Type Weekly newspaper Editor William Cone Language English | Owner(s) Diocese of Pittsburgh Founded 1844 | |
Associate editor Chuck Moody (News);
Phil Taylor (Special Sections) | ||
The Pittsburgh Catholic is the weekly Catholic newspaper for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh, published for lay people and priests. It labels itself as the oldest Catholic newspaper in continuous publication. The newspaper was established in 1844 by Pittsburgh's first bishop, Michael O'Connor. According to its website, the Catholic has a total market of 111,250 Catholics.
The Catholic is available for free at most churches and Catholic outlets or centers in the Diocese of Pittsburgh, as churches purchase the newspaper in bulk for 21 cents per copy. Articles include news about events occurring throughout the diocese, articles on local diocesan schools, features on community and charity programs orchestrated by local Catholic organizations, reviews and commentary on contemporary media, question-and-answer forums by priests to explain church doctrine, and editorials on Church issues. The former Bishop of Pittsburgh, Donald Wuerl, was generally seen as a conservative bishop. As a result, the Pittsburgh Catholic is a conservative publication as well. However, because the newspaper is oriented towards the local region, it rarely contains extensive commentary on national issues. According to the Pittsburgh Business Times Book of Lists, the Pittsburgh Catholic is the largest weekly publication in western Pennsylvania and the second-largest newspaper in western Pennsylvania.
The Pittsburgh Catholic is a member of the Catholic Press Association. Its general manager, Robert P. Lockwood, was nominated as finalist for the association's annual St. Francis de Sales Award.