The ''National Catholic Register'' is a Catholic newspaper in the United States. It was founded on November 8, 1927, by Matthew J. Smith as the national edition of the '' Denver Catholic Register''. The ''Register'''s current owner is the

Eternal Word Television Network The Eternal Word Television Network, more commonly known by its initials EWTN, is an American basic cable television network which presents around-the-clock Catholic-themed programming. It is not only the largest Catholic television network in ...

, Inc. of Irondale, Alabama, which also owns the

Catholic News Agency The Catholic News Agency (CNA) is a private institution of EWTN that provides news related to the Catholic Church to the global anglophone audience. Founded in 2004 as the English section of the worldwide ACI Group, it is headquartered in Denve ...

. Content includes news and features from the United States, the Vatican, and worldwide, on such topics as culture, education, books, arts, and entertainment, as well as interviews. Online content includes various blogs and breaking news. The ''Register''s print edition is published (bi-weekly, 26 times a year). Tom Wehner has been the managing editor since 2009. Jeanette DeMelo became editor in chief in 2012.

History

It was founded on November 8, 1927, by Matthew J. Smith as the national edition of the ''Denver Catholic Register'', with headquarters in

Denver Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the Unit ...

. For a time in the 1930s, the ''Register'' had a chain of Catholic newspapers. Patrick Frawley's Twin Circle Publishing Co. purchased the financially struggling"TWIN CIRCLE BUYS NATIONAL REGISTER; BOTH TO CONTINUE,"
''The Catholic Advocate'' Vol. 19, No. 33, (6 August 1970). ''National Catholic Register'' in 1970, changing its editorial focus from progressive to

conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization in ...

.Cassels, Louis
"Frawley An Opinion-Maker In Roman Catholic Church,"
''Desert Sun'' Vol. 44, No. 28 (5 September 1970). At the point of sale, the paper had a circulation of 112,000. Frawley sold the paper to the Legion of Christ in 1995.Dart, John
"2 Catholic Papers Sold : Media: Group with reported ties to Legion of Christ religious order buys National Catholic Register and Catholic Twin Circle,"
''Los Angeles Times'' (OCT. 7, 1995). Eternal Word Television Network acquired the paper from the Legionaries of Christ in 2011. In 2013, the ''Register'' had a print circulation of 24,706.Fink, John F., "The Catholic press and new media", ''The Criterion'', Archdiocese of Indianapolis, February 22, 2013
/ref> The 2017

Catholic Press Association The Catholic Media Association, formerly the Catholic Press Association of the United States and Canada, is an association of American and Canadian newspaper and media specialists specialized on reporting on the Catholic Church. Founded in 1911, it ...

awards named the ''Register'' Newspaper of the Year. In 2021, the ''Register'' had an average print circulation of 43,117 based on its 2021 Statement of Ownership on file at the USPS.

Editorial position

According to Thomas Tweed, director of the Ansari Institute of Global Engagement with Religion at the

University of Notre Dame The University of Notre Dame du Lac, known simply as Notre Dame ( ) or ND, is a private Catholic research university in Notre Dame, Indiana, outside the city of South Bend. French priest Edward Sorin founded the school in 1842. The main c ...

, "I think the same thing that has happened in American political life and media has happened to some extent to Catholics. Progressive Catholics read ''

Commonweal Commonweal or common weal may refer to: * Common good, what is shared and beneficial for members of a given community * Common Weal, a Scottish think tank and advocacy group * ''Commonweal'' (magazine), an American lay-Catholic-oriented magazin ...

'' and the '' National Catholic Reporter'', and traditionalist Catholics watch

EWTN The Eternal Word Television Network, more commonly known by its initials EWTN, is an American basic cable television network which presents around-the-clock Catholic-themed programming. It is not only the largest Catholic television network in ...

and read newsletters from the Blue Army."Jenkins, Jack. "From the Bible Belt, EWTN shapes world Catholic news", Religious News Service, January 15, 2019
/ref>

References

{{Portal bar, Catholicism, Journalism Publications established in 1927 Catholic newspapers Conservative media in the United States National newspapers published in the United States

History

Editorial position

See also

References