The next phase of Catholic media will soon be filling mailboxes across the Diocese of San José, and it’s all part of the Diocese’s mission to make and build up disciples of Jesus Christ.

Starting the week of May 3rd, The Valley Catholic, an all-new print magazine from the Diocese of San José, will begin arriving at an estimated 70,000 homes across Santa Clara County with an inaugural issue that celebrates the 40th anniversary of the Diocese.

After much discernment and consultation with pastors and other stakeholders, Bishop Oscar Cantú decided to relaunch The Valley Catholic, after a 14-month hiatus, as a print and digital faith-formation and evangelization publication that would tell the stories of missionary discipleship across the Diocese in our parishes, schools, and ministries.

There are several reasons for moving in this direction. One is the changing news environment. For many years now, we have been living with a 24/7 news cycle that makes it difficult to provide timely news. Nowadays, more and more people stay updated on the news of the day, not by reading a bi-weekly newspaper, but rather via their “screens” —phones, iPads, and other tablets — and social media. If Pope Francis makes a significant announcement today, people are likely to hear about it on television and see it on Facebook several days or even weeks before reading it in a Diocesan newspaper.

Yet, sharing local Catholic news and events is still important. We will keep you up to date on the latest Catholic news from around the Diocese, across the U.S., and from the Vatican on our website, www.dsj.org, and social media accounts (see below for links).

Sharing stories of living a life of Christ is as old as the Gospels themselves. There is something compelling about storytelling to help someone truly connect to the mission of the Church and the person of Jesus Christ. Rather than concentrating on time-dependent news and events, The Valley Catholic Magazine; its newly redesigned online presence, www.thevalleycatholic.org; and its new monthly email newsletter will focus on local multi-lingual feature stories and columns that form, encourage, and equip Catholics to carry out the saving work of Jesus across the Diocese and beyond.

More than 70,000 people, including lay faithful, clergy, and those who have supported the mission of the Diocese of San José and have contributed to the Annual Diocesan Appeal (ADA) in recent years, will receive the print quarterly magazine as a stewardship gift in gratitude for their support. Yet, no ADA dollars were used to create, publish or mail the magazine. Rather, the magazine is funded by a variety of resources, including reader donations, parish subsidies, grants and sponsorships.

Anyone who wishes to receive a print copy of the next issue of The Valley Catholic Magazine is invited to register with their local parish or support the mission of the Diocese by making a gift to the ADA.

You can check out the brand new thevalleycatholic.org, including an electronic version of the Diocese of San José’s new The Valley Catholic Magazine, and sign up for the monthly The Valley Catholic email newsletter here.

In the meantime, be sure to check out the other resources we offer, and will continue to offer, to keep you inspired and informed about your faith: 

• Facebook: @DioceseSanJose 
• Twitter: @DioceseSanJose
• Instagram: @diocesesanjose
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/diocese-of-san-jose/mycompany

If you have any questions or comments about this transition, please feel free to contact The Valley Catholic Team at valleycatholic@dsj.org.