Texas Catholic Herald carries 60-year legacy of Catholic press into the future

Recently a copy of the first issue of the Texas Catholic Herald visited the newsroom. Scattered across the front page, above the fold, were signatures of the founding staff of the Texas Catholic Herald, a snapshot of an important moment in time in the then-Diocese of Galveston-Houston. Each signature represented key efforts of Catholics committed to sharing the Good News to Texas and beyond.

Today, on May 14, 2024, the TCH marked its 60th anniversary – to the day, the first issue was printed on May 14, 1964 – of reporting on Catholic information and evangelization in Texas and beyond. The Herald reported news from the Vatican, Galveston Island to as far as Tyler, Beaumont and Victoria.

While there is no signature from the pope, a papal blessing accompanied the inaugural issue with a greeting from Pope Paul VI through the apostolic delegate Bishop Egidio Vagnozzi.

The Texas Catholic Herald derives its name in part from a Catholic newspaper that began publishing in Galveston almost 150 years ago. The Texas Catholic was published in 1876 by the Church and printed by Shaw and Blaylock of East Strand St. in Galveston, according to records. The Texas Catholic inspired Bishop John L. Morkovsky of the name of the Texas Catholic Herald.

Once the largest weekly newspaper in Texas, the Texas Catholic Herald was originally printed on press machines located in the basement of the Downtown Chancery. Today the publication is still printed on Texas press machines, just now in full-color and with a lineup of digital offerings online and on social media.

Join us as we continue to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Texas Catholic Herald and look for additional coverage online and in upcoming issues, including the TCH’s cowboy mascot, Little Tex.