AFTER a nine month hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, The Catholic Leader team is proud to share the 2020 Christmas edition in print.
The Catholic Leader’s 2020 Christmas edition, available in parishes on the weekend of December 20, 2020, will be the first physical newspaper printed since the March 22 edition, which paid tribute to the late Archbishop John Bathersby.
The Christmas edition will also be available as a digital newspaper through a free subscription.
This will be the only print newspaper available to readers until further notice.
The Catholic Leader managing editor, Matt Emerick, said there was overwhelming support from readers to revive the print edition, so it was a joy to announce the Christmas edition would be a physical newspaper.
“Today marks the first time since the middle of March that our masthead has been printed as a physical newspaper, ” Mr Emerick said.
“We have also decided to make this Christmas edition free to all readers, as a small gesture to our supporters who have prayed for the print newspaper to return.
”The Christmas edition is being delivered to Brisbane archdiocese parishes this week, also at no cost to the parish.”
Since December 5, 1929, The Catholic Leader has covered significant stories affecting the Catholic Church and Catholics throughout Brisbane and Queensland through its print newspaper.
It has kept local Catholics informed during several wars, countless canonisations and beatification, the death of high profile Catholic leaders, the Australian visits of numerous Popes, and most recently, the impact of a global health crisis.
The print newspaper has attracted thousands of local, national and international subscribers.
Pre-dated by the launch of The Catholic Age, later named The Age, in 1892, The Catholic Leader was one of Australia’s longest-serving Catholic newspapers.
The Catholic Leader was forced to cease printing a physical newspaper in March, following the Australian government’s early COVID-19 restrictions.
Newspapers have not been sent to parishes since Archbishop Mark Coleridge announced on March 19 that all Sunday Masses, including Saturday vigil, were suspended in line with government restrictions to stop the spread of COVID-19.
Mr Emerick said reader support during the COVID-19 crisis had been overwhelmingly positive, with many subscribers adapting to digital news habits.
“We have been inundated with support and encouragement to find any possible way to revive the hard copy newspaper,” he said.
“This speaks volumes about the important role that Catholic journalism plays in the life of the Church.
“In the meantime, we are committed to producing and publishing high quality digital news on our website and in the digital newspaper.”
Subscriptions to The Catholic Leader’s digital newspaper can be made online at www.catholicleader.com.au/subscribe.
All subscribers will receive access to an archive of all the digital newspapers printed since March 22, 2020.
