Trusted content from your local Church

The Second Vatican Council (1962–1965) marked a pivotal shift in the Catholic Church's approach to media: media were no longer regarded with skepticism but as a “gift of God” with profound potential for unity, education, and evangelization. This perspective was articulated in 1963, and with it came encouragement to use media to spread the Gospel.
 
Recognizing that media had become a central part of human experience, Corpus Christi’s Bishop Thomas J. Drury decided it was time for the diocese to have its own “official” newspaper. On May 6, 1966, the first issue of the Texas Gulf Coast Register, a weekly Catholic newspaper, was delivered to subscribers. Fr. William Gough became the newspaper’s first editor.
 
Bishop Drury wrote that the Texas Gulf Coast Register was created in response to the Vatican II decree The Media of Social Communications: “The Texas Gulf Coast Register will come to your home each week. It is your Bishop’s means of reaching you individually with information of a Catholic nature that is designed to keep you fully informed on current events,” he wrote.
 The first edition of the Diocese's newspaperSince then, we’ve come a long way in developing Catholic communication. Media consumption is constantly changing, from newspapers and television to social media and streaming. While posts on our timeline or shared in messages are a fast way to get information, and streaming surpasses traditional TV, new forms don’t replace classic media: books are still in demand, and sports and news remain strongholds of TV stations. And magazines, which provide unique content, sometimes in longer forms, continue to have their place.
 
Let’s take a look at the development of our outlet, now named South Texas Catholic. In 1970, its name was changed to Texas Gulf Coast Catholic. Bishop Drury ended the collaboration with the Denver Register; the newspaper was now printed locally, and its articles took on a more local flavor.
 
In 1986, another name change occurred: the newspaper was renamed South Texas Catholic. During these years, print media was growing, and on February 11, 1991, the Diocese of Corpus Christi founded its own company, “Diocesan Press,” as its print media apostolate. On May 3, the dedication of the new press building and STC's 25th anniversary were celebrated together.
 
Financial challenges led to the decision in 1997 to switch to a monthly format, with a renewed focus on youth, family life, and faith. South Texas Catholic Monthly included a column (in English and Spanish) by Bishop Roberto Gonzalez, ministry resources, additional Spanish pages, and an interactive page for kids.
 
At the end of his first year in office, Bishop Edmond Carmody returned the newspaper to a biweekly schedule, published on the first and third Fridays. With the rise of the internet, South Texas Catholic established an online presence in March 2006 with web articles and photo galleries and joined social media in 2011, with Bishop Michael Mulvey encouraging the paper to be where people look for news.Rev. William Gough (left) was the newspaper's first editor 
The changing media landscape led South Texas Catholic to become a monthly magazine, focusing on formation and evangelization while sharing news on the website and social media.
 
On May 6, 2016, South Texas Catholic celebrated its 50^th anniversary with a special edition. As people have less time to read print media but seek trustworthy Catholic content online, the magazine changed its print frequency to quarterly in 2021 while expanding its online and social media presence.
 
Now, as we celebrate our 60^th anniversary, we remain committed to delivering diocesan news, portraying our priests, our faithful, and our parish life, and connecting us across the twelve counties. Local Catholic content is needed in a world where ‘fake news” and falsification could distract from the Truth – staying grounded in our diocese helps us grow in unity.