Globe serves as communication tool

June 29, 2006

My Dear Sisters and Brothers,

During the first months of my ministry as your Bishop, I have had many opportunities to visit with new friends from across the Diocese of Sioux City. In addition to your kind welcome, many have used the occasion to share an opinion or two with me! As always, I welcome your comments and suggestions on how to make our faith lives more meaningful. All we do as a Diocese is to help us become holier people in love with Jesus Christ.

One subject that seems to come up with great regularity, both from priests and laity, is that of our diocesan newspaper - The Globe. While many of you have been complimentary about the quality of the paper, I've also heard from a fair number who have issues with the job we are doing. Those observations are fair and valid. I see The Globe as one of the most important tools for use in my ministry as teaching the truth in love. As a bishop, I have the responsibility to teach, to govern and to sanctify. The Globe helps me in that teaching role. I want the Globe to be a great source of knowledge about our faith and a way to share the good things happening in our parishes, in our schools, in our diocese and in the Church.

As we ask you to renew your subscription to The Globe, please know that I am listening to your feedback and so is the Board that advises me on our paper. To that end, I am excited to share with you that we are going to incorporate some significant changes in the way The Globe communicates with the faithful of the diocese.

At my direction, The Globe staff is working diligently on a complete makeover of the paper. In addition to a change in the physical look of The Globe, I am committed to providing better content that is consistent with the beliefs of the Church and inspires us to grow as Catholics. That means news articles that are timely, informative and inspiring - columnists who deal with relevant issues - and photography that compliments the story. We have already added columns by Christopher West, Father Ron Rolheiser and Christina Capecchi. A new column titled "Culture of Life" features various writers such as Dr. Janet Smith and Father Eric Nielsen. I will regularly contribute my own personal reflections and thoughts as often as I can. In my column, "The Shepherd Speaks," I will continue to write about the wonderful experiences I have as your Bishop. Soon you will see the result of our efforts as we mail our first issue of the new-look Globe.

I am excited about the changes that are coming and I hope you are too. In this day and age, timely communication with the faithful is crucial. A diocesan newspaper like The Globe enables us to get the news to you in a fashion that avoids the "filters" that the secular media typically applies to what they report. We want to make sure that we are giving you a compelling reason to pick up The Globe and read it. I'm confident you will welcome the changes we are making.

Thank you for renewing your subscription to The Globe and thank you for your patience as we work hard to deliver a quality Catholic newspaper to every Catholic household throughout the year. The Globe needs to be a crucial component of your faith life and I am committed to making that happen. I commend Renee Webb and her fine staff on their dedication to our paper and its purpose. Your comments are always welcome.

May God continue to bless you.

Your brother in Christ,

Most Reverend R. Walker Nickless

Bishop of Sioux City