Everyone knows the difficulty that publishers of periodicals are having these days, even those of us whose involvement is limited to subscription. The publication schedule changes from weekly to bi-weekly, from monthly to quarterly, even while the price of subscription rises. There are several forces behind this unhappy change, some probably more forceful than others.

Some people say the increasingly mobile lifestyle of  American and European readers makes electronic reading more convenient than print. Since periodicals are quite portable, easily rolled up and stuck into convenient side pockets of roll-on luggage, I don’t think that explanation is very convincing, especially since print does not require recharging, wireless connections, the purchase of special equipment, or anything other than the simple desire to read and the willingness to turn a page manually. And there is the satisfaction of possession. You buy a magazine and it’s yours. You can keep it, throw it away; discard it or pass it on. The infatuation with technology and a perceived need to keep up with it is a far more likely explanation.

Other people offer the green explanation—just think of all the trees electronic publishing is saving. Well, not really. In South Georgia where I live, tree farming is a major industry. There are people here who own thousands of acres of pine trees. If you’re a tree-lover as I am, this is a happy state of affairs. As trees are harvested, seedlings are planted and cared for until they mature. Moreover, the need for healthy trees assures pretty fair treatment of soil, air, and water. South Georgians enjoy life surrounded by trees; it’s one reason I wouldn’t want to live in a city. Concrete forests are not a desirable substitute, nor would I want to exchange oxygen for carbon monoxide. The paper made from trees is biodegradable (it makes excellent garden compost, by the way), while the plastic housing of all that electronic equipment (not to mention those toxic batteries) is emphatically not. But most importantly, tree farming is a business. As the demand for paper decreases, that business becomes less profitable and those thousands of acres of trees are sold, stripped, and used for other purposes—like development. How green is that?

So print publishers of all types are having a bad time, and that’s especially true for publishers of Catholic periodicals. Even the hugely successful Ignatius Press lost a lot of money last year because (so I’m informed) of its periodical Homiletics and Pastoral Review. They’ve had to increase the HPR subscription price by thirty percent just to keep publishing it. Others depend solely on donations, and when that funding source is lost, they fold. Loyal readers should pay attention. Our periodicals are dying. StAR, Dappled Things, et al, need our support. (Do people know that DT is the only Catholic literary publication in the country?) Catholic writers, poets, artists, all know well the shrinking number of publication venues, the increasing competition for acceptance. Too many are turning to secular venues and are forced to tailor their submissions accordingly.

So, now for some good news: there’s a new Catholic periodical coming. The Pilgrim Journal’s driving force is a young woman from Yale, a history Ph.D., and she’s asking for submissions of art, poetry, fiction, and non-fiction that relate to the contemporary American Catholic experience. It’s worth taking a look at the website: www.pilgrimjournal.com.