The Idaho Catholic Register goes digital!

Idaho’s diocesan newspaper launches new website, archive of past editions and podcast

By Deacon Scott Pearhill

ICR Editor

For the first time, the ICR has its own digital space: idahocatholicregister.org.

The new website is our Diocesan media hub. Readers can find ICR articles (in both English and Spanish), the new archive of all previous ICR editions, the new ICR podcast, and links to our YouTube, Facebook and Instagram accounts.

Will the new ICR website replace the print newspaper? No.

Nothing has changed about the print edition. Bishop Peter remains steadfastly committed to a full-color, high-quality, bi-weekly newspaper you can hold in your hands.

As we strive to inform, inspire and teach, those who prefer screens to paper will now be included in the reporting and conversation. The Diocesan newspaper has always been a source of our unity, and we want all the faithful in Idaho to benefit from Diocesan news and information. Our readers can choose the format they prefer.

Are we worried that we will lose print-edition subscribers?

Generally speaking, those who prefer to read the paper copy and those who like to read online are different audiences. By having only a print edition, we likely missed an opportunity to communicate with many Catholic (and non-Catholic) readers, especially those who grew up finding news sources online.

Print or digital? Both!

 Can a person have both? Of course! Can a person elect to read the ICR only online? Yes! Can a person continue to receive the newspaper in the mail and refuse all this digital stuff? Absolutely.

In fact, if you already receive the print edition and don’t wish to access the ICR online, there’s nothing you need to do, except renew your subscription annually. That process remains the same: you write a check to your parish and note in the memo portion, “ICR Subscription.”

Those who prefer to read online, or merely want to subscribe online with a credit card, can do so quickly, conveniently and securely. Your online subscription will auto-renew, so you don’t have to re-subscribe annually. You can cancel at any time. Many envelope subscribers give more than the subscription amount, helping the ICR fulfill its mission. Digital subscribers can do the same.

The new website was designed and implemented by Joe Egbert, digital coordinator for the Diocese of Boise Communications Department—a big thanks to Joe for all his hard work.

The ICR first came off the press on April 1, 1958, under the leadership of Bishop James J. Byrne. A headline from page one of the first edition read, “1st Diocesan Paper Begins Unifying Task” (see the image on this page). Over the years, there have been many changes. The paper’s name shifted from the Idaho Register to the Idaho Catholic Register. The broadsheet pages were reduced to tabloid size. Black and white print was replaced with color. But 67 years later, our Diocesan newspaper continues the original task of unifying the faithful around the state.

Meet the new digital archive!

You can now explore those earlier newspaper editions using our new digital archive on the idahocatholicregister.org website. Click the drop-down menu, select “Content,” and then “Archive.”

Every newspaper year has been scanned and can be searched. If you are searching for an ICR article and know the year of its publication, download that year and then use the PDF document reader on your home device to search through its contents.

I want to thank the Sisters of St. Gertrude’s Benedictine Monastery in Cottonwood, who donated a nearly complete library of past ICR editions. The Diocesan Communications Department had only one complete set of all ICR newspapers, which could not be unbound for scanning. So Marcy Pearhill, our layout coordinator, met with one of the Cottonwood Sisters in McCall, where the transfer was made from one pickup truck bed to another.

The Sister’s gift provided us with a second library of Diocesan newspapers that needed only a few volumes to make it complete. Marcy Pearhill intrepidly searched through the Diocesan storage facility for the remaining issues. All of these were taken to a scanning service in Boise, which quickly provided us with digital versions. Digital Coordinator Joe Egbert completed the project by creating a space for them on the new website and uploading them.

The entire archive of bound volumes, which requires many shelves, now fits on a tiny thumb drive. Oh, how the world has changed! When the project was done, an archive thumb drive was presented to Bishop Peter.

In addition to the new website and archive, the ICR now has a podcast on Spotify, thanks to the efforts of Joe Egbert, ICR digital coordinator. The podcast can be accessed through the ICR website or search Spotify for “Idaho Catholic Register Podcast.”

The Idaho Catholic

Register Podcast

The podcast blurb says, “Dive into faith, news, and inspiration with the Idaho Catholic Register Podcast! Each episode delivers engaging discussions on local and global Catholic news, uplifting stories of faith, and thought-provoking insights into the issues shaping our world. Whether you’re a devoted subscriber or just curious about Catholic perspectives, we bring you closer to the heart of Idaho’s Catholic community. Join us as we inform, inspire, and teach with a sprinkle of wit and a dash of grace. Don’t miss out—hit play and let your faith journey take flight!”

There are already five podcast episodes, and more will follow.

Priest assignments online April 28, in print May 9

 Now that we have a digital platform for news, we can provide critical content online in a more timely fashion, rather than wait for the bi-weekly print cycle.

For example, priest assignments will be announced at parishes on the 2nd Sunday of Easter (April 26 and 27), but our next print edition isn’t mailed until May 9, 12 days later.

This year, you can find the priest assignments on idahocatholicregister.org on April 28, the day after the formal announcement in parishes. (But don’t worry, we will also publish the assignments in the May 9 print edition.)