A few changes

By Sam Lucero
News and Information Manager

This edition of The Compass marks the final issue for 2007. There will be no paper on Dec. 28 to allow our staff time with family. In the next issue, Jan. 4, 2008, we will add several new features to our lineup. These will include a few columns, a local personality profile, and a new editorial cartoon.

Allow me to elaborate, beginning with the personality profile.

At every Catholic newspaper I've worked, one feature that consistently garners positive reader feedback is the personality profile. Readers like to hear about fellow Catholics and how they live out their faith. Sometimes the stories are dramatic, sometimes more pedestrian; but they always illustrate how faith can anchor one's life.

It's not that The Compass hasn't offered faith profiles in the past. The difference is that they will be offered every week and packaged with a title so they're easy to locate.

The title of this weekly feature will be "Catholic Neighbors." It's a pithy, accurate description of people in the pews we see each week at church, but whose stories we may not know. We have several profiles in the works, but if you know of a parishioner, whose faith story bears repeating, please send me an e-mail (slucero@gbdioc.org) with the person's name and a short description. Write "Catholic Neighbors" in the subject line.

The Compass has a long history of offering its readers a diversity of well-written columns. As Fr. Ron Rolheiser wrote in a recent column in this newspaper, The Compass was the first U.S. diocesan newspaper to publish his "In Exile" column.

On a rotating basis, we'd like to offer several family-oriented columns. A familiar name to Compass readers will return to write a column aimed at older adults: Deacon Reinhart Wessing.

Deacon Wessing, a former editor of this paper, has agreed to write a column in the second issue of each month titled "Silver and Gold." He will share his life experiences in a leisurely column that will delight many of our faithful readers.

In addition to Deacon Wessing, other new columnists will focus on young adult issues, social justice issues and spirituality. These columns will come from Catholic News Service.

One last column, which will appeal especially to adult formation directors, is a series on the new U.S. Catholic Catechism for Adults. It is written by Archbishop Donald W. Wuerl of Washington, who served as chairman of the editorial oversight board that developed the new catechism and is the author of many books, including "The Catholic Way" and "The Gift of Faith."

The columns originally appeared in the Catholic Standard, newspaper of the Archdiocese of Washington, but have since been syndicated and made available to other diocesan newspapers. It has been recognized as a powerful adult formation tool.

Another feature will be editorial cartoons from Catholic News Service. We presently publish "Kim & Jason," a comic strip created by Jason Kotecki, on this editorial page. Our plan is to present a more opinion-oriented editorial. But do not fret, Kim & Jason fans. One cartoon panel will continue to run on our events page, which has been retooled.

Like our Catholic faith, The Compass is steeped in tradition. It must also change to remain relevant, and to meet the needs of a new generation of readers.