Bernard A. Flanagan, a member of the Archdiocese of Newark, volunteered for many years as a tour guide at the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark, N.J. He grew up in Newark, attending Sacred Heart School, McKinley School, and St. Joseph's School throughout the 1940s. In the 1950s, he attended St. John's Atonement Seminary for a short time, Essex County Boy's Vocational and Technical High School, and Central High School, from which he graduated in 1954. His mother died in a fatal fire in November 1946, and his "Aunt" Agnes (his mother's best friend) took him in as a foster son. From his youth Flanagan developed an interest in Catholicism and in particular the Archdiocese of Newark.

This collection includes several person items belonging to Flanagan, such as his account of his mother's death and a 1950 autograph book from St. Joseph's School. However, the bulk of the collection details Flanagan's research--primarily Internet searches--into the history of the Archdiocese of Newark in the late 1800s and early 1900s. There is information on priests serving in the diocese, information on churches in the diocese (often including their construction), letters (largely from the Notre Dame archives) between priests. In addition, there is information on laymen history, including an entire series on ethnic history (African-American, Chinese-American, Italian-American, Irish-American, Jewish-American) in the United States and in particular Newark, New Jersey.

There is a special focus on Monsignor Doane, on whom Flanagan wrote a book entitled "A Journey Chronicled: The Letters of George Hobart Doane to the Newark Daily Advertiser"/"Monsignor George Hobart Doane; Travel Letters from Europe; Summer 1870." The series "Monsignor Doane" contains the research and drafts composed by Flanagan in order to complete his book, as well as the final work.