 | |
| Type | Biweekly |
|---|---|
| Format | Non-profit newspaper |
| Owner | The National Catholic Reporter Publishing Company |
| Founder | Robert Hoyt |
| Publisher | Joe Ferullo |
| Founded | 1964; 61 years ago (1964) |
| Language | English |
| Headquarters | Kansas City, Missouri |
| Circulation | 35,000 (as of 2013)[1] |
| ISSN | 0027-8939 |
| Website | ncronline |
TheNational Catholic Reporter (NCR) is a national newspaper in the United States that reports on issues related to theCatholic Church. Based inKansas City, Missouri,NCR was founded byRobert Hoyt in 1964.[2] Hoyt wanted to bring the professional standards of secular news reporting to the press that covers Catholic news, saying that "if the mayor of a city owned its only newspaper, its citizens will not learn what they need and deserve to know about its affairs".[3] The publication, which operates outside the authority of the Catholic Church, is independently owned and governed by alay board of directors.[4]
The paper is published bi-weekly, with each issue including national and world news sections, as well as an opinion and arts section. Each paper runs an average of 32 pages, which includes special sections, a section published in each issue devoted to a particular topic.
Each issue includes news stories, analysis, commentary, opinion and editorials. The Opinion and Arts section contains book and film reviews, as well as spiritual reflections, along with letters to the editor, classifieds and editorials.
The organization reported $4.3 million in annual revenue in 2013.[5] TheConrad N. Hilton Foundation is a major financial supporter of the newspaper.[6] TheGlobal Sisters Report is a project ofNCR.[7]
NCR presents itself "as one of the few, if not the only truly independent, journalistic outlet for Catholics and others who struggle with the complex moral and societal issues of the day."[8] Russell Shaw, writing in the supplemental volume of theEncyclopedia of Catholic Social Thought, Social Science, and Social Policy writes thatNCR "has been criticized for ideological bias and a tilt in favor of progressive Catholicism and dissent, not only in its editorial and opinion pages but in its news coverage as well, together with an excessive readiness to dispute and oppose statements and actions of theHoly See and thebishops".[9] For example,NCR has asserted that climate change is the "No. 1pro-life issue" facing the Catholic Church today.[4][10]
According to Thomas Tweed, director of the Ansari Institute of Global Engagement with Religion at theUniversity of Notre Dame, "I think the same thing that has happened in American political life and media has happened to some extent to Catholics. Progressive Catholics readCommonweal and theNational Catholic Reporter, and traditionalist Catholics watchEWTN and read newsletters from theBlue Army."[11]
In April 1967,NCR published confidential reports of acommission appointed by Pope Paul VI to review the church's teaching on artificial contraception. The majority of the commission recommended revisions in the teaching. The action was among the reasons BishopCharles H. Helmsing of Kansas City, Missouri, in 1968, issued a condemnation ofNCR and demanded that it remove the word Catholic from its name. Bishop Helmsing issued a statement condemningNCR, saying it had a "policy of crusading against the Church's teachings", a "poisonous character" and "disregard and denial of the most sacred values of our Catholic faith."[12] Because the publication "does not reflect the teaching of the Church, but on the contrary, has openly and deliberately opposed this teaching", he asked the editors to "drop the term 'Catholic' from their masthead" because "they deceive their Catholic readers and do a great disservice to ecumenism by [...] watering down Catholic teachings."[12][13]
NCR did not comply with his request. Dozens of Catholic journalists would sign a statement disagreeing with the condemnation based on its "underlying definition of the legitimate boundaries of religious journalism in service to the church." TheCatholic Press Association reported that the dispute arose from a difference of opinion regarding the function of the press.[14]
In 2013, BishopRobert Finn of Kansas City, Missouri, wrote a column in his diocesan newspaper discussing Helmsing's condemnation ofNCR. He stated, "From my perspective,NCR's positions against authentic Church teaching and leadership have not changed trajectory in the intervening decades." Finn wrote that the paper had refused to "submit their bona fides as a Catholic media outlet in accord with the expectations of Church law", and considered itself an "independent newspaper which commented on 'things Catholic'."[15]
NCR publisher Thomas C. Fox denied the implication that there was a decades-long animosity between the diocese and the newspaper, noting that BishopJohn Sullivan and BishopRaymond Boland "had cordial relations withNCR". He pointed out thatNCR is a member of theCatholic Press Association of the United States and Canada whose honorary president is BishopJohn Charles Wester, who also serves as the chairman of the Committee of Communications of theUnited States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Fox noted anNCR editorial in November 2012 had called on Finn to resign or be removed from his position after Finn was found guilty "of failing to report suspected child abuse involving a local priest."[16] Finn did resign from the Diocese of Kansas City on April 21, 2015, after an internal Vatican investigation.
NCR has won the "General Excellence" award from theCatholic Press Association in the category of national news publications six times between 2008 and 2014.[17]
TheCatholic Press Association in June 2017 awarded formerNCR editor and publisher Tom Fox its highest honor for publishers, the Bishop John England Award.[18]
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
