Catholic Press Month: no wonder we’re tired!

By Paul Schratz

It’s probably the single most frequent question people ask when they find out what I do.

“A Catholic newspaper? What’s in it?”

For some reason, the notion of a Catholic newspaper puzzles people, the way someone who has just discovered there’s a TV channel dedicated to ball bearings might ask, “What could possibly be on it?”

As we continue to celebrate our 75th anniversary year, as well as mark the end of Catholic Press Month, the staff of The B.C. Catholic have been taking advantage of this opportunity to introduce themselves and the newspaper to you.

What better way this week than to answer that perennial question: “A Catholic newspaper? What’s in it?”

Each week we try to give you a look at the most important developments in:

• 80 parishes.

• 50 elementary and secondary schools.

• 2 Catholic colleges.

• 30 women’s religious orders.

• 12 men’s religious orders.

• 7 health care institutions.

• 1 seminary.

• 1 monastery.

• 1 retreat centre.

• 1 Catholic cemetery.

• More than a dozen curia agencies.

• More than a dozen Catholic charities.

• Catholic chaplaincy work with travellers, the disabled, prisoners, and patients.

• Catholic associations such as the Catholic Health Association of B.C. and the Catholic Civil Rights League.

• Catholic organizations such as K of C and CWL.

• Movements such as Cursillo, Focolare, Opus Dei, Catholic Christian Outreach, Charismatic Renewal, Courage, CCODP, El Shaddai, Marriage Encounter, and Serra, to just scratch the surface.

We also report on the significant milestones of nearly 200 priests, more than 150 religious, and a Catholic population of over 400,000.

Then there is the work of Catholics in their secular employment, education, and activities.

All of that’s just for starters. There are six other dioceses in British Columbia that we also keep an eye on.

In addition, there are more than 70 dioceses across the country that we’re tapped into, thanks to our colleagues at Canadian Catholic News, the co-operative of Catholic newspapers that stretches from Nova Scotia to Victoria.

We have regular news from the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops and from Parliament Hill, ably covered by our Ottawa bureau chief Deborah Gyapong.

Of course Catholic means universal, so we have news of concern to the Church from around the world, from Rome and the activities of the Holy Father to events across the border, all superbly handled by Catholic News Service and its member publications across North America.

During our special anniversary year, the staff of The B.C. Catholic are spending some timing reflecting on what we do, and considering ways we might do a better job. We can’t report on every event, activity, and development going on everywhere, but we can try to give you a representative sample of how exciting it is to be part of the Church, especially in this archdiocese.

In his first message for World Communications Day, Pope Benedict XVI reflected on the idea of the media as a network facilitating communication, communion, and co-operation.

As part of that communication, we want to hear from you. If you have suggestions on how we can do a better job, don’t hesitate to let us know. The best way is by sending us a note through the Submissions button on our web site at http://bcc.rcav.org.

Thanks for reading.