For the past two months, Father Frank Mann has been moving around the diocese, speaking about The Tablet, trying to bolster our circulation and help pastors save money. He has been to six different parishes in Brooklyn and Queens to urge people to sign up for individual subscriptions to The Tablet rather than have their parishes pay for them.

The good news is that about 10-15% of the congregations have been agreeable. They are checking the box on our form that says “Yes, I want to help my parish” and they are pledging the $28 which is the cost of a year’s subscription to The Tablet.

“Everywhere I’ve been, I’ve received a very cordial welcome from the priests and the people,” says Father Mann.  “I am very grateful for the warm hospitality and welcome given me by the pastors and administrators of the parishes I have visited.”

At each church, Father Mann preaches at all the weekend Masses.  His homily is geared to the liturgy with an emphasis on the New Evangelization and the need for a Catholic media. He makes his pitch and then distributes cards for people to sign up if they so wish.

For more than 40 years, most bishops in the U.S. have relied on what is known as a mandated circulation plan to support their diocesan newspapers.  Each parish is asked to buy a specific number of copies of the newspaper which corresponds to its weekly English-speaking Mass attendance. It’s like being a member of AAA or AARP.  All members receive the official publication as part of their enrollment.

Surveys have found that the diocesan newspaper has been the most effective way for a bishop to communicate with his flock.  The paper also keeps Catholics informed about how the news of the day impacts upon their lives. It also allows readers a chance to speak back and engage in dialogue through letters to the editor and guest columns.

This system has worked well.  It also has been a plus for the newspaper staffs because we do not have the bucks needed to wage costly marketing and  circulation campaigns.  We have depended on the good will and cooperation of a built-in audience.

Pastors have been extremely cooperative with about 90% of them embracing the plan and paying the monthly bill. The Tablet receives no direct diocesan subsidy and makes up the rest of its expenses by selling advertising.  We operate on an annual budget of about $2.5 million.

Times have changed.  Some parishes, like all of us, are struggling to pay their bills. Mergers and consolidations are easing some of the costs.  We too at The Tablet have joined forces with the other diocesan communications vehicles as part of DeSales Media Group to operate in the most efficient possible manner.

Conscious of these financial burdens, we have asked Father Mann to be the point man as we begin to move away from mandated parish quotas.  When he visits your parish, please give him a warm welcome and consider a subscription to The Tablet.

Pastors who would like to get on Father Mann’s schedule (he is booked through February) can contact me at The Tablet (ewilkinson@diobrook.org) and I will put you in contact.