The most recent print edition of the magazine will be the last.
When we launched the Scottish Catholic in 2021, we believed there was an urgent need for honest, inquisitive journalism about the Catholic Church in Scotland. We still believe that.
We didn’t know then that in the aftermath of the pandemic Catholic Mass attendance in Scotland would drop by nearly 50%.
We didn’t know that inflation would drive the cost of paper and transport far beyond anything we’d budgeted for.
And we didn’t realise how much the culture and habits of Catholics in Scotland had changed, making a broad Church, see-all-sides print publication a tougher sell than we hoped.
In the last few days it’s become clear we will not be able to secure the funding we needed to make the sustainable magazine long-term.
We loved the work. and it was a privilege to meet and report on so many incredible men and women who give us great hope for the future of the Faith.
We did this because we believed. We had no deep-pocketed benefactors bankrolling us and the reality is that running this magazine has been financially disastrous for myself and the other founders. Continuing down this road would require more than we are able to give.
But we’re not giving up.
From February the Scottish Catholic will be a digital publication. We will provide news and opinion through our website and social media channels. We will produce a monthly email newsletter rounding up the best of our coverage and insight and flavor to help you understand what’s happening in the Church here.
I look forward to seeing you on the next stage of the Scottish Catholic’s journey.
Ian Dunn
Editor