By Tablet Staff
PROSPECT HEIGHTS — The new year will signal a new beginning for Carol Zimmermann, who has accepted a position with The Tablet newspaper as its senior national correspondent.
Zimmermann is in the final stretch of concluding her 30-year run with Catholic News Service as the agency is poised to close its U.S. operation on Dec. 31.
In print since 1908, The Tablet has a long track record of serving the Catholic reader with award-winning news and opinion.
“Carol is a trusted journalist in the Catholic media community, and we couldn’t be more pleased to have her join our team in January,” said Vito Formica, executive director of news content and development at DeSales Media Group — the communications and technology non-profit that produces and publishes The Tablet.
For Zimmermann, Formica’s multi-platform approach to covering news, plus The Tablet’s reputation and influence in the faith-based and secular sectors, are some of the things that attracted her to the job.
“I’m really looking forward to being part of the DeSales team. I have caught some of their energy at the Catholic Media Association conferences, and in a recent editorial meeting I joined online,” Zimmermann said.
The Tablet is part of a larger news operation that includes the Spanish-language sister publication Nuestra Voz, the nightly TV program “Currents News,” and a digital department that oversees three news websites and social media accounts.
“We strive to cover news for Catholics on the local, national, and international level in a way that makes it relevant to them,” said Jim DelCioppo, Editor of The Tablet. “Carol brings an in-depth knowledge of the Church that will only further enhance our product.”
Zimmermann has a history of covering a wide range of topics, including the election of Pope Francis, the work of the U.S. bishops, and most recently, the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision that overturned Roe v. Wade.
While Zimmermann’s work will now continue with The Tablet, she shared that earlier this year, the decision by the U.S bishops to close CNS came as a shock to her and her colleagues. She pointed out that existing news organizations, like The Tablet, must fill that void so the full story of the Church can continue to be told.
“Our stories reflect how the Catholic faith is not just for Sunday Mass but something that really impacts people’s daily lives,” Zimmermann said. “I have long been part of reporting this story, and I’m thrilled to be able to continue it.”
Michelle Powers, managing editor of news operations at DeSales, will work on story assignments with Zimmermann. “She has the attributes of an old-school print reporter and the motivation of a modern-day journalist,” Powers said. “With that perfect pairing, we are excited to see how she will help bring DeSales Media to new heights.”
Zimmermann is a board member of the Catholic Media Association. She and her husband, Mark, editor of the Catholic Standard newspaper of the Archdiocese of Washington, have two grown children and a high schooler. They live in Maryland, where they attend St. Rose of Lima Parish in Gaithersburg. Zimmermann will continue to be based in Washington, D.C.
