The purpose of this Guide is to provide a short practical reference for all those in Adelaide Archdiocesan parishes involved in managing parish records. It aims to do this by identifying the different kinds of records and recommending how long [and where] the records need to be kept.

It also briefly discusses the management of parish archives and the importance of maintaining a parish history. It is not intended to be a prescriptive document and the suggestions should be adapted to suit individual parish requirements.