In December of 2011, Bishop Michael Oulton wrote a letter to the congregations of the Diocese of Ontario outlining Synod Council decisions to suspend certain ministries in order to deal with a deficit budget. One of those decisions made was to stop the printing of the Dialogue newspaper. The editor at that time, Francie Healy, said in her note to the diocese in that last January 2012 issue: “It’s a new, if difficult, time for the diocese, and although transition can be painful, it can also mean a bold journey forward into new ventures, perspective and opportunities.”
Just over a year and a half later in May of 2023, I began my career as communications officer for the diocese and along with that, the new editor and designer of a resurrected Dialogue—returning to print as a quarterly newspaper. My first issue was published September 2013.
While the last 11 years as editor and designer of Dialogue has proved rewarding, and the return of Dialogue offered many opportunities for Anglicans to connect with parishes and ministries across our diocese, the time for transition has again arrived.
With the Diocese of Ontario facing new budgetary financial pressures, and both a declining Dialogue subscriber base and decreasing roster of volunteer contributors, I met with Bishop Cliff and Synod Council in June and proposed that, as of 2025, Dialogue should stop printing—but will continue as an online newspaper to be hosted on the new AnglicanNews.ca website.
Over 10 years on, Francie’s words ring true again: “transition can be painful, it can also mean a bold journey forward into new ventures…”
This bold journey forward holds true for the Anglican Journal and the rest of the diocesan newspapers as well.
Launched in February of 2022, AnglicanNews.ca is a new online partnership between the Anglican Journal and all the diocesan newspapers. This central site allows Anglicans to connect not only with the Anglican Journal but also participating diocesan newspapers—including Dialogue. To quote Tali Folkins, the editor of the Anglican Journal on the new AnglicanNews.ca website: “This new central site will allow Anglicans across the country to connect with each other in a way that has never before been possible: with just a few taps or clicks of the mouse, you’ll be able to access an unprecedented amount of local, national and international news about the church, plus spiritual reflection, reviews and more.”
Other dioceses in Canada have already discontinued their print publications and are hosting their diocesan newspaper online on AnglicanNews.ca. The benefit to them being eliminating printing and distribution costs for their papers and having an online site already built and available for them to access. There is no cost for dioceses to host their publications on AnglicanNews.ca. All expenses are borne by the national office.
This is a universal time of transition for most print publications, daily newspapers and periodicals. Shrinking budgets, changing readership demographics and the reality of a society that increasingly consumes its content online has had dramatic impacts on how we read. Whether you are welcome to it or indifferent to it (or against it), change is inevitable. The church certainly knows this.
The final print issue of Dialogue will be the Winter 2024 issue (following this fall issue). Dialogue will launch on AnglicanNews.ca at some point this fall.
As the current editor (and maybe not the last), I thank you for your continued readership and support over these last 11 years. May you continue to enjoy our diocesan newspaper via its new online version in the years to come. I am confident it will prove to be a ‘bold journey forward into new ventures.’
Dialogue to stop printing in 2025, to join AnglicanNews.ca online
In December of 2011, Bishop Michael Oulton wrote a letter to the congregations of the Diocese of Ontario outlining Synod Council decisions to suspend certain ministries in order to deal with a deficit budget. One of those decisions made was to stop the printing of the Dialogue newspaper. The editor at that time, Francie Healy, said in her note to the diocese in that last January 2012 issue: “It’s a new, if difficult, time for the diocese, and although transition can be painful, it can also mean a bold journey forward into new ventures, perspective and opportunities.”
Just over a year and a half later in May of 2023, I began my career as communications officer for the diocese and along with that, the new editor and designer of a resurrected Dialogue—returning to print as a quarterly newspaper. My first issue was published September 2013.
While the last 11 years as editor and designer of Dialogue has proved rewarding, and the return of Dialogue offered many opportunities for Anglicans to connect with parishes and ministries across our diocese, the time for transition has again arrived.
With the Diocese of Ontario facing new budgetary financial pressures, and both a declining Dialogue subscriber base and decreasing roster of volunteer contributors, I met with Bishop Cliff and Synod Council in June and proposed that, as of 2025, Dialogue should stop printing—but will continue as an online newspaper to be hosted on the new AnglicanNews.ca website.
Over 10 years on, Francie’s words ring true again: “transition can be painful, it can also mean a bold journey forward into new ventures…”
This bold journey forward holds true for the Anglican Journal and the rest of the diocesan newspapers as well.
Launched in February of 2022, AnglicanNews.ca is a new online partnership between the Anglican Journal and all the diocesan newspapers. This central site allows Anglicans to connect not only with the Anglican Journal but also participating diocesan newspapers—including Dialogue. To quote Tali Folkins, the editor of the Anglican Journal on the new AnglicanNews.ca website: “This new central site will allow Anglicans across the country to connect with each other in a way that has never before been possible: with just a few taps or clicks of the mouse, you’ll be able to access an unprecedented amount of local, national and international news about the church, plus spiritual reflection, reviews and more.”
Other dioceses in Canada have already discontinued their print publications and are hosting their diocesan newspaper online on AnglicanNews.ca. The benefit to them being eliminating printing and distribution costs for their papers and having an online site already built and available for them to access. There is no cost for dioceses to host their publications on AnglicanNews.ca. All expenses are borne by the national office.
This is a universal time of transition for most print publications, daily newspapers and periodicals. Shrinking budgets, changing readership demographics and the reality of a society that increasingly consumes its content online has had dramatic impacts on how we read. Whether you are welcome to it or indifferent to it (or against it), change is inevitable. The church certainly knows this.
The final print issue of Dialogue will be the Winter 2024 issue (following this fall issue). Dialogue will launch on AnglicanNews.ca at some point this fall.
As the current editor (and maybe not the last), I thank you for your continued readership and support over these last 11 years. May you continue to enjoy our diocesan newspaper via its new online version in the years to come. I am confident it will prove to be a ‘bold journey forward into new ventures.’
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