Graphic Collections

PAHRC has many images of churches, religious persons, maps, historic events, and historic places from around the world.

The Robert and Teresa Halvey Photograph Collection

St. Joseph's University vs. LaSalle 2-5-1983 (75-55 LaSalle)

Robert S. Halvey

1918 - 2004

The photographs that Bob Halvey made from his high school days at Roman Catholic High School to his work for the Catholic Standard & Times are housed at PAHRC and span from 1935 to 1999.  Researchers will find a wide variety of subjects from alumni reunions to a visit from the Pope, from royalty to the homeless, from processions to protests, from the Cardinals to the Phillies, and don’t forget the Mummers.

Pope John Paul II visited Philadelphia in 1979; and, although his stay was very brief, Bob managed to take many photos that included the drive up Broad Street, Mass in the Civic Center, Mass on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, visits to St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, the St. John Neumann Shrine, the Ukrainian Cathedral of the Byzantine Rite, and his departure at the airport.  However, as Cardinal Wojtyla of Kracow, he had made two previous visits to this city.   In 1967 he had come to St. Charles Seminary and was very popular with the seminarians; and again in 1976 he had spoken at the Eucharistic Congress at Veterans Stadium.

Of course the collection documents Catholic life in Philadelphia showing Sunday Mass, confession, children in Catholic schools, ordinations, and life in a seminary. Also there are photos of a deaf person signing confession, blind children in a Catholic school, members of the Holy Name Society in a prison, the Canonization of St. John Neumann, a nun serving as committeewoman checking voter roles during an election, the medical clinic at Casa Del Carmen, and Cardinal Dougherty at an outdoor Mass with 100,000 people.

Among the photos that stand out are his sports images.  Bob liked to be close to the action--so close that on one occasion he was injured by a football player.  In the photos the athletes are engaged in passionate competition no matter if they are in a wheel chair at an exhibition game on Market Street or taking down the net after winning a basketball championship.

Quieter moments can be found as well: Mother Teresa with a hospital patient, a nun helping a handicapped person, and Cardinal Krol saying Mass in the home of a parishioner too ill to come to church. 

Theresa Halvey was Bob’s wife and business manager, and as she said she did

“… everything but shoot pictures and develop”.  Bob could thank her for his success in business and we can thank her for keeping the collection in good order."

“ Bob Halvey was not only an excellent professional photographer but a man of deep faith and true Christian charity.  He loved his family and he loved the Church.” 

John Cardinal Foley

“He was a humble, hardworking man of the Church.  For those many years, people saw his pictures grace the paper, quietly, unassumingly, and wonderfully.  He was always putting others before himself and always getting the photo.”

Father Paul S. Quinter

To view a selection of Bob Halvey's photographs click here

This collection is currently under construction. If there is a picture that you would like to have researched, please E-Mail us at pahrc89@gmail.com. Or, mail us your request at: PAHRC 100 E. Wynnewood Rd. Wynnewood, PA 19096.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We now have a list of all the images of churches in our collection.

Church Image Catalogue

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There is no fee for the researching, HOWEVER, there IS a fee for reproduction and use. Below you will find our reproduction and usage fees:

2.9 Facilities Available to Researchers

2.9.1 General

The PAHRC provides researchers with research space, outlets for computers, microform readers and printers, and photoduplication services. The charge for copies of non-restricted documents and printed works is $.20 per page. If photocopies are mailed, there is added a $2.00 handling fee plus postage. There are separate policies and charges for copies of photographs.

2.9.2 Photocopying of Restricted Materials

The PAHRC does not allow photocopying of any material from restricted collections.

2.9.3 Photographic Use Policy

a) Each reproduction must carry the following credit line: The Philadelphia Archdiocesan Historical Research Center, Wynnewood, Pennsylvania

b) Permission to reproduce covers editorial use, for world-wide distribution, one time, in one language, in one edition, in one medium, for a period not to exceed 10 years

c) Permission to use is also contingent upon receipt of appropriate fees

d) A copy of the medium containing the photograph(s) listed on the application form must be sent to the PAHRC

e) In authorizing the use of this material, the PAHRC does not surrender its own right to publish it, or to grant permission to others to do so

f) This authorization does not affect the recipient’s obligation to guard against infringement of the rights of others, including (but not limited to) copyright, rights of privacy and/or publicity

g) If copyright is not held by the PAHRC, requestor is responsible for obtaining copyright privileges from the holder

2.9.4 Fees

1. Reproduction Fees

1. Use Fees