As CNS marks 100 years, it looks forward to its second century of service

by CNS · January 29, 2021

(CNS illustration/Shelly Connor, USCCB)

By Greg Erlandson – Catholic News Service turned 100 years old in 2020 at the dawn of the pandemic, but it was too busy covering the biggest story of this century to be looking back on the last.

COVID-19 and its impact on both the church and society has occupied our attention this past year, as has the sagging economy, the presidential election and the transition to a new administration.

As our anniversary year draws to a close, however, we felt it was an appropriate time to share with our clients and readers highlights of CNS’ contribution to the church. The news service grew out of a need by Catholic newspapers for national and international news coverage that could supplement their local reporting. It was a visionary response by the U.S. bishops in cooperation with the Catholic Press Association to provide such coverage for the benefit of a growing network of diocesan and national Catholic newspapers.

Over the decades, the news service expanded the services it provided. In 1950, CNS opened a Rome bureau — a providential move that allowed it to provide daily coverage of the Second Vatican Council.

It instituted a photo service that today includes videos and multimedia presentations tailored to our digital age. It began a documentary service to chronicle important texts of the post-Vatican II church at home and abroad, providing content and context. It provided a catechetical series called Faith Alive!

And it took over the Office and Film and Broadcasting, expanding its coverage to include video games as well as the growing number of movies and shows available on streaming services.

CNS has, over time, come to see its role as not only bringing the world’s news to Catholic readers but connecting Catholics with each other while bringing news of the church to the world.

Through its alliances with client publications, it can bring the best of local journalism – whether in Australia or Africa or the diocese next door – to a worldwide audience. It can make the voices of church leaders heard far beyond their chanceries. It can partner with other Catholic news gathering organisations to show the challenges and the genius of local Catholic communities around the world.

And all of this is done while meeting the professional standards of our vocation. We eschew rumour for fact. We seek on-the-record sources whenever possible. We strive for balanced reporting, fairly presented. In service to the truth, we are ever mindful, in the words of Pope Francis, “not to entertain prejudices or draw hasty conclusion … to take the time needed to understand, to pay attention to the essentials.” (World Communications Day Prayer, 2021)

Our past century of service was filled with many challenges. Our next century undoubtedly will face many challenges as well. The availability of a robust Catholic press to counter the fake news and false narratives in social media and beyond is critical for a healthy church to make its voice heard in an increasingly cacophonous world.

Our focus remains on the future, however. Whatever the medium, CNS will continue to strive to be “fair, faithful and informed,” as we look forward to its second century of service.