Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 30 November 2018 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
news coverage
Context area
Name of creator
Administrative history
The Catholic Universe was founded in 1860, just two years after the apparitions of Our Lady at Lourdes, and six years after Pope Pius IX defined the dogma of the Immaculate Conception.
The first copies of The Universe were published on Saturday, December 8, 1860 – at a cover price of one penny (1d) – from 43 Lamb’s Conduit Street, London WC. By selling for 1d, The Universe hoped to be a weekly paper “within the reach of all classes”. The Tablet, by comparison, cost 6d. Annual subscription cost 4s 4d and advertisements 6d for three lines, with each additional line costing 2d.
Fifty years later, Friday December 1910, The Universe incorporated Catholic Weekly, increased in size to 20 pages. By 1910, The Universe was giving news from all over the country, not just from London. Another 50 years, on Thursday 8 December 1960, The Universe celebrated its centenary and the cover price was now 4d.
On the 7th October 1990, the first issue came from Manchester. It had moved from Bowling Green Lane to Oxford Street, Manchester, and had introduced desktop publishing using Apple Mac computers.
In April 2015 the operation moved to the Guardian Print Centre in Manchester, and The Catholic Universe moved from a tabloid to the Guardian's larger Berliner format. New sections were launched, including a weekly Around the Parishes supplement, and a Weekend Companion pullout of family-centred non-religious news and features.
In March 2019 the Guardian Print Centre closed, and the paper relocated to new offices at Oakland House, Stretford, Manchester.
On 1st May 2020, The Catholic Times was merged with The Catholic Universe to create a single publication
Update 10-7-2022:
The Catholic Universe ceased publication in 2021 - its webpages became inaccessible since it closed.
The Universe Catholic Weekly was launched on 8th October 2021. It is a successor to the former Catholic Universe and is launching its first subscriber and supporter, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, the Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster.
Repository
Archival history
Original e-mail printed as PDF; saved in filestore
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RCDEA Communications
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Three candidates to the diaconate were instituted as acolytes at St John's Cathedral on 3rd November, reports Rev John Morrill, assistant director for the permanent deacons. Brett Gladden from Bury St Edmunds, Martin L'Estrange from King's Lynn and James Hurst from Newmarket (pictured right - front row) reached a final staging post on their tour-year formation journey following 'candidacy' in their second year and 'lectorship' in their third year. Bishop Alan Hopes (flanked by Deacons John Bell and John Morrill) instituted them as acolytes at a Mass attended by many members of their families.
News items from The Cathoilc Universe
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Conditions governing access
copyright rests with origination organisation in each piece
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copyright rests with origination organisation in each piece
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Script of material
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Allied materials area
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DEA