November/December 2005
“What is meant by ‘simplicity of life?’ Living by the conviction
that we are stewards of the earth, not its masters.”
As the St. Augustine Catholic marks its 15th year of publication, it
gives me great pleasure to announce that beginning in February the
magazine will be published monthly ten times a year. And it will be
mailed directly to the homes of all registered Catholics in our diocese.
The St. Augustine Catholic is a membership publication, which means if
you are registered in your parish, you will receive a copy of this
award-winning magazine each month.
Many Catholics attend Mass weekly and are active participants in the
life of the church. However, many busy families and individuals find
themselves participating less and less. Still others may have had a
negative experience, become lukewarm or fallen away altogether. This
magazine is part of our local answer to Pope John Paul II’s call for a
“new evangelization.”
It is our goal to further strengthen the bond of faith for those who
already maintain strong ties to the church and to rekindle the fire for
those who have strayed from the practice of their faith.
The St. Augustine Catholic was established in 1991 to reach out to all
Catholics in the diocese with stories of inspiration. Our stories define
us, as people, as friends, as parents or as spouses. It’s our faith – as
reflected in our personal stories – that helps all of us make sense of
our lives.
It is my strong hope that the St. Augustine Catholic will be placed on
your coffee table, on the arm of your chair, or on your nightstand; and
that you will read every issue next year – that your children will read
them and that you will let God’s word come to you through this excellent
publication.
Our diocese is teaming up with Faith Magazine, a publication of the
Diocese of Lansing in Michigan. By joining the team at Faith Magazine,
the St. Augustine Catholic will be produced more economically and will
include more features and columns on a variety of subjects. All in all,
there should be something for everyone!
The September issue of the new St. Augustine Catholic will focus on our
youth. It will be dedicated to telling the stories of our young people.
In addition, teens in the diocese will receive a monthly newsletter via
email to continue to inspire them on their faith journey. A database
will be developed by gathering the email addresses of our young people:
those participating in religious education and youth programs, those
attending Catholic schools, and anyone who wants to receive the
electronic publication.
Couples who are preparing for marriage in the church will also receive
an electronic version of the popular column Marriage Matters – a column
that addresses the everyday joys and challenges of married life.
In the coming months, I ask that you contact your parish office to
update your mailing information. In order to remain good stewards of the
contributions you make to the church, I ask that you register in only
one parish. If you have moved or you attend more than one church, please
check to make sure your name and address appears only on the rolls of
your home parish.
I hope the stories in the St. Augustine Catholic will remind you of your
own stories, and that you’ll share your reactions to the features in the
magazine with our editorial staff and me. We will evaluate the overall
effectiveness of the magazine in one year with a readership survey. Your
comments and suggestions will be invaluable in helping us make an
objective assessment. You can share your comments at any time by writing
to the St. Augustine Catholic, 11625 Old St. Augustine Road,
Jacksonville, FL 32258 or email:
diocese@dosafl.com.
This magazine allows me to speak directly to the people of the diocese.
While I cannot preach in every parish every Sunday, I can communicate my
thoughts and feelings through the St. Augustine Catholic, knowing that
the magazine will reach our people, thereby bringing Jesus’ message of
faith, hope and love to everyone who reads it.
+ Victor Galeone,
Bishop of St. Augustine
