The demise of the Universe, a Catholic paper with 160 years of history, is both sad in itself and telling about the condition of the Catholic media in

Why Catholic journalism matters

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2021-07-30 10:00:04

The demise of the Universe, a Catholic paper with 160 years of history, is both sad in itself and telling about the condition of the Catholic media in Britain. The challenges faced by the Catholic press are several. The most practical is to do with Covid. Historically, religious papers relied on people buying copies from the back of churches, usually after Sunday Mass. This model is still important, notwithstanding the growth of digital subscriptions, which have been particularly useful – ours have risen by over 250 per cent in America in the last year. Indeed, the new media environment has resulted in new opportunities for Catholic podcasts and webinars to supplement print periodicals.

However, at present, fewer British churches stock the religious press (US churches don’t sell titles); and where they are available, parishioners, used to using smart technology for other transactions, are often baffled by having to find sufficient loose change to buy their magazine in church.

The Bishops Conference is correct, therefore, to embrace new technology. Parishes (at least those with wi-fi) are currently being provided with electronic card readers, called Dona, in churches to allow churchgoers to make contactless “collection” payments. We now need a simple adaptation to that system to allow parishioners to pay for their copy of the Catholic Herald or the Tablet – ideally both. This can help save Catholic journalism.