The Catholic Herald Weekly newspaper which we celebrated on Saturday, October 5, 2024 has travelled a rich path of history, hand-in-hand with our dear country. The first edition was published in the year 1924 at St. Paul’s Catholic Church, Ebute-Metta, Lagos, by the then Bishop Ferdinand Terrien of Lagos Archdiocese.
The newspaper actually turned 100 on June 21, 2024 but we chose to hold the event by this time of the year when we hope to have a more clement weather that would allow our friends and well wishers to celebrate with us. We can proudly beat our chest to state that the paper, initially named The Nigerian Catholic Herald was in the forefront of our nationalists struggle for independence. A role that has largely gone unsung. This is aside from the fact that for 100 years, it has continued the evangelisation of the Christian faith and promotion of a better society where humanity can thrive.
I must not fail to add that The Catholic Herald underwent a comprehensive rebranding exercise four years ago. The rebranding was a multi-platform makeover. The new brand identity was created to enhance its readership across its print and digital platforms. The reenergised design has made the paper stronger with an enhanced personality, accomplished through finer details of contrasting font types and colours that adhere to The Catholic Herald’s typographical sensibilities. Its editorial departments and sections were refreshed and rejigged to be more appealing.
For the newspaper to have come thus far can only mean that it has added and still adding some significant value to enriching our faith as Christians and enlightening our minds with progressive narratives that enables us to be alive to our civic responsibilities and also our rights. I would like to seize this opportunity to express our profound gratitude to our generations of loyal readers all these years and our avid advertisers who inspite of the fierce onslaught of the social media have stuck to us. I want to say a very big “Thank You” to you all.
• Most Rev. (Dr.) Alfred Adewale Martins, Archbishop of the Metropolitan See of Lagos is the Publisher of The Catholic Herald Weekly newspaper.
