Print Issue: January 9, 2003

The Bulletin Celebrates Forty (Plus) Years Of Catholic Coverage

John Hanley, left, archdiocesan archivist, and Msgr. R. Donald Kiernan, vicar general-pastoral ministries, look over the Jan. 4, 1958 edition of The Atlanta Bulletin, the precursor of The Georgia Bulletin. Msgr. Kiernan served as editor of the paper from January 1958 to 1963, when the Georgia Bulletin became the official paper of the archdiocese of atlanta. The Georgia Bulletin celebrated its 40th anniversary on Jan. 4, 2003. (Photo by Michael Alexander)

By Rebecca Rakoczy, Commentary

ATLANTA - In his Christmas message, the Holy Father called upon the Christian world to "shake off a pessimistic lethargy" and to become the "vigorous defender" of the Divine Order of the world. He called for a halt in the "headlong arms race between nations." But this was not our present Pope John Paul, but Pope Pius XII. The year was 1958, the date, Jan. 4, and the pope's Christmas 1957 message was one of many articles featured in the first issue of the Atlanta Bulletin.

The Atlanta edition was first published 45 years ago as part of the statewide publication based in Augusta. Then Bishop Francis E. Hyland named then Father R. Donald Kiernan as editor of the Atlanta edition; the Savannah edition was published as the Bulletin of the Catholic Laymen's Association of Georgia, with John Markwalter, in Augusta, as editor. The Atlanta Bulletin advertised that it was published "fortnightly," - in otherwords, once every two weeks. It cost 10 cents an issue, or $3 a year.

Msgr. Kiernan wrote two columns, "Georgia Pines" and "Round the Diocese," for the newspaper, juggling the editorship while at the time he was pastor for the mission of St. Bernadette's in Cedartown. "It was before the Vatican (II) Council and the church was growing," Msgr. Kiernan recalled, "but still pretty small." The Holy See had yet to name Atlanta as an archdiocese. "The bishop called me and said, 'Donald, do you read the Bulletin?' And I said, 'yes, bishop.' He said, 'OK, you can be the editor.'"

It wasn't until Jan. 4, 1963 - five years to the day of the Atlanta section - that the first official issue of The Georgia Bulletin was published, as a weekly newspaper, independent of the Savannah paper. Atlanta was now an archdiocese, and the paper's publisher was the new archbishop, Paul Hallinan. Time's Man of the Year was Pope John XXIII, and the Second Vatican Council in the midst of meetings. The young archdiocese had grown to 43,342 Catholics in 71 counties, with 34 priests to handle it all. More than 80 percent of that population resided in the metro area, with more than 8,000 Catholics moving to the area in 1962. The paper's headlines reflected both diocesan news, but a growing sense that the South was changing tremendously. In a memo to Msgr. Kiernan, Archbishop Hallinan requested an article on "the syllabus of Racial Justice," that was being distributed to all Catholic schools. Fear of communism was reflected in headlines and the Soviet Union was busy closing 2,000 churches. The paper ran movie listings and ratings as morally unobjectionable or morally objectionable. Among those unobjectionable were "Hey, Let's Twist," "The Longest Day," and "Music Man." On the morally objectionable list: "Any Given Sunday."

Now pastor of St. Michael's in Gainesville, Msgr. Kiernan took on the role of consulting editor. Gerald Sherry, a layman, and an experienced Catholic newspaperman, was named as the first managing editor of The Georgia Bulletin. In his introductory editorial, Sherry wrote, "In attempting be a vital arm of Catholic opinion the diocesan newspaper will tackle many issues - racial integration, anti-Communism, the role of the laity, Federal aid to education, parent-teacher cooperation, and public morality and the like . . . Editorially we are neither Republican nor Democratic, Liberal or Conservative. We shall attempt only to be Catholic."

Archbishop Hallinan also wrote a piece for that first Georgia Bulletin. In it, he wrote, "There is a sense - a restricted one - in which the Georgia Bulletin is an official newspaper of the archdiocese. It will carry all official announcements. And when it is engaged in the task of teaching religion, it will teach as the Church teaches. In its larger framework of reporting, its spirit and its mood will be in keeping with the large pattern of Catholic ideals and Catholic culture.

"Beyond these stipulations - to which our subscribers and advertisers are entitled in their use of a 'Catholic newspaper' - there is a vast area of free play open to our editors and our readers. The progress of Vatican Council II has already indicated the wide dimensions of this liberty. The Georgia Bulletin's reporting will be honest and objective. Its handling of news values will be based on the highest canons of journalistic balance. And its interpretative columns will strive for depth and context.

"These standards are no more nor less than are expected of any good newspaper of integrity and courage. In a religious paper, however, there is even greater obligation to honor and observe them. The religious journal which is excessively narrow, unfairly slanted, unduly cautious, or indifferent to the human society around it, is badly out of step with both good journalism and the cause of religion.

"The religious press is not meant to be a 'house organ' or a 'trade sheet.' Its whole reason for being is that it might enter the community bearing light and courage - light enough to expose society's ills as well as its strengths; courage enough to inspire justice and charity in those who might falter along the path."

Today the Georgia Bulletin serves more than 80,000 readers in a booming North Georgia archdiocese with a population that is estimated to be more than 400,000, served by 235 priests, 77 parishes and 18 missions. The South is changing again, as we receive thousands of new immigrants into our communities, and with their arrival, the need for coverage of social justice and human rights issues remains as pressing as it did 40 years ago. World events have changed but it seems that many of today's headlines and the issues of concern resemble those from 45 years ago. The pope's Christmas message of 2002 prays for peace. The Soviet-U.S. arms race is over, as is the Vietnam War, but fears of war with Iraq are real. In 1963, abortion laws were being introduced in California and articles about the unborn child's right to life began to appear. On Jan. 22 we mark with sadness the legalization of abortion, as the 30th anniversary of Roe vs. Wade looms on the horizon. Debate over capital punishment, racial equality, and basic human rights still capture the news. Vouchers for schools, prayer in school - yes, these were topics 40 years ago and are still debated. And, yes, there is still discussion of the role of the laity in the church.

As publisher for the past decade, Archbishop John F. Donoghue has encouraged the Bulletin staff in its pursuit of fairness and accuracy, as well as encouraging us spiritually. And as this newspaper enters into its next decade, it is our hope that the staff continues to live by its original motto, "Our Diocese, Our World," publishing news throughout the archdiocese and the world, as well as social justice issues, information about Catholic teachings and news that affects Catholics here, nationwide and around the world. We will continue to cover both joyful and sorrowful diocesan news - our "bread and butter" - for many years. We hope to do this humbly, fairly and accurately, and pray for your patience and forgiveness when we make mistakes. Most certainly, it is our hope that the Holy Spirit guides and inspires us as we put out this newspaper each week.