As the culture war heats up, Catholics will be more and more under siege.
It is important that we stay informed about what is going on in the world both within the Church
(intra) and without (extra) and what happens when they interest… what happens under the workings of grace and… without.
How do you stay informed?
I think Catholic print publications are going to have a harder and harder time simply to survive. The cost of printing has risen because of oil prices. Postage fees have dramatically increased. People are using the internet more and more for their news.
Our Catholic publications will have to change and grow with the times and the tools of social communication.
But they need support as well.
What Catholic printed publications do you subscribe to?
Let us know how many and what they are… and why.
What are their strengths and weaknesses?
What do you look for in a Catholic print publication?
What would be your ideal?
POLL CLOSED
How many Catholic printed publications do you subscribe to?
- None (32%, 346 Votes)
- 1 (25%, 272 Votes)
- 2 (18%, 198 Votes)
- 4 or more (14%, 152 Votes)
- 3 (11%, 117 Votes)
Total Voters: 1,085
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I subscribe to the National Catholic Register and Inside the Vatican. I’m contemplating dropping the Register as I now get most of my Catholic news from the Internet. I will always retain Inside the Vatican as the articles are almost always informative and you can’t beat the photographs of Rome.
The only print publication to which I subscribe is Columbia (K of C monthly).
I get all the news I require from the web: Whispers, WDTPRS, NLM, Vatican.va, etc.
As much as I am often nostalgic for the printed form, I think web publication is more efficient and better for the environment. The only problem is that due to the unregulated nature of the internet, one needs to really evaluate the source of one’s information, since literally anyone can post about anything…
The Wanderer (both print and electronic)
Catholic Sun (PHX diocese)
This is down from 5 two years ago.
National Catholic Register, This Rock, Latin Mass & Columbia. I greatly prefer printed materials as I spend most of my working day staring at a computer screen, and dislike doing so during my off hours.
I never had seen or heard any of the more conservative religious mags before I got on the Internet. I’ve always had a great deal of difficulty finding time to read magazines and getting rid of them afterward, as I’m a natural packrat; so I avoid temptation by not buying them.
I’ve never been able to subscribe to a newspaper. My local paper only delivers to the front door of apartment buildings and piles the newspapers there without labeling their owners. So there’s always a lot of people who don’t subscribe stealing them, people whose subscriptions have run otu taking them by mistake, and people whose subscriptions have started thinking that they haven’t. It was worse when the local paper at my college attempted to get people to subscribe, as they were generally just stolen or thrown away by the desk staff.
I love paper and hardcopy as much as anyone. But the Internet is clearly the way.
I subscribe to First Things. Being a poor graduate student, I read most print publications for free in the library.
We subscribe to several. Two are selected because of their true Catholic teaching orientation and the third, a very liberal publication, because it is out diocesan newspaper. That one runs mostly catholic news service articles which are pathetic. However it is good to keep one’s eyes on what the “other side” is up to so that is the benefit of that particular subscription.
IMO the division we are seeing in the Church in the USA is reflected in the orientation of Catholic print media. As the true Church becomes smaller but better and the American Catholic politcally correct church labors to its eventual decline I think it is important that we provide support for the publications of the former and cease to support the later. To that end, when our current subscription to the diocesan rag expires it will not be renewed.
This Rock, The Wanderer, New Oxford Review and The Catalyst.
I am slowly switching to on-line versions of publications, when available. This makes it easier to forward specific articles by internet.
Dr. Mel-SC
We receive the Magnificat and the Catholic Herald (local diocesan newspaper). We also get Magnifikid for the kiddos, but will be stopping that shortly (we have an age gap of 4 years between our most recent First Communicant and the next child); we’ll pick it up again in a couple of years when it is once more relevant to our family. We find both the Magnificat and the Herald to be just what we need–the Herald incldes local, national and international church news, and what we don’t find there, we find online.
Father Z…
I completely agree. Catholics need to read, learn and educate themselevs more about their faith and their community.
We have found and especially like, This Rock, Catholic Answers, The Catalyst, Lay Witness and a variety of publications from Franciscan University at Steubenville.
We are fortunate to have found this blog (recommended by a seminarian) and the Acton PowerBlog, as well as newer finds recommended by your website/blog (e.g., episcopal spine alert).
I found a group at Catholic Culture that rates (so called) Catholic websites based on three criteria, chief of which is fidelity to Church teachings. Do you know of anyone that does the same for printed publications…perdiodicals and books?
Thanks for all you do…
I currently only subscribe to two Catholic publications: The Wanderer and Inside the Vatican.
I had to cut back on other subscriptions, but at one time I also subscribed to the Catholic World Report, the Homiletic and Pastoral Review, and Rhode Island Catholic (excellent diocesan newspaper of the diocese of Providence… and I live in CA!).
I also used to subscribe to the New Oxford Review but stopped that after what seemed to be constant Vatican-bashing.
I subscribe to several magazines myself. At least two of them (New Oxford Review, The Wanderer) are “web only” subscriptions. I believe this is the way things are going to go in the future. Recently a new one, “The Traditionalist,” offers an “e-mail only” option in addition to print. I run out pages of The Wanderer on 11 x 17 paper and use reading glasses. That’s as close to reading newsprint as I may be getting in the years to come.
Another problem (and maybe this is just me) is that so many of the choices out there are essentially duplications of someone else’s effort. It’s as though some people can’t work together, or everybody wants to be in charge, I’m not sure. What I am sure of, is that many of these efforts are either going to adapt now, or go out of business later.
I subscribe to National Catholic Reporter.
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Just kidding :-)
[Riiiiight… yah… we were talking about Catholic publications, after all! o{];¬) ]
The Wanderer is the only paper I subscribe too. I read the Diocese rag online as it usually has nothing redeeming in it other than announcements.
I subscribe to the Remnant. Its a very good traditionalist newspaper.
Christian Order is another one that I will read if I get a copy off, its an informative British orthodox paper, comes in a small booklet form.
But I get most of my news from the web and this site Father is the best.
Magnificat,
Our Sunday Visitor,
Breaking the Bread (by Scott Hahn)
(And the local diocese paper, The Catholic Witness, Harrisburg, PA)
Wish I could subscribe to more…
I get Sacred Architecture, even though it comes out very rarely and is more of a journal. And I get Columbia from the KoC. Everyone in my diocese gets our Diocesan Newspaper as part of being a memeber of a parish and contributing to the Annual Catholic Appeal.
Once I start working more this summer I hope to add the Wanderer.
Wanderer…Adoremus Bulletin(not really a subscription…but donate and receive) Latin Magazine, Love One Another, Christifidelis (another not really subscription, but donate, and receive)…always looking for good Catholic websites, and publications. Love One Another is a newer publication from priests of Society of Christ…VERY GOOD lots of interesting variety of things. I try to share all I have with others so they may decide to subscribe as well.
If good Catholic Publications are around the house, the kids will browse through them.
The Wanderer
I do not subscribe to anything I have to pay for. We get our lame diocesan magazine, sent to every home in the diocese, and the Knights of Columbus mag. I like that the Columbia has pictures of happy, habited religious. I think this is good for my children to see, at least in print, since we have very few habited religious in our area.
I get the Catholic Standard by default as all registered parishioners at my church are subscribed to it.
Love the internet, but also love hard news. We subscribe to First Things, This Rock, Catholic Register and, if this counts, the Magnificat magazine for daily prayers.
If we’re driving or flying some place, I take one, or more, of these magazines to catch up.
Used to get the Sunday Visitor, but find some views a bit on the edge of orthodoxy.
Being an undergraduate student, I have little disposable income, but when and if I do find employment, I plan to subscribe to The Latin Mass magazine. I admire the range of subjects covered and the depth of the articles included.
Catholic World Report, good reporting and I like the photography
Communio, though much of it is beyond me
Homiletic and Pastoral Review, good articles from some lay people as well as priests
Adoremus Bulletin, Latin Mass, St Anthony Messenger, Columbia, Catholic Times (Diocese of Columbus), Catholic Telegraph (Archdiocese of Cincinnati), America (gift subscription from my mother-in-law).
I subscribe to “The Remnant”. I can’t get that type of content anywhere else. That’s really my criterion for subscribing to a print publication, particularly a Catholic publication.
I don’t subscribe to any print publications — religious or secular. There is an abundance of information on the internet and usually news reporting is quicker online than in print, so why bother?
Inside the Vatican, Gilbert! Magazine, and I intend to subscribe to the new journal Usus Antiquior.
The Remnant and Catholic Family News for information pertaining to traditional Catholic points of view. Having said that, it seems the Internet is fast becoming an authentic news source and print media may be dying out.
Wanderer, Remnant, Catholic World Report, The Traditionalist, First Things, The Latin Mass, New Oxford Review.
Just “This Rock.” I had to let my subscription to the register lapse when I lost my job.
I get all my news from you Fr. Z!! I subscribe to “This Rock” and “Gilbert Magazine”, but my news comes from online sources.
I’m a poor seminarian so I can’t afford any subscriptions right now. Even if I could, I’m sure it would come up in my yearly evaluations if I was receiving the New Oxford Review and The Latin Mass every month.
I get/read the Remnant, Catholic Family News and Latin Mass magazine. I wish more people under 40 would subscribe! These pubs are going to die if young trads don’t start getting their hands messy soon.
Fatima Crusader, From the Housetops and Inside the Vatican are ones I get every so often in print, while glancing at the Wanderer, National Catholic Register, Catholic World Report and First Things to see what the conservatives are up to.
I also read the print editions of the (D.C.) Catholic Standard and the (Arlington) Catholic Herald for local news.
(i) The Tablet. It’s an antidote to poison.
(ii) Music and Liturgy, the journal of the Society of St Gregory. It’s a unique vehicle for open-minded and well-informed discussion of the true liturgical reform.
I used to subscribe to my diocesan paper, the Catholic Standard, but I stopped this year because of the ‘spirit of Vatican II’ tone of it. I am so much better informed by reading this blog, the NLM, American Papist and some others. We also have several great priest bloggers in this diocese.
Magnificat and the KofC’s Columbia come to our house; I used to subscribe to Homiletics and Pastoral Review, but wasn’t reading them so quit. Now I subscribe to Word Among Us and the fine Catholic-Orthodox-Protestant periodical, Touchstone, which I consider more Catholic than not, as even the non-Catholic authors point up parts of Catholic belief).
Magnificat & First Things.
Latin Mass, From the Housetops, Immaculate Heart Messenger [Fatima Family Apostolate], Soul ]Blue Army, or what they call now World Apostolate of Fatima].
Sometimes I get Catholic Family News in the mail-don’t subscribe to it, but I ordered some conference tapes a few years ago, so I must be on their mailing list!
I’m now working now, so my Latin Mass and Immaculate Heart subscriptions have lapsed.
I like Latin Mass for the historical articles-theology and philosophy is ‘way over my head.
I’ve been an Immaculate Heart Messenger subscriber since it started back in the mid-80s. But I sometimes I get frustrated with little or no news [mostly the latter] about single Catholics. Their direction is on men being the main breadwinner, and women staying home having lots of babies. As a middle-aged single Catholic woman who has to work to support herself, their view of women is rather 50-ish! And I’ve written letters to the editor about that!
I like From the Housetops’ articles on lives of the Saints.
Soul Magazine I’ve gotten since the early 1970s-I like the older issues when John Haffert was the editor. I’m not really fond of the ‘over-busy’ graphics of the post-Haffert issues.
Catholic Family News can get overly critical and extreme. It’s too much into ‘conspiracies’. I don’t like when it bashes the Holy Father.
A few people have mentioned First Things. I think I know why they consider it a “Catholic” publication… but it is really?
I might glance at the occasional Catholic newspaper or magazine (Faith Magazine is the closest I get to a regular one) but mostly I read my stuff online… the papers are usually two weeks behind the blogs!
I have no choice but to get my diocesan paper so I didn’t count that.
I get The Wanderer … ok, but I already know most of the news before I get it.
I get Catholic, from the Transalpine Redemptorists. It is quarterly. It is fantastic. I can’t recommend it enough. Everyone should get this Newspaper.
The Remnant, Inside the Vatican, Latin Mass Magazine.
Used to get Christian Order, a very good UK-based publication.
Women for Faith and Family – for a woman’s perspective of the teachings of the Catholic Church.
National Catholic Register – for the latest important news in light of
Catholic teaching.
First Things – I believe this magazine is more Catholic than not.
Just take a look at their advertisements and their book recommendations, as well as many of their writers. There is certainly a heavy emphasis toward toward Catholic perspectives and teachings. I like their smart writing.
I see a number of posts here that don’t mention the Wanderer, the fine publication for which Fr. Z writes (and where the roots of this blog lay).
If you aren’t subscribing, you should. Tell ’em Fr. Z sent you.
The Latin Mass Magazine – the finest Catholic magazine in print, IMHO…
http://latinmassmagazine.com/
I subscribe to Magnificat. It\’s a wonderful prayer aid and has really enriched my spiritual life. I think the price is very reasonable for what you get – prayers and Scripture for the day, reflections that go far beyond your run-of-the-mill devotional, and lovely artwork in every issue.
I\’m very fond of First Things but only read it online.
I am stunned by the poll results. How is anyone staying informed?
My list:
New Oxford Review
National Catholic Register
First Things (not solely Catholic… but close enough to qualify IMO)
Columbia (gets better and better. Two articles on the evils of artificial contraception last month… WAY TO GO)
I read these two online when I can find free articles and stuff:
National Catholic Reporter (don’t want to support it… like to know the other side of things)
America (some EXCELLENT and thoughtful pieces, way too liberal in my opinion. Still, good to read)
That most respondents reply “zero” or “one” is a little stunning. Support the Catholic press!
Rancher: I take your point. Keep your friends cllose and hyour enemies closer.
Father Z: Could you elaborate on hyour doubts regarding “First Things”? Is it beczause it is a more “public square” magazine?
Sorry about all the typos! I forgot to proof read what I had written. Now the dirty secret is out. I’m a lousy typist!
I checked none but after I did that I realize that I receive a free subscription to Lay Witness for being a CUF member. Over the years I have received free subscriptions off and on to several Catholic magazines, but the only one I paid for was Crisis and that was only because they had a $10/year promotion. If finances weren’t an obstacle, I would probably get Latin Mass, This Rock, New Oxford Review, Magnificat, Inside the Vatican, Catholic World Report and/or Gilbert. I love reading these magazines…
Latin Mass and The Georgia Bulletin (Archdiocese of Atlanta paper). A picture I took of the Easter Vigil at my parish is the cover of this week’s Bulletin, so it’s A-OK in my book!
Since I am a poor volunteer/future grad student, I rely on the gloriously affordable internet for my Catholic news (WDTPRS, Whispers, AmericanPapist etc.) I really should read First Things, especially since a friend of mine works there. Sometimes I read the copies of America my roommate leaves around the house.
Back when my parents paid for magazines I read Envoy, This Rock, Magnificat, First Things,and the Arlington Catholic Herald. New Oxford Review got a little full of angry, petty arguments for my dad’s and my taste.
I subscribe to ‘Catholic’, produced by the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer. It is a quality production, in my opinion, as well as being a means of supporting an excellent traditional religious community. I also subscribe to a few FSSP and Confraternity news letters.
It’s good to see a few traditionalists and conservatives reading lefty pubs. I try to read Commonweal, National Catholic Reporter and America when they’re at the library or bookstore (never paying to support them!)
Know thy enemy…
I subscribe to First Things. It bills itself as a journal of ecumenism. It is from a Catholic point of view. It should be considered Catholic, after all, it was founded and edited by a faithful priest. However, the mean people on here would not consider anything ecumenical to be Catholic so I omitted it from my list.
I voted none but as it went through I realized I forgot about Magnificat! It’s the only one I subscribe to. It’s so essential to me that I don’t think of it as a publication, like the magazines I used to subscribe to. It’s Magnificat. The prayers, the meditations, and the Mass readings are a part of my life. It fits perfectly in my purse and makes good reading for my lengthy commute from Brooklyn into Manhattan and vice verse. A long time ago I used to subscribe to Envoy and I had a trial Crisis subscription (before they went exclusively online). More recently I had a Traces subscription (it’s the Communion and Liberation monthly magazine). I let that run out earlier this year. I find that it’s easier for me to find the articles I want to read online. I have a problem with paper clutter and I have pack-rat tendencies so I’ve decided it’s better for my sanity to not have any more print publications coming into the house if I can help it. The only other magazine I receive is a trade publication that comes with membership in the trade organization. I like the magazine but if I could be a member without receiving it I’d be pretty happy (you can read it online if you’re a member.)
The Wanderer
Homiletic and Pastoral Review
New Oxford Review
Catholic World Report
Subscriptions to the above.
Adoremus bulletin
Christifidelis(St.Joseph Foundation bulletin)
Both free for donations
Touchstone–lots of interesting stuff from the non-Catholic bunker in the culture wars AND Anthony Esolen and other good Catholic writers.
I find I can absorb more faster from print than from online. Also, I can read while eating, brushing my teeth, scraping carrots; and before going to bed.
I also keep up donations/subscriptions out of gratitude. Without most of these publications, I would not have known that the Church I have always loved (60+ yrs) is alive and well. They also help me to know which websites are worth going to. (Like this one.)
Oh, re: what I said about not having anymore print publications coming into the house – books don’t count ;-)
First Things, Faith & Family, Columbia, and the diocesan paper ( where I work, by the way). I miss Crisis. I get the National Catholic Register and OSV at work. I’ll look at NCR online if I have to.
I hope people do not automatically write off the diocesan press. While many papers are either glorified community news sheets, or just a mishmash of CNS copy, there are some committed, orthodox Catholic journalists working on the diocesan level. Faithful Catholics, please support and enoucrage them ! You may have more influence (and more friends, especially among the younger cohort) then you might think.
I get Columbia, Inside the Vatican, and Traces at the office, plus the journal Communio.
The Angelus
The Remnant
The Catholic (FSSR from Papa Stronsay)
The Wanderer
Inside The Vatican
National Catholic Register
LeCristo (free to us Friends of the Legion)
First Things
Columbia
Texas Catholic Herald
I subscribe to things that provoke me and stimulate thought and discussion either internally or among friends.
Many of my reads have online versions but not all of them. I don’t like to read online. Shocking coming from me as a blogger but I like to read a folded over copy in my hands with a drink and a snack or a meal. This is probably the only thing, other than shared faith, that I have in common with the Holy Father! LOL! I also have a tendency to cut things up and mark them up or throw them across the room and I don’t want to do any of that with my laptop!
The orthodoxy of Catholicism in some of these pubs is dubious but keep in mind my opening sentence.
Commonwheal
America
National Catholic Register
The Wanderer
Homilitic and Pastoral Review
This Rock
The Catholic Spirit (Archdiocese of St. Paul/Minneapolis’ paper)
The Catholic Servant (a fine small paper of Archdiocese of St. Paul/Minneapolis but it is not the official Archdiocesan pub)
Magnificat
I peruse numerous other publications but those are the only ones I have paid subscriptions to. I tend to favor subscriptions to publications that I can use from the standpoint of apologetics or evangelization: pro and con.
I’d be ok with a demise in print as a medium of publication if I was positive that the quality of the online publication was going to match the print publication. I’m concerned though that by moving to solely online we cut out people that do not have computer access. Libraries are cutting their budgets and many of them do not have the money to add computers to keep up with the demand for them. You could make the argument that there have always been information haves and have nots but I think the stakes are different when we are talking about our Catholic publications versus just any other publication.
I can see the day coming when almost all info is online but I think those of us who “have” better be ready to do some subsidizing of our Catholic brothers and sisters who “have not” if it matters to us as evangelizers to keep our family informed. It costs more to get a computer setup in both time and knowledge than it does to grab a paper copy and read it.
My archdiocesan newspaper (Boston Pilot), though we may let that go in lieu of the online edition next time the subscription is up.
The paper from the diocese where I grew up (Trenton Monitor). The sub. is a gift from my folks. There’s things happening there that we like to keep track of. As someone said, it’s nice to not have to look at a computer for some things. That is especially true when we can just peruse it at our leisure (and really, nobody’s come up with a computer program that’s any substitute for leafing through something).
The Claverite.
I subscribe to:
1.) ‘The Angelus’ because it is simply solidly Catholic.
2.) ‘Inside The Vatican’ for its pictures and often times its news and pictures about the Russian Orthodox Church. Further, I have no fear of losing my soul by reading this magazine.
In a Catholic print publication I look for the old, old salvation story of Jesus and His love, of Calvary, of The Blessed Virgin Mary and of the Apostles and martyrs and of Death Judgement Heaven and Hell. Yes, just the immutable old truths of the Catholic Church. On anoter level some humour would be appreciated in an ideal publication.
I must mention some dislikes: any publication that forces, chokes or smothers one under the weight of Vatican II, or those that are polemical and mainly consist of copies of texts of other out of copyright publications.
I put none. I do subscribe to First Things, but that isn’t strictly speaking a Catholic publication. I subscribe to Touchstone which is ecumenical conservative Christian. I get a newsletter from Mr. Savior Monastery. I receive the diocesan publications from Rochester, and the Eparchic publication from the Ruthenian Eparchy of Passaic. I didn’t consider these subscriptions since they are sent to all parishioners.
I enjoy reading print versions as I like to sit down with a cup of tea and something to read and not be distracted by links etc.
Susan Peterson
Dappled Things!
“It is difficult / to get the news from poems / yet men die every day / for lack of what is found there.” – William Carlos Williams
What Catholic printed publications do you subscribe to?
Presently I only subscribe to “LATINITAS” written entirely (uti patet) in Latin.
Let us know how many and what they are… and why.
Latinitas is the publication of a foundation by the same name: it was established by Pope Paul VI for the sole aim of promoting the usage and the study of the Church’s language.
What are their strengths and weaknesses?
The editing is good and the scholarship is good. I wish there was an increase of participation, both among the readership and among the contributors.
What do you look for in a Catholic print publication?
Information, edification, encouragement, learning.
What would be your ideal?
Besides “Latinitas” I haven’t seen any articles written in Latin: anywhere at all: nada. It would be ideal to find a page, or at least a half a page written in Latin once in a while: That would not be ideal, but it would be something: a good beginning perhaps. Must everything be written in vernacular? Must we completely abandon our “vox materna”?
We subscribe to The Wanderer, Latin Mass, Catholic World Report, Homiletic & Pastoral Review, and Inside the Vatican. All of these are valuable to us in different ways. For example, we like The Wanderer and CWR for news items and commentary on current events. ITV always has at least one good article on some particular Church-related issue (and gives us more of an international perspective). LM & HPR give us information and commentary on theological/historical/philosophical issues. We haven’t been able to find everything in just one or two publications, so a variety is needed. I really prefer the print medium, but it certainly does look like it’s being phased out. I still hope we’ll be able to keep at least a few that I can sit down and read and not have to be at a machine to do it. The one criterion that sets a publication above the rest for me (this is of course assuming full and correct doctrine) is beauty. That to me is a quintessential *Catholic* aspect. If it’s missing, the publication is already at a disadvantage. Granted, that’s hard to do with a newspaper, so I make allowances there. Even so, the Faith-TRUTH-is beautiful. Something that is reporting that faith or expounding on it should be likewise.
I subscribe to the Wanderer, New Oxford Review and Columbia. In the past I have seen the editor of the NOR get a little too rough with contributors and letter writers, but the good to be gleaned from the publication far outweighs the bad. I also subscribe to the secular publication National Review which usually treats things Catholic quite equitably.
I only subscribe to Inside The VaticanIt takes me quite a few days to read the entire magazine. I do get Housetops four times a year. Reading online is hard for me at 83 so I do prefer to sit down with a magazine, a cup of coffee and just absorb what I am reading.
I am not currently subscribing to any Catholic publications. What I do is listen to and financially support Relevant Radio. I give alot more than the price of a magazine subscription. They provide news, commentary, spiritual direction and much more than what a written publication can and I can listen in the car, at work or at home. FYI, right after the Notre Dame story broke, they had a fundraiser to make up for lower contributions after their Fall fundraiser. Well, all they needed was $300k and they raised about $450k!
The Remnant
The Latin Mass Magazine
The Milwaukee Catholic Herald
These publications aren’t terribly useful to me anymore because by the time they arrive, I have already read all about the latest Catholic issues on the blogs that I follow. Unfortunately, I probably will be cancelling my subscriptions to these publications in the next year.
I voted ‘one’ because of The Magnificat
Forgot that I also get the diocesan Arlington Catholic Herald which very recently is improving a bit. It has always had pastoral columns written by our priests. But from a real newsy standpoint, it stinks.
I toss the vitriolic Catholic Family News [gift from my mother] as soon as it comes in. I don’t trust any publication with that kind of bashing, cynical, accusatory, self-righteous tone.
I can’t keep up with much – I have let many subscriptions go. I get most of my news online and from YOU Fr Z! I learn so much from the commenters. What an extraordinary crowd you have culled Father!
I prefer the ‘attention-deficit’ sound-bite type of news review. I long for a publication that practices the “who when where what how” rule of the first paragraph. When the first paragraph grabs me, I’ll read the article.
Most publications suffer from poor writing, boring subjects, and inefficient style born of inept editing. Y’know, come to think of it, I really appreciate the precise style of Pope Benedict. What the industry needs are real old-school newspapermen with noses for a good story and who write it up well.
The other problems are finding faithful and charitable publications that represent the Faith properly. I’m not interested in liberal-leaning attitudes any more than mean-spirited traditionalism, or self-appointed “apologists” lacking depth of Catholic understanding who get it wrong.
Online reading can’t be beat for timeliness and Googling for subject matter. At the same time, flipping through the real pages of a hard copy has other advantages of visual discovery. Hopefully the Catholic news industry can find a happy medium.
New Oxford Review
From the Housetops (Still River)
The Latin Mass
Christian Order
I’d probably consider subscribing to HPR but a priest friend shares the issues with me a month later. FWIW, the only other publication to which we subscribe is National Review which for years many of my liberal friends dismissed as a Catholic magazine!
I subscribe to the Four Marks out of Montana, Catholic Voice out of Washington State. I used to, years ago, take the Wanderer, but they are, what one might say, very particular about whom they choose to give objective critiques, passing over in silence some men(usually,)while going gang busters on others, even though they tend to do similiar things. Inside the Vatican is interesting for getting the viewpoint of those around Rome.
Joe
Father,
I don’t think this needs to be seen or followed as a rabbit hole, but I’d like to offer a bit of background on the problems faced by Catholic publications, and indeed, ALL small to moderately-sized publications compared to media giants like Time Warner who receive major postal discounts. I just saw this plea from a well-known conservative political publication that explains what ALL our Catholic publications must be facing as well.
Please note I’ve removed the pitch for donations because that is not the point of this comment. Also, the author does mention the liberal media getting favorable treatment in this regard. I include it because I suspect the same bias of belief (ideology) is applied against Catholicism:
“Dear Friend of ____ ______:
It pains me terribly to write a letter like this, but a crisis that threatens the very existence of ____ ______ forces me to ask for your help.
Let me explain…
You may recall that, just over a year ago, the federal government’s taxpayer-subsidized mail-delivery monopoly — aka the United States Postal Service — hit us with a whopping 20 percent rate increase that drove up our annual delivery costs by more than $120,000.
Well, believe it or not, they’ve just done it again.
That’s right: the USPS is hitting us with yet another postal increase that will jack up our annual delivery costs by an additional $51,568.
Together, this one-two punch of rate hikes amounts to more than $170,000 in increased annual delivery costs — a staggering sum that we simply can’t afford.
Now, it’s outrageous enough that the USPS can continually jack up our rates without fearing any loss of our business to more cost-efficient competitors — something it can do ONLY because federal law effectively protects it from private competition.
But what really burns me up is that these increases are part of a new rate system that was designed in part by lobbyists for liberal media giant Time Warner and other large publishers to benefit themselves at the expense of smaller competitors such as ____ ______.
So instead of Time Warner’s mailing costs ratcheting up like ours, the cost of delivering liberal Time magazine and other Big Media publications will increase at about half the rate hike forced on ____ ______ (and that’s after some of those publications actually had a decrease in postage costs last year!).
Economists call the kind of behavior that Time Warner and the Big Media conglomerates are engaged in “rent seeking” — using government to gain advantage over competitors.
And that economic advantage obviously can translate into political advantage, as well. By “gaming the system” in their favor, these liberal media conglomerates have taken a big step toward silencing their conservative opposition.
This means there’s much more at stake here than the survival of HUMAN EVENTS. Free speech, and the right of conservatives to get their message out on the same terms as liberals, is also at stake.
And if the liberal media giants such as Time Warner get away with this ploy, the consequences for the future of our country — at a time when the Obama administration is trying to turn us into a European-style socialist state — could be catastrophic.”
At this point the pitch for cash kicks in, so I deleted it. However, I must ask, if this is the case (and I do not doubt it) how can we protect our Catholic publications from this imbalanced treatment – even the ones especially worth saving?
I subscribe to Latin Mass Magazine, and Catholic San Francisco, the SF Archdiocese official publication.
Over 30 years ago I used to subscribe to The Tablet and The Month, but fell out of love with both. I receive regular magazines from Catholic foundations I support, but that doesn’t really count. Now I read most news / information / opinion / comment online, without subscription: the major blogs, of course, as well as First Things, Chiesa, The Catholic Thing, Inside Catholic (mainly for the old “Crisis” articles) and Inside the Vatican, but will happily browse whatever is available in club libraries (usually The Tablet, so make that un-happily).
Usus Antiquior http://www.ususantiquior.net/ begins coming out next year, and I look forward to subscribing to that!
From its website:
First Things is published by The Institute on Religion and Public Life, an interreligious, nonpartisan research and education institute whose purpose is to advance a religiously informed public philosophy for the ordering of society.
Three:
The Wanderer
The Latin Mass
The Adoremus Bulletin
Well, Breier, there we have it. First Things is “externally” non-Catholic, but acts Catholic, whereas Notre Dame is “externally” Catholic, but acts non-Catholic. We live in interesting times …
As for America, Commonweal, The National Catholic Reporter and The Tablet, one is often very tempted to say that they are “externally” Catholic but act anti-Catholic.
For over 6 years now, I have mysteriously continued to receive “Voices: Women for Faith & Family” in the mail. I have asked the usual suspects and no one will owe up to paying for this subscription for me.
This magazine/journal was integral to my coming back to the Catholic Church, although when I first started to receive it, I thought it was a bunch of wacko religios bunk. But being who I am, I would read it to try and laugh at what was being said, and then found myself slowly turning around in my attitudes about sexulaity and contraception, etc. So, to whoever sent it and continues to send it, thanks!
Magnificat and magnifikids – for the daily prayers and convenience of travel and keeping up with daily readings of the OF mass. The meditations are great and the art with explanation in the back is a great way for me to be more in tune with art
Next
Traces. It is educative in a way I don’t get in other magazines. (Granted I haven’t even seen most of the ones mentioned here!)
It begins with an editorial form either Fr Guissani or Carron. something to help you remember the dynamics of your humanity, then the “meat is how there are “Traces” of this in the world you find yourself, with concrete examples. Then it ends with an excerpt from the Pope – the “answer” if you will, of the needs of the heart and an “Inside America” editorial by Fr Albacete.
I didn’t remember, we too get Columbia magazine and somehow From the Housetops comes and I too like the section on the saints.
I never really liked the register only because I got most of the news things from the internet (at that time nothing compared to Open Book for me!).
I am enjoying all the comments and will look forward to getting my hands on some of the publications
jennE
I subscribe Inside the Vatican & Catholic World Report (Crisis Magazine before they go online).
New Oxford Review
Homiletic and Pastoral Review
Latin Mass
Paid subscriptions. Have had an online subscription to NOR but I like having a print version that I can hold in my hands. It’s more direct.
I used to subscribe to Chronicles but I let it go. Was rereading an older issure yesterday and I may go back. It’s not Catholic per se but a number of the writers are. It’s pretty solidly Christian.
Celebrate Life (for donations to A.L.L.)
Catholic World Report happily for over 10 years now for me – I am a former supporter of New Oxford Review until the quality of the writing descended to little more than yellow journalism, and especially their obsessive attacks aimed at anything Ave Maria U-related or concerning Fr. Fessio, EWTN, G.Weigel, etc etc. The economy and how it has affected me personally forced me to let This Rock and Inside the Vatican go – but I would readily recommend these excellent magazines to anyone.
I used to take the late, great “CRISIS,” before it ceased publishing. “From the Housetops” was recommended to me by some in my parish, but I was turned off by its anti-Semitic undertone. Sorry!
The Wanderer
This Rock
Envoy
All great publications !!
I used to get Inside the Vatican and Catholic World Report. But Inside the Vatican started to get really derivative (as has CWR) so I dropped them. Everything in them had already been covered online. I also got ticked at CWR when they published a letter from a non-Catholic protesting a putative request by three cardinals that the Virgin Mary be called “co-redemptrix.” While I myself am not in favor of the title, I was more than perplexed as to why this woman’s opinion was relevant and why CWR would publish it. Ecumenism run amuck? Anyway….
I read 30 Days on the Internet. I’m always behind a few months, but that’s OK since I really can’t afford to subscribe. And they’re good enough to put back issues online.
Forgot to say:
I’m considering subscribing to Latin Mass magazine. The great Fr. Chad Ripperger, FSSP, writes for it.
Is The Latin Mass magazine still published? I haven’t been able to get a response from questions submitted through their website in nearly a year.
The Latin Mass Magazine. Try http://www.keepthefaith.org. You should be able to subscribe there.
I hadn’t realized just how many Catholic periodicals I now subscribe to… huh, guess it\’s better than spending it on booze. :)
1) The Wanderer (although I’m letting it lapse in the Summer… sorry Fr. Z!)
2) The Remnant
3) Catholic Magazine
4) Angelus
5) New Oxford Review
6) Catholic Family News – Comforting in its consistency. 2-3 great articles + 1 “They’re tunneling under your house” article + 1 “Fourth Secret of Fatima” article per month
Brendan
Some years ago a Dominican friar told me he subscribed to the Reporter to “know what the enemy was up to”
JPG
Thanks for all the great suggestions. The diocesan newspaper is very disappointing. There are articles putting negative spin on Pope Benedict (as in one making him sound clueless and incompetent for the SSPX episode) and “polls” explaining how “most” Catholics now accept abortion, etc. as OK. What is the point of putting polls like that in a Catholic publication except to try to influence the weak and “herd” them into being like “most” people? I’ve seen too much shenanigans with polls. You can get whatever outcome you want with the right phrasing of questions.
We only receive the Diocese monthly, which mostly contains articles from CNS. My profession is textbook publishing, I work in the digital group that also handles periodicals for school libraries, and they are going to \”digital first\” model, where they put the content online before producing the print product.
I would subscribe to digital periodicals from Catholic publishers – I don\’t have time to read print, but actually get paid to read digital.
There are some useful Australian ones – Oriens, AD 2000, Fidelity.
Getting a national and diocesan perspective is important in terms of beng part of your particular Church, not just wider traddiedom.
Remnant
Wanderer
Latin Mass
Homiletic and Pastoral Review
New Oxford Review
Adoremus Bulletin
Magnificat
First Things (though I would agree that it’s not specifically Catholic)
As good as these publications are, however, I must say that I spend far too much time reading journals and blogs, and far too little time reading the great Catholic books, treatises, manuals, etc., or, frankly, important literature or writings that are not specifically Catholic. I guess it’s the time component, mea culpa…
First Things (of course this is not an exclusively Catholic journal), National Catholic Register, Latin Mass, and St. Austin Review. I look for a publication that is faithful to the Church, well written, and thought provoking. For the most part, I read the Register just to keep up with news. If I could just subscribe to one of these, it would be First Things. But for those of you who are not familiar with The St. Austin Review, I recommend it warmly! Each issue is devoted to a theme, e.g., the English Romantic Movement, Victorian Literature, Modern Cinema, J. R. R. Tolkien, etc.
EJ’s comments were interesting – I subscribe to the NOR currently as well, but am planning on letting my subscription lapse when it runs out in 2010. I know they are orthodox and I’m sure technically “correct” about most things, but there is a lack of charity in the magazine that I find offputting.
I did subscribe to the archdiocesan newspaper in my city, but canceled my subscription during the last election, when they published not one, but two, articles authored or co-authored by the director of the Catholic Charities here encouraging readers to vote No on Question One, the ballot question that had it passed, would have eliminated our state income tax. What really burned me is that they didn’t print my letter to the editor (or anyone else’s) defending a Yes vote on the question. Grrr…
My decision to cancel my subscription, as well as that to refrain from giving CC any more of my money, was validated a few weeks later when I saw that a teen center funded by CC hosted some kind of career day with our (Irish-Catholic) pro-abortion, pro-same sex marriage atty general.
Subscribed to Nat’l Catholic Register too, but canceled due to their poor mental health reporting.
Columbia.
At one time my coffee table overflowed with others, OSV, Adoremus Bulletin, even Commonweal and The Tidings. But financial considerations have forced a total reduction, with the internet being a major source now, especially WDTPS, Standing on My Head,LA Catholic, and Mother Angelica’s news service.
In my parish church, publications of the Diocese of Orange, and the Archdiocese of Los Ángeles are sometimes available for free, but some of the opinion pieces must be taken with heavy doses of salt. Sometimes printed material in Spanish is also available.
I get OSV (used to get NC Register but traded that subscription for OSV just to see which I liked better). I also get Envoy, Faith & Family, Canticle, diocesan magazine EOC (Eastern Oklahoma Catholics), Magnificat and Catholic Digest. I like to try out different ones to see what I think is best. As one subscription runs out, I try another; thus the reason for my above list. Some are new, some are running out. I allot a certain amount of money per year for publications and juggle the money I have among them.
1. Faux Pas – The Liturgical Dancer
2. Sacred Guitar Amplified
3. Beatus Bongoes
4. Catholic Cymbals
5. MASS – The Musical
6. Relevant & Loud
7. Holding Hands
(LOL) You all put me to shame :}
Commonweal
America
This Rock, St Anthony Messenger, Fidelity (Australia), AD2000 (Australia), Annals (Australia), Inform (Australia).
I do not subscribe to any magazines or newspapers in print form. I do not read them and they normally end up in the trash. In fact, I got a gift subscription from a well know apologetic group’s magazine for donating and I asked them to cancel it since I do not read them.
I have posed about the print media my blog and have stated that I think many sectors of the print media is in decline and possible demise.
I subscribe to no printed publications whatsoever, there is no reason for me to waste my money in such a venue when the internet provides me with far more numerous publications, often with a far higher quality than anything in print, without any cost. Printed media, Catholic or not, is dying, and it is time for everyone, especially moribund publications, to rethink their medium of communication.
To those who proclaim the death of print media I say: please wait!!
You may be right, but consider for a moment the ramifications of what you are saying. You seem to be reveling in the fact, and proud of the fact that you do not subscribe to Catholic media. To me that is like an ignorant person saying: “Yes! I am ignorant and I want to remain that way!!”
The death of paper is NOT a good thing.
Blogging is a democratic medium. Some are far more competent than others. Anyone can do it. And that is the danger.
Print media have public editors who have public names. We know who they are. And they are responsible for content. They are gatekeepers. Quality gets in, garbage goes unpublished. (of course there are exceptions, and folks turned away from high quality media can go to the internet if they so choose).
In a way, I hate the internet. It turns everyone into an academic or an expert when people usually do not have the qualifications.
The death of the Catholic print media will mean the death of quality Catholic public thought. It will mean an end to a truly INFORMED discussion of issues important to Catholics.
Support faithful Catholic journalism! Don’t let it die with the major papers! Our whole quality of discourse will suffer!