The
writer of Ecclesiastes was a man who had clearly spent time contemplating the
transitory yet steady nature of time and existence. “What has been is what will
be,” he wrote, “and what has been done is what will be done; and there is
nothing new under the sun” (Eccl. 1:9). In the parlance of our time, the more
things change the more they remain the same.
Yet
change is real, even if real change is sometimes hard to define and quantify.
Twenty years ago, Catholic World Report was founded in order both
to report about the Catholic world and to articulate an orthodox, Catholic
perspective within the world. Much has changed since then, especially in the
realms of communication and technology. As a result (and to make a long story
short) CWR is no longer a print magazine. There is, for all things—including
magazines—“a time to be born and a time to die” (Eccl. 3:2).
However,
I’m happy to say, in keeping with my use of Ecclesiastes—a book that all
scholars agree contains no direct reference to CWR or the information age—CWR
has not died, or disappeared, or even taken an open-ended sabbatical. It is
alive, right here and right in front of you. The news, analysis, and commentary
of CWR is now entirely online. Not only that, its content is free to all
readers, including those who question my use of Ecclesiastes in introducing
what is somewhat new under the sun!
I
say “somewhat” because while the medium has changed, the focus and purpose and
goals have not. To borrow from Father David Meconi, S.J., who has just
announced that Homiletic & Pastoral
Review is also completely and solely online, the “what” and the “why”
of CWR are the same; it is the “how” that has changed.
CWR
also has a new editor. I take on that title and responsibility with a mixture
of trepidation and optimism: trepidation because I am keenly aware of the
standard of excellence that CWR has maintained for two decades, and optimism
because I think CWR has much to offer its readers in the years to come, and I
believe the Internet provides a means of responding to events and news with a
flexibility and immediacy not always available with print. As Father Meconi
notes, studies indicate that 70 percent of what is read today is accessed in
some electronic format. And I suspect that number might even be higher when it
comes to news, opinion, and commentary.
A
typical print edition of CWR included nine or ten feature articles, interviews,
and book reviews, along with editorials, short news pieces, and a column or
two. The great strength of CWR, I believe, is the in-depth and exceptional
analysis offered in its feature articles. Going forward, two or three feature
articles will be posted on the CWR site each week. These will be longer,
original pieces about events and persons in the Church and around the world.
CWR will also have regular, monthly columns written by a variety of authors who
have first-hand, expert knowledge of the issues they address. And the site will
also have regular editorials. In addition, news briefs will be
available 24/7.
Perhaps
the most notable change (other than CWR being on a screen and not on paper)
will be the growth of the CWR
blog, which will have new posts each day of the working week. The blog will
focus on current events, observations on the passing scene, short bits of news
analysis, remarks on culture both high and low, and even thoughts theological
and philosophical in nature. Although I will continue to write and blog on Insight Scoop, my primary focus
will be the CWR blog, where I will be joined by some other folks, including
Mark Brumley, president of Ignatius Press, and Catherine Harmon, the managing editor
of CWR. As I have been leading a weekly Bible study of Proverbs in my parish
(and having blogged for ten years now), I am mindful of the saying, “Wise men
lay up knowledge, but the babbling of a fool brings ruin near”
(Prov. 10:14). The CWR blog will always seek to share and spread
knowledge, and any babbling that appears there will be, I trust, babbling being
exposed, not extolled.
Over
the next few weeks, there will be further updates about CWR. To stay up-to-date
on the latest CWR articles and features, please sign up for our new
eNewsletter by clicking here. All you need to do is enter your name and
email address—no passwords or usernames required! By signing up for the
eNewsletter, you will be notified whenever new articles are posted at www.catholicworldreport.com.
What
has been done is what will be done. But there is still much more to do. I hope
you will make CWR a regular destination. I welcome your comments and questions, and I also welcome
your prayers and support. Thank you!
Pax
Christi,
Carl
E. Olson
Editor, Catholic
World Report