary of the Catholic Broadcasters Association. In 1980 he was designated a monsignor. He was also an accomplished photographer, receiving several Catholic Press Awards for his photographs. He died in an automobile accident on August 1, 1999.
Note written by
Extent
0.25 Linear Feet
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
This collection centers on the relationship between Walker Percy and Elmo L. Romagosa. Percy was a noted novelist and needs no introduction. Romagosa was a prominent priest in the Archdiocese of New Orleans.
Arrangement Note
This collection concludes with two folders: one contains twenty-nine negatives and six prints of Percy, his friends, and his family taken by Romagosa, apparently in the late 1980s; the other contains miscellaneous items.
Source of Acquisition
Romagosa, Elmo
Method of Acquisition
Gift, 1998.03
Existence and Location of Originals
multi-part note content
Creator
- Romagosa, Elmo (Person)
- Title
- Percy-Romagosa Collection
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Finding aid written by Arthur Carpenter, revised by Katherine Kuhl Rivet, 2013.
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
- Language of description note
- English
Repository Details
Part of the J. Edgar and Louis S. Monroe Library, Special Collections & Archives Repository