THE CATHOLIC JOURNALIST - Dirxionnow.dirxion.com/Catholic_Press_Association/library/Catholic_Press... · Postemployees, Bezos did three things: 1) He pledged to uphold the values

THE CATHOLIC JOURNALISTCATHOLIC PRESS ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA | VOLUME 65 | NUMBER 9 | NOVEMBER 2013

DeFrancesco

By Patrick Scalisi

Offering readers an opportunity to be published throughyour magazine, newspaper or website can be a great way toengage your audience and create more of a two-way streetbetween content providers and consumers.

Columbia, published monthly by the Knights ofColumbus, has been using its inside back cover to engagewith the magazine’s audience for more than 10 years. The

“Building a BetterWorld” photo spotlightoffers readers theopportunity to submitoutstanding photos ofactivities undertakenby their local K of Cunits, providing anice boost for theunits themselvesand giving the

magazine access to some great local photography.

This feature began in February 2002 when Carl A.Anderson, the supreme knight and CEO of the 1.8-million member fraternal organization, askedthen-editor Tim S. Hickey to highlight the charitablework of local councils in a more dramatic way.According to Hickey, who was recently ordained apriest for the Archdiocese of Hartford, Anderson“really stressed the need for action photos — guysphysically doing something as opposed to giving acheck — in order to demonstrate what Columbiancharity is all about.” The theme of “Building aBetter World” reflects the emphasis that PopeJohn Paul II (and, later, Pope Benedict XVI andPope Francis) placed on what he called “buildinga civilization of love.”

Furthermore, the photo spotlight demonstrates thecreativity of Knights at the grassroots level and reinforcesthe idea that there are many opportunities for members and their families to serve their communities.

Concept changed with the timesThe photo feature has undergone a few changes over the

years as the magazine’s overall design has evolved. Itscurrent iteration mirrors the frame and heading formatfound in Columbia’s interior. The photos each month arepersonally selected by Anderson, the magazine’s publisher,based on a pool of candidates assembled by the editors. Andjudging by the multitude of submissions received eachmonth, readers are enthusiastic about submitting their shotsfor consideration.

Can a similar feature help your media outlet better engagewith its audience? Consider the following steps:

• Meet with your staff to see if reader-generated content isright for your outlet. Do you currently get a lot of feedbackabout your newspaper, magazine, website or blog? Are peoplecommenting or writing letters to the editor? How can you leverage this content to better engage your readers?

• Make sure solicitations for content are consistent andfeature clear contact information. Columbia’s “Building aBetter World” spotlight, for instance, has a mailing andemail address on every issue.

• Think beyond photos. If you have a blog that allowscomments, perhaps your best approach is to highlight a“comment of the day” or “comment of the week.” If yourmagazine or diocesan paper accepts letters to the editor,perhaps you can showcase a “featured letter” in each issue.Or if you’re using social media, you can draw attention tonotable tweets, Instagram photos or Facebook posts.

As journalists know from experience, each media outlet isdifferent; what works for one may not succeed for another.Regardless, readers love having the opportunity to engagewith their favorite magazines, newspapers and websites. Theuse of reader-submitted content is an often-overlookedresource and a potential goldmine for building audienceinterest and generating more engaged readers.

Patrick Scalisi is the senior editor of Columbia magazine.

As journalists knowfrom experience, each

media outlet isdifferent; what works

for one may notsucceed for another.

You too can put READERS in the spotlightColumbia magazine has proven tool to connect with its audience

Columbia, May 2012

President’smessage

Baseball,Amazonand

CatholicnewspapersStrange bedfellowshold a commonbelief in the newsBy Rob DeFrancescoCPA President

What do the owner of astoried baseball franchise,the founder of aninternational e-commercecompany and the spiritualleader of a millionCatholics in southernCalifornia all have incommon?

They all believe in thetransformative power ofthe news media on thecommunity.

John W. Henry, owner ofthe Boston Red Sox,recently purchased TheBoston Globe for $70million from The NewYork Times Company. Inan Oct. 27 op-ed for the141-year-old newspaper,Henry goes into detailabout his motivationsbehind his decision andwhy he prefers to think ofit as having “joined theGlobe, not purchased it.”

Some highlights:“I invested in the Globe

because I believe deeply inthe future of this greatcommunity, and the Globeshould play a vital role indetermining that future.”

Please turn to page 2

The Catholic Journalist November 2013

Executive Director: Timothy M. [email protected]

Editor: Bob [email protected]

SubscriptionsUS: $18 • Canada: US $24

Foreign: US $24 • Foreign Air: US $24

The Catholic Journalist (USPS# 014-088, ISSN# 0008-8129) ispublished monthly, except the month of August, by the CatholicPress Association of the United States and Canada, 205 WestMonroe Street, Suite 470, Chicago, IL 60606. Nonprofit Periodicalpostage paid at Chicago, IL 60606 and additional mailing offices.

Postmaster, send changes to:Catholic Press Association

205 West Monroe, Ste. 470, Chicago, IL 60606.Ph: 312.380.6789; Fax: 312.361.0256.

[email protected] • www.catholicpress.org

THE CATHOLICJOURNALIST

Continued from page 1

“I soon realized thatone of the key things thepaper needed in order toprosper was private, localownership, passionateabout its mission. And sodecisions about TheBoston Globe are nowbeing made here inBoston. The obligation isnow to readers and localresidents, not to distantshareholders.”

“Today, reliableinformation has neverbeen more valuable. Anewspaper needs toprovide the breadth ofperspective and diligentanalysis that gets to theheart of what is going onin our world.”

“The new-medialandscape is chock full ofopinions, from everyTwitter account toFacebook page topolitical website. Yetthere is often very littlefresh thinking to findamid all this clutter.Providing meaningfulpoints of view that matterto our lives, through ourcolumnists and informededitorials, is a crucialpart of the Globe’smission. While trust is acornerstone of newsreporting, integrity is atthe heart of opinionwriting. Our GlobeStandard will be whatdistinguishes us.”

I could go on. Read thepiece for yourself here:http://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/2013/10/27/why-bought-globe/QmFHhvRGFajQh1oMcAJ64M/story.html

Amazon founder, tooOver the summer,

Amazon.com founder JeffBezos bought The

Washington Post for acool $250 million. Thepurchase was a hugesurprise to just abouteveryone — particularlyfrom a guy who runs theworld’s largest Internetretailer, no less.

In his Aug. 5 letter toPost employees, Bezosdid three things: 1) Hepledged to uphold thevalues and journalisticintegrity of theWashington, D.C. paper;2) Bezos acknowledgedthe obstacles faced bymany newspapers,challenges that requireingenuity and courage toovercome; and 3) helauded the role that

journalism plays and itsimpact on the lives of acommunity.

“There is no map, andcharting a path aheadwill not be easy. We willneed to invent, whichmeans we will need toexperiment,” Bezos’letter reads. “Ourtouchstone will bereaders, understandingwhat they care about —government, localleaders, restaurantopenings, scout troops,businesses, charities,governors, sports — andworking backwards fromthere.”

Yes, Bezos stated to

Post employees that theyshould expect changes inhow they do things, buthis approach appears tobe one of a getting back-to-basics mentality, offocusing on the thingsthat matter most to theirreaders.

From monthly to weekly

Finally, Bishop KevinVann announced in earlyOctober that his diocesannewspaper, the OrangeCounty Catholic, wouldincrease its frequencyfrom a monthly to aweekly — and that it willbe distributed to every

Catholic household inthe 1.2-million-memberDiocese of Orange.

What is going on here?

“Our Catholicpopulation has grownexponentially over thepast several decades.This growth has requiredour diocese to look at allaspects of the care weprovide the faithful, fromChurch buildings to howCatholics communicate,share information andcelebrate together,”Bishop Vann said. “TheOrange County Catholicnewspaper is a majorpart of this fabric thatunites our community

together and reflects andbuilds culture andcommunity.”

This investment in theCatholic communitycomes from a newpartnership between theDiocese of Orange andChurm CustomPublishing, a division ofmedia company FreedomCommunications Inc.Churm is responsible forthe production,advertising sales anddistribution, while theOrange County Catholicstaff will handle editorialcontent.

So here we have threevery different leaderscoming to the sameconclusion, with thecourage to back up theirbeliefs with majorinvestments innewspapers for thebetterment of theirrespective communities.

Do these examples ofleadership, of investmentand of commitment tothe community signify atrend? Or is it all just an anomaly? Time willtell.

But if we truly believethat our work asCatholic journalists isone of evangelism and ofbuilding up ourcommunity, then wemust be creative anddiligent in creating apath forward.

Rob DeFrancesco is thepresident of the CatholicPress Association,associate publisher ofThe Catholic Sun andthe director ofcommunications for theDiocese of Phoenix. Sendhim email: [email protected]. Followhim on Twitter: @robdefran.

Diocese of Orange in good company believing in the value of newspapers

“. . . here we havethree very

different leaderscoming to the

same conclusion,with the courageto back up their

beliefs with majorinvestments innewspapers for

the betterment oftheir respectivecommunities.”

CPA statement on the occasion of the 70th wedding anniversary of Jim and Ethel Doyle

The Catholic Press Association of the United Statesand Canada, acting in accord with the resolutionadopted by and in its Annual Convention in June2013 in Denver, Colorado, as attested by thesignatures of its President and Executive Director,with affection and admiration notes that Ethel andJames Doyle will celebrate the seventiethanniversary of their wedding in October.

No mention in Catholic communications circles ofEthel and Jim Doyle can forget Jim’s long, highlyeffective, and extraordinarily service to theAssociation as Executive Director for so many years,nor Ethel’s own caring involvement with Associationactivity and with its members. The Association’srobustness for three decades, and through its serviceto member publications the well-being and worthyservice to the Church by the Catholic print medium,in great measure are attributed to Jim Doyle, always

supported, encouraged, assisted and inspired by hiswife.

It is to Jim and Ethel, devoted Catholics, Christiandisciples, exemplary spouses, man and woman ofprinciple, wise and loving parents, loyal friends to somany who love them, that the Association on thisoccasion primarily directs its attention.

Seven decades have passed since the Lord of lifewas with them in their day at Cana, and they havebeen with the Lord each day since. May the Lord bewith them most especially on their anniversary. Maythe Lord be with every hour of their lives ahead.May the Lord be with their children and with theirchildren. With their children, including those, wepray, who are now with the Lord in the heavenlykingdom, this Association rejoices!

Congratulations, Jim and Ethel, colleagues andbeloved friends. God bless you!

November 2013 The Catholic Journalist Page 3

Grant money now available to boost bothdiocesan publications and communicationsNew Communication Consultation Initiative for strategic planning added to familiar CPA peer consultation service; Q & A explains program, benef its By Tim WalterCPA Executive Director

We are pleased to an-nounce that the CPA hasreceived a $75,000 grantto assist diocesan organi-zations with a pro-activecommunication strategy.As a major benefit of CPAmembership, our membersare eligible to receive upto $12,000 in program as-sistance. The grant moneymay be used for the wellknow CPA Peer Consulta-tion and now for the newCommunication Consulta-tion Initiative.

Included for your reviewis a description of the newCommunication Consulta-tion service. If your com-munication departmentand diocesan organiza-tions are looking to de-velop a communicationplan, please feel free tocontact me at any timeabout the process and theestimated benefits of eachprogram.

CatholicCommunicationConsultationInitiative

The Catholic Communi-cation Consultation Initia-tive (CCCI) is sponsoredby the USCCB Depart-ment of Communications,the Catholic Press Associ-ation of the United States

and Canada (CPA), andthe Catholic Academy ofCommunication Profes-sionals (CA). The Initia-tive’s goal is to helpdioceses and other Churchorganizations becomemore effective in theircommunications work,while being good stewardsof limited financial andhuman resources.

What is the initiative?We have developed a

tool kit to assist Catholiccommunications offices increating strategic commu-nications plans. Partici-pating organizations canmove from reacting toevents and circumstances,to a proactive strategywith increased impact.The tool kit offers ways tominimize the time spenton planning, while makingit more intentional and

routine, resulting in moreeffective use of time andresources.

What kind of planningdoes the initiativeoffer?

Research has shown usthat diocesan communica-tion professionals recog-nize the value of strategicplanning, but many saidthey did not have thetime, skills or resources toengage in what they be-lieved to be a time-con-suming process thatultimately did not impacttheir daily work.

We offer four planningmodels to meet differentneeds and resources. Themodels were developed inpilots funded by theCatholic CommunicationsCampaign (CCC).Three ofthe models are now avail-able: Self-directed,Streamlined and Tradi-tional. We are also in theprocess of developingself-guided materials thatyou can use to create yourown plan.

Will there besomeone to help us?

Yes, at least one experi-enced consultant is as-signed to each planningproject. The consultantswill be coordinated by the

administrative offices ofthe CPA.

What will be requiredof my office?

The time commitmentwill be determined by you.Key staff from your officewill work with the plan-ning consultant to createthe plan. This requires aminimum of three to fiveconference calls and two tothree in-person visitswith the consultant, andtime spent between meet-ings. More extensive con-sultations can requireseveral full days onsite.

How long does theplanning processtake?

This depends upon thespecific situation. Mostplans are completed infour to eight months.

What are the costs?Costs are determined by

the level of supportneeded. The four levelsbelow are from least ex-pensive (self-directed) tomost expensive (tradi-tional).

1. Self-directed — usematerials providedthrough the USCCB De-partment of Communica-tions’ closed social

network, http://community.usccb.org. Thislevel will not be availableuntil third quarter of2014, after piloting hasbeen completed and ana-lyzed. There is no fee forthis service.

2. Plan review — youdevelop the plan, using ei-ther the materials pro-vided by USCCB orothers, and a consultantreviews and provides feed-back. Estimated cost: $475to $730, depending uponyour organization’s statuswith the sponsoring organ-izations.

3. Streamlined — con-sultant provides equiva-lent of 35 hours inassisting you in develop-ing a plan. This could in-clude a very brief onlinesurvey. You provide re-sources in organizing andconsulting with your col-leagues, audiences andstaff. This includes costsfor a maximum of oneon-site visit. Estimatedcost: $2,900 to $4,260, de-pending upon your organi-zation’s status with thesponsoring organizations.

4. Traditional — con-sultant provides equiva-lent of 70 hours, includingassessments, research andanalysis, writing the draftand revisions for plan.

This includes costs for amaximum of four dayson-site. Estimated cost:$9,900 to $12,350, depend-ing upon your organiza-tion’s status with thesponsoring organizationsand if a survey is used(survey costs $5,000). Thesurvey would be onlineand a summary report pro-vided; subgroup analysiswould be billed separately.

A grant by the CatholicCommunication Campaignwill be available to qualifying organizations.The amount will dependupon whether the entity contributes to the CCCand if it is a member ofthe Catholic Academy orthe CPA. However, theCCC grant requires the requesting organization (diocese or other Catholicmedia organization) tofund some costs.

Who should we contact if we want tolearn more?

The initiative is beingadministered by the CPAstaff, on behalf of theCCC, the USCCB Communications Department, the CPA andthe Catholic Academy.Please contact Tim Walterat 312.380.6786 or [email protected] more information.

Walter

WESTCompiled by Rob DeFrancescoThe Catholic SunWest region representative

British ColumbiaPaul Schratz, communi-

cations director for theArchdiocese of Vancouver,reports that an appealfrom the CanadianCatholic Organization forDevelopment and Peaceand the Canadian Confer-ence of Catholic Bishopsresulted in Catholics do-nating $318,000 to go to-ward health services,sanitation and shelter forSyrian refugees inLebanon and Jordan. Itwas the largest amountraised by any diocese inthe national collection,which brought in morethan $1.8 million acrossCanada.

ColoradoThe Colorado Catholic

Herald in ColoradoSprings, Colo., just com-pleted a two-week Year ofFaith Pilgrimage to Italy

Oct. 14-27, hosted by thepaper and Bishop MichaelSheridan. More than 120pilgrims from severalstates visited Assisi,Siena, Rome, Florence,Padua and Venice. TheHerald worked with SelectInternational to arrangethe successful pilgrimage,which also earned theHerald a healthy commis-sion. “If your publicationneeds alternative revenuestreams, definitely con-

sider hosting a pilgrim-age,” said Bill Howard, ed-itor in chief.

CaliforniaThe Diocese of Orange

recently entered into anew agreement withChurm Custom Publish-ing, which makes the com-pany the publisher of thediocesan newspaper, theOrange County Catholic.

Orange County Catholicstaff will handle the edito-

rial duties for the diocesannewspaper, and ChurmCustom Publishing willoversee the design, print-ing, ad sales and distribu-tion.

In addition to its circu-lation to local parisheswithin Orange County, theOrange County Catholicwill also be available on afree opt-in basis for Or-ange County Registerseven-day subscribers.

The 24-page OrangeCounty Catholic newspa-per will include in-depthfeatures on leaders,trends, activities, familylife, the faith experienceand culture present withinthe 62 parishes andCatholic centers, 42schools and ministries ofthe Diocese of Orange. Itis also aimed at helpingreaders understand howlarger news developmentsimpact the more than 1.2million Catholics living inOrange County. A four-page Spanish translation

of key contents will also beincluded in every issue.

“Our Catholic popula-tion has grown exponen-tially over the past severaldecades. This growth hasrequired our diocese tolook at all aspects of thecare we provide the faith-ful, from Church buildingsto how Catholics commu-nicate, share informationand celebrate together,”Bishop Kevin W. Vannsaid in a news release an-nouncing the initiative.

The Orange CountyCatholic is a 13 year-oldnewspaper that was pub-lished on a monthly basisby Los Angeles-based TheTidings, which also pro-duces a weekly newspaperpublished by the Archdio-cese of Los Angeles.

CatholicMom.comfounder and editor LisaHendey, a recipient of theCatholic Relief ServicesEgan Fellowship Award,recently returned from atrip to Rwanda where

Egan Fellows studied cur-rent developments on theeve of the 20th anniver-sary of the Rwandan geno-cide, as well as anoverview of CRS programsin Rwanda. Hendeyshared this experiencewith CatholicMom.comreaders via social mediaand on the blog and willcontinue to write onRwandan issues through-out the next severalmonths. Other recipientsincluded Kerry Weber, as-sociate editor at AmericaMagazine, Michelle Bau-man of Catholic NewsAgency/EWTN and RonLajoie of Catholic NewYork.

More here:http://catholictourist.com/wrd/author/lhendey/

CatholicMom.com con-tinues to welcome newcontributors, including anew student intern fromthe Communication Artsprogram of FranciscanUniversity atSteubenville.

November 2013 • The Catholic Journalist Page 5

MAKINGMAKINGCHANGESCHANGES

The Catholic Journalist asked CPA members to tell us about theirrecent redesigns. These are two we

learned about.

New online editionsfor Denver in BOTHSpanish AND EnglishBy Rob DeFrancesco

After a little more than four months of development, the Den-ver Catholic Register and El Pueblo Católico now boast entirelynew digital properties: www.DenverCatholicRegister.org andwww.elPuebloCatolico.org. It’s a proud moment in the Register’s113-year history, said Karna Swanson, director of communica-tions for the Archdiocese of Denver.

“Our new online editions will be the perfect complement to ourprint products,” Karna said. “We’ll be able to our readers morenews, faster, while expanding our reach as we better serve theGospel on what Pope Benedict XVI dubbed ‘the digital conti-nent.’”

The Archdiocese of Denver’s communications team opted for aWordPress multi-site installation, allowing for ease of contentadministration for the two sister sites. Fivable, a “multidiscipli-nary web agency,” crafted a sleek, modern design as lean and re-sponsive as the firm itself.

Just as exciting as its new look, though, are the powerful cus-tomizations in the administrative panel. For example, reporterscan now submit drafts for either print or web via one interface,and their production manager can download a file ready for lay-out in Adobe InDesign.

See for yourselves at www.denvercatholicregister.org andwww.elpueblocatolico.org.

The WHY andthe WHAT behindthe new look ofThe Catholic SpiritBy Joe Towalski

For the last several months the publications team ofthe Office of Communications of the Archdiocese of St.Paul and Minneapolis has been working to redesign thenewspaper to better serve readers.

Why redesign? There are several reasons.It’s been seven years since the last restyling of The

Catholic Spirit. Newspapers, like all other media, needto make adjustments periodically to better serve their

audiences and more effectively fulfill their missions in arapidly changing media landscape.

We wanted to make the newspaper easier to read andnavigate, so you’ll notice a crisper, cleaner look to thesection headings and story layout. We’ll also be includingmore of what readers repeatedly have told us they wantto see in the paper: inspirational stories of our Catholicfaith being lived out here in our archdiocese and clear,accurate information about what our Church teachesand why.

Also, we wanted to add new content that appeals toyouth and young adults. The redesign includes a pagegeared specifically to young readers and topics ofinterest to them.

And, we wanted to better integrate what we do in thenewspaper with our online presence atTheCatholicSpirit.com, on our CatholicHotdish.com blogsite and our social media sites. This also will assist us tobe more successful in reaching younger audiences — andthe rapidly growing number of older adults — whoreceive nearly all of their news and information online.

To that end, we also have redesigned theTheCatholicSpirit.com for easier navigation and so thatthe website and newspaper align more closely from avisual and content perspective.

What’s new?You will see new sections and new content throughout

the newspaper:n Page 1: The first change you likely will notice is at

the top of the page. The Catholic Spirit’s name flag hasbeen modernized and includes our website address. Inaddition to a lead news or feature story, the page alsohighlights six other stories in that edition — three in thetop bar, and three more at the bottom of the page. Thisgives readers a quick look at the top articles appearingin each edition.n Page Two: Aptly found on page 2 of each issue, this

section features photos, newsmaker quotes and brieflocal news items as well as what’s new on our socialmedia sites. Archbishop John Nienstedt’s column, whichpreviously appeared on page 2, can now be found onpage 3.n From the Archbishop: By moving Archbishop

Nienstedt’s column to page 3, we are able to providemore space for messages from him and include relatedinformation, such as his schedule, changes in priestassignments, and other important archdiocesan newsitems. n Local: We continue to place an emphasis on local

news — something our readers tell us they like, andwould like to see even more of from us. Each edition willinclude several pages of news and feature storieshighlighting the faith as it’s lived in this local Church.n What Works: This section highlights “best practices”

in parishes and schools — projects and programscurrently showing successful results. The goal is to giveparishes and schools an opportunity to share ideas forbeing more effective or efficient in the ministries theyprovide.n Next Gen: Short for “Next Generation,” this section

gives local youth and young adults an opportunity towrite about how their Catholic faith inspires them andhow they are helping to make the name of Jesus Christknown and loved in the world today. Although wealways strive to ensure that all of the content of TheCatholic Spirit will be of value to readers of all ages, thisnew section also features stories on topics of particularinterest to young Catholics. n Calendar: Because the number of items submitted

for the Calendar section continues to increase andexceed what we are able to print in each edition, theredesigned Calendar section focuses on events andopportunities of interest to the widest number ofCatholics in the archdiocese. Individual parish-focused

Please turn to page 6


MIDWEST

Compiled byJoe TowalskiThe CatholicSpiritMidwest region representative

IllinoisThe Observer in

the Diocese ofRockford wonnine awards inthe Northern Illi-nois NewspaperContest, includ-ing two firstplaces. The entirestaff as well aseditor PennyWiegert, news ed-itor Amanda Hud-son and featuresand multimediaeditor SharonBoehlefeld werehonored.

The diocese’sCommunicationsOffice also re-cently added atranslator and as-sistant, Mar-garita Mendoza,to the staff. Shealso has helpedwith coverage ofdiocesan eventsand manages theSpanish Facebookpage, Diocesis.de.Rock-ford.

The Catholic Post inPeoria produced a musicvideo that was releasedon All Souls’ Day and fea-tures 50 reader-submit-ted images of loved oneswho died within the lastyear. Providing musicalbackground as the im-ages appear is an originalsong, “No More Good-byes,” composed and sungby Tom Dermody, editorof The Catholic Post.

The video, a Year ofFaith project for thenewspaper, was placed onYouTube and promotedvia social media on Nov.2. On Facebook the videolink also invited followersof The Catholic Post toput the names of de-parted loved ones theyare especially remember-ing this year in the com-ment sections to spurcommunity prayer. ByNov. 6, the video was ap-

proaching 1,000 views onYouTube.

“It’s been such a re-warding project,” saidDermody. “The feedbackfrom the families hasbeen wonderful. They arehappy their loved onesare being remembered.”

Dermody said he cameto feel a “spiritual kin-ship” with those picturedand their families as thevideo was produced.

In correspondences be-fore and after the video’srelease, “the familieshave felt free to sharetheir grief, their faith,and very personal storiesabout their loved ones,”Dermody said.

The video will remainon thecatholicpost.comthrough November. ItsYouTube address ishttp://youtu.be/4uVLvTv3yd8.

North DakotaThe first-ever THIRST

2013 Eucharistic Confer-

ence Oct. 25-27 was a bigsuccess for the BismarckDiocese, said MatthewKurtz, director of commu-nications and editor ofDakota Catholic Action.

More than 7,000 peoplewere in attendance forCardinal Timothy Dolan’skeynote address, which isnow posted on the Bis-marck Diocese YouTubechannel. Other keynotepresenters included ScottHahn, Edward Sri, Mar-garett Schlientz andMsgr. James Shea, presi-dent of the University ofMary in Bismarck. Astrong contingent of live-tweeters engaged in con-versation about#THIRST2013 through-out the event. All talksfrom the conference willbe posted at bismarckdio-cese.com.

NationalThe Conrad N. Hilton

Foundation has awardeda grant of $2.3 million

over three years that willallow the NationalCatholic Reporter Pub-lishing Co. to embark ona ground-breaking projectto give greater voice toCatholic sisters aroundthe globe.

With the grant, NCRplans to build a networkof editors and reportersto write about women re-ligious and also helpthem develop their owncommunication skills byworking with them ascolumnists who reporttheir own missions andchallenges, said SaraWiercinski, NCR’s mar-keting manager.

NCR plans to create awebsite dedicated to thesisters’ stories and voicesand will also includesome of its content onNCR’s other media plat-forms. The new websitewill serve as a tool thatsisters can use to buildand enhance their owncommunication networks.

Continued from page 5

items are listed online in an expandedCalendar section of TheCatholicSpirit.com,where we have virtually unlimited space tohighlight events. This change allows us to doa much better job of meeting the requests ofour 188 parishes, 91 schools and nearly 100different Catholic organizations andapostolates that regularly request promotionof events and meetings. We appreciate yoursupport as we make a change thatwillultimately serve our Catholic communitymuch better! A Calendar section QR code ineach print edition will take mobile phoneusers directly to the page. n Seeking Answers: Part of the new Focus onFaith section devoted to catechesis and faithformation, “Seeking Answers” features aQ&A column about the faith written by twopriests, who will alternately appear. Thewriters are Father Michael Schmitz, directorof youth and young adult ministry in theDiocese of Duluth, and Father KennethDoyle, a columnist for Catholic News Service. n Commentary: New to the This Catholic

Life commentary section is the “SocialConcerns” column focusing on the fullspectrum of Catholic social teaching. Once amonth, this column will feature a writeraddressing a key topic of Catholic socialteaching: from pro-life and poverty issues, forexample, to family life and responsiblestewardship of God’s creation. n Faith & Culture: Much like The Catholic

Spirit’s old Arts & Culture section, this partof the newspaper will feature book and moviereviews and stories about art and music. Butthe Faith & Culture section also will includestories about how the Church is transformingand enriching the culture in areas such asscience, business and family life, as well ashow Catholics are putting the NewEvangelization into practice to engage andchange the culture for the better.n The Last Word: Located on the back page

of every issue, this section features a column,news story or feature article on a timely andsubstantive faith-related topic.

Commitment to excellence

The Catholic Spirit’s redesigned printedition and website continue the history ofexcellence to Catholic journalism and serviceto the archdiocese that began in 1911 withthe Catholic Bulletin, the predecessor of TheCatholic Spirit.

At times, during the last century, the lookand content of the newspaper has beenchanged and updated to improve the ways inwhich it conveys the Gospel message. Thisnew, cleaner look will help advance thatmessage today.

Our Rediscover: center section, launchedlast January, will continue. And we willmaintain our focus on helping Catholics ofthis archdiocese to understand the faith more deeply while inspiring them to share it withothers.

New web look, tooIn addition to redesigning the print edition,

the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolishas also given TheCatholicSpirit.com afacelift. According to editor Joe Towalski,you’ll notice a cleaner look that allows foreasier navigation and better alignment withthe print edition from a visual and contentperspective.

The new site was designed for easierviewing on mobile devices such assmartphones and tablets, and it features afaster loading time than the previous site.

Take a tour of www.TheCatholicSpirit.comto learn more about what the site has to offer.

Catholic Spirit redesign

Essential elements of a marketing planSituation Summary: What is our current situation? Whathas changed or is about to?

Objectives: What specifically do we hope to accomplish?Prioritize and identify two or three primary goals.

Challenges: What are the biggest obstacles to successthat our plan needs to address?

Key messages: What do we want to say to our audience,focusing on benefits to the audience, not the features ofour story?

Target Audience: Exactly with whom are we hoping to

communicate or influence?

Action Plan: What strategies or tactics are we going touse, and who is responsible for each component?

Timeline: Develop a calendar that breaks each task intoparts with deadlines, making sure the schedule includestime for comments from others invsolved, possible alter-ations and final approval.

Budget: Calculate all costs, getting a sufficient numberof bids/estimates. Require vendors to sign contracts thatspell our responsibilities, deadlines and fees.

November 2013 The Catholic Journalist Page 7

From outof the pastcomes theRagin’ CajunBy Deacon Henry Libersat

As a past member andboard member of theCatholic Press Association,I am thrilled with TheCatholic Journalist, itsbreadth of membershipcoverage and, especiallythe emphasis onevangelization in theSeptember 2013 issue.

Patrick O’Brien from theLansing Archdiocese’sFAITH has done us a greatservice in coining thephrase, “contentevangelists.”

Throughout my 40 yearsas writer, ad salesman,editor and businessmanager in Louisiana andFlorida, I considered theCatholic Press as the 29thchapter of the Acts of theApostles. As did Luke, weare recording thecontemporary glories andpains of our Church, theBody of Christ.

Pardon me, Pat, but ashappy as I am with yourfront page article, I musttake a bit of a charitablejab at all of us desk jockeys.

If we are not personally“active evangelists,” we arenot fulfilling the call ofChrist to “make disciples ofall nations.” As I teach,preach, blog and writebooks, I try to helpCatholics come out of theirshells and to proclaim theirfaith in Jesus Christ andtheir fidelity to our Church.

I recall with no littlechagrin Jesus’ commentthat if we are ashamed ofhim he will be ashamed ofus (Cf. Mk 8:38). And inthat light, as I’ve visitedparishes around the nation,I’ve asked the pointedquestion: “Have you ever,in confessing your sins,confessed that you havefailed to share your faithwith others?”

There is no doubt thatPat is correct in hisdiscernment of “contentevangelists.” I wouldfurther urge, however, twothings.

First, become more

aware of our own personalneed to grow in intimacywith the Lord Jesus and tobecome comfortable insharing our faith withothers.

Second, as “contentevangelists,” let’s us oureditorial space to help laypeople become ever morecommitted to their God andtheir Catholic faith —andto their privilege and dutyto bring the salvation, wonby Jesus, to others. Thatmeans that the publicationand its staff are activeevangelists promotingactive evangelization.

Deacon Henry Libersat isthe retired editor of TheFlorida Catholic, past CPAboard member and authorof 16 books, the latest byServant Books, “Catholicand Confident, SimpleSteps to Share Your Faith.”He ministers at St. MaryMagdalen Parish,Altamonte Springs, Dioceseof Orlando. He preachesdeacons’ retreats andparish missions.

Photogs canhelp bridalcouple stayin the momentBy Molly Gallegos

Thank you for printingthe article by Sam Luceroin [the October 2013] issueof The Catholic Journaliston the role ofphotographers (andvideographers) at religiousweddings. It is animportant issue that is notaddressed enough byphotographers, engagedcouples and celebrants.

Mr. Lucero reminds usthat in the Catholic Presswe are to set an example of

reverence and respect forthe ceremony, somethingnot often seen in secularweddings and sadly lackingin many religiousceremonies with secularphotographers. I couldn’tagree more. In this “me-centered” era of peopleconstantly recording andsharing themselves andtheir actions, weddings andmany other life momentshave been reduced tocinematic opportunities toshow-off, greatlydiminishing the value ofthe actual experience ofthose moments.

When I was studyingmedia art in college and itwas time for the segmenton wedding photography,we learned thefundamental differencebetween experiencingmoments and documentingthem. You can’t do both.And while it’s logical thatbrides (and grooms) wantto capture every moment oftheir special day, it’sfundamentally impossiblefor a photographer tocapture the emotions andexperience from thecouple’s point of view. Andisn’t that what they wantto remember? How the daylooked to them, not thephotographer? And sobecause we (as an outsideobserver) can only capturewhat we see “from afar,” wewere taught to talk to thebride and groom ahead oftime about how and whichspecial moments should bephotographed. Forexample, the final kiss onthe altar is a charmingmoment and easy tophotograph duringapplause. But the sincerityof the vows before Godcan’t possibly be capturedon film, so that is a timewhen the photographershould step away.

Years from now whenmemory begins to fade, wewant our photographs toremind the happy couple oftheir emotions andexperiences of thatmonumental day — notreplace them. It is theirstories and memories theyshould want to pass on totheir children andgrandchildren, not awobbly video taken fromthe balcony.

Molly Gallegos isproduction manager ofCatholic New York, NewYork City.

SOUTH

Get in on the conversationHave a comment about something you see in TheCatholic Journalist?

Have an idea or a thought to share with CatholicPress Association members?

Here’s the address:

[email protected]

Letters tothe Editor

Compiled by Malea HargettArkansas CatholicSouth Region representative

OklahomaArchbishop Paul

Coakley announced “GoMake Disciples” as thenew, five-year visionstatement of theArchdiocese of OklahomaCity in a pastoral letterOct. 7. The pastoralletter appeared as aspecial section of theSooner Catholic. Thepastoral letter is alsoavailable in booklet formor can be downloaded atwww.archokc.org.

In conjunction withArchbishop Coakley’sproclamation, the Officeof Communications re -leased a three-minutevideo. Housed at www.archokc.org, the videoconveys “who we are,”“what we believe” and“where we are headed”as an archdiocese.

The Office ofCommunications alsorecently launched aweekly Sooner Catholice-newsletter. Powered byFlockNote.com, the e-newsletter alreadyboasts more than 2,000subscribers andcontinues to gainsubscribers on a daily

basis. To subscribe to itor to other lists of theArchdiocese of OklahomaCity, please visitwww.flocknote.com/archokc. This month, thearchdiocese also passedthe 1,000 fans andfollowers mark on bothFacebook (www.facebook.com/archokc) andTwitter (www.twitter.com/archokc).

Sooner Catholicphotographer and specialprojects editor CaraKoenig was named to theboard of the Associationof Catholic DiocesanArchivists.

North CarolinaThe Catholic News

Herald in Charlotte hadtwo births in lateOctober. Onlinereporter/SEO specialistKimberly Bender gavebirth to Isabella MaeBender, 5 lbs., 5 oz., 20inches long, on Oct. 25.

Communicationsassistant Erika Robinsongave birth to CarterMatthew Robinson, 6lbs., 6 oz., 22 inches long,on Oct. 30.

VirginiaThe Arlington Catholic

Herald will publish aspecial issue Nov. 21 thatwill include a pastoralletter on evangelizationby Bishop Paul S.Loverde. It will bemailed to 140,000households in theArlington Diocese, anincrease of 80,000 abovethe paper’s normal pressrun. The paper hiredMary Stachyra-Lopez asits new social mediacoordinator. Stachyra-Lopez has a bachelor’sdegree in English fromBenedictine College inAtchison, Kan., and amaster’s degree injournalism from the CityUniversity of New York.

To whom and where to send news aboutCPA members and member publicationsEAST REGION:

Mark [email protected]

MIDWEST REGIONJoe [email protected]

WEST REGIONRob [email protected]

SOUTH REGIONMalea [email protected]


Oldest Catholicmission magazinecelebrates its125-year historyBy Mark Zimmermann

The gathering hymn for the Nov. 2 Mass celebratingthe 125th anniversary of The Josephite Harvest maga-zine was, “We’ve Come This Far by Faith,” sung by thegospel choir from St. Francis Xavier Church in Balti-more.

Baltimore Archbishop William E. Lori, the main cele-brant at the Mass at the Basilica of the National Shrineof the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the na-tion’s first Catholic cathedral, welcomed the 200 peoplecelebrating the milestone anniversary of the oldestCatholic mission magazine still being published today.

Noting the historic legacy of The Josephite Harvest,which was first published by in 1888 as The ColoredHarvest, Father William L. Norvel, the Josephites’ supe-rior general and the homilist at the Mass, said, “It hasdocumented the growth, struggles, and accomplish-ments of Blacks in the United States, particularly BlackCatholics, and it has documented the courageous and vi-sionary work of our priests and brothers over the years.”

The first four members of the Josephites, the Societyof the Sacred Heart of Jesus, had come to the UnitedStates in 1871, as missionaries devoted to ministering toand evangelizing the nation’s African-Americans, a pop-ulation that then included recently freed slaves.

“We were, in many ways, a symbol of God’s responseto the prayer of African-Americans for freedom, socialjustice and equality,” said Father Norvel, the order’sfirst African-American superior general and the onlyAfrican-American to ever head a Catholic religious orderof priests in the United States.

The order continues that work of evangelization in theAfrican-American community today, serving in 38parishes and 11 schools in the Gulf Coast, in California,Virginia, Washington, D.C., and in Baltimore, Md.,where the order is headquartered.

A voice for black CatholicsFather Norvel said that over the years, The Josephite

Harvest, which is now a quarterly publication, has con-tinued to tell the story of the nation’s Black Catholics.“When most dioceses in the United States would not ac-cept young black men or young black women into theseminary or convents, and blacks had to sit in the backpews as well as in the back of the bus; and public as wellas Catholic schools would not accept black children andCatholic fraternal organizations would not accept themeither . . . and when blacks were denied the right tovote, the Josephite Harvest affirmed to African-Ameri-cans that they were children of God and no less Catholicor American than anyone else,” the priest said.

During the 2013 anniversary year, The Josephite Har-vest has featured “What the Harvest Said,” a look backat how the magazine chronicled historic events, like theMarch on Washington in 1963, and Hurricane Katrinain 2005. After the assassination of Dr. Martin LutherKing Jr. in 1968, an editorial in the magazine noted,“Now this great voice has been stilled, and it is for us,the living, to carry on this message, that his dream maybe realized.”

That mission of the Josephites and their magazine toevangelize, provide pastoral care and work for social jus-tice for African Americans is even more vital today, Fa-ther Norvel said, noting that “black youth continue to bean endangered species . . . when almost 50 percent ofblack male youth drop out of high school and feed theprison pipeline.”

The order’s superior general expressed hope that,“With God’s help and grace, we will continue to tell thestories of African-American Catholics in The JosephiteHarvest for another 125 years.”

After the Mass at a reception celebrating the maga-

zine’s anniversary, Archbishop Lori and Father Norvelcut a cake, joined by Josephite Father Donald Fest, theorder’s director of communications and a member of theeditorial team for The Josephite Harvest. In an inter-view, Father Fest said the magazine continues thatwork of evangelizing and bringing a harvest of souls toGod.

The guests at the reception included many faithfulreaders of The Josephite Harvest, who said the maga-zine’s stories of the Josephites, their parishes andparishioners, have made a difference in their lives.

Josephite Father Michael Thompson, the order’s vicargeneral, said he grew up in a Josephite parish, SacredHeart in Port Arthur, Texas, and the magazine helpedhim learn about the work and ministry of the religiousorder he would later join.

Alan Wiggins, a member of St. Francis Xavier Parishin Baltimore, said The Josephite Harvest helps African-American Catholics understand their history, and theiropportunities to deepen their involvement in theCatholic Church. “It really lets us know were we camefrom, and where we’re going,” he said.

“When most dioceses in theUnited States would not

accept young black men oryoung black women into theseminary or convents, and

blacks had to sit in the backpews as well as in the back ofthe bus; and public as well asCatholic schools would notaccept black children and

Catholic fraternalorganizations would not

accept them either . . . andwhen blacks were denied theright to vote, the Josephite

Harvest affirmed to African-Americans that they werechildren of God and no lessCatholic or American than

anyone else.”

Photo courtesy Josephite HarvestAt a Nov. 2 reception celebrating the 125th anniversary of The Josephite Harvest magazine, JosephiteFather William Norvel (center), the order’s superior general, prepares to cut a cake, joined at left byBaltimore Archbishop William Lori, and at right by Father Donald Fest, the order’s director ofcommunications.

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