From the Editor
We’re everywhere! Bayou
Catholic
The official magazine of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux
Catholic schools: Navigating a safe return to classrooms SEPTEMBER 2020 ~ VOL. 41 NO. 3 ~ COMPLIMENTARY
Find us... In churches and local advertisers
Here we are in September. We are six months in on a worldwide pandemic that has changed the way of life for virtually everyone. The pandemic also made us change the way we communicated the Good News to the Catholic faithful of the diocese. With the closing of churches, schools and businesses we had to figure out a way to reach our readers in another medium besides print. Fortunately, social media was the answer. Facebook and the Bayou Catholic’s web presence on the diocesan website became our main form of communication. It didn’t make sense to print a magazine if the main point of distribution (the churches) was not available. Like many church parishes in the diocese the Bayou Catholic began sharing Facebook posts of news and events happening across the diocese. We even stepped up our web presence and were able to post news and
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events in a fluid manner with daily additions to the Bayou Catholic’s webpage. For those who may not have known that we were communicating via social media, just check us out on Facebook or the diocesan website for anything you may have missed out on in the past few months. It is really good to be in print again. I would like to thank those who support our publication, our advertisers, our readers and of course our bishop, because without his support this publication would not be possible. If there is one thing the pandemic taught us, it is that we cannot rely on our old ways of communication. I am excited to be part of “a new season for communications” for the diocese. Diocesan communications has been reorganized to further enhance intentional communication to the Catholic faithful. Jon Toups, chief operating and financial officer for the diocese, recently announced that the work of the Office of Communications will now be served through the management of Internal Communications, Media and Public Relations; HT Publishing and Bayou Catholic Magazine; and Creative Media and Strategy. These three arms of communication will work together to effectively and creatively communicate the message of our
6 • Bayou Catholic • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • September 2020
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bishop, our church parishes, our Catholic schools, Catholic Charities and all other diocesan initiatives and ministries. Plans for the Bayou Catholic include an expanded web page which will offer our readers information and articles in a timely manner. The webpage will be visually appealing and a resource for Catholic news and events on a local as well as a much broader scale. We will continue to utilize our Facebook presence to communicate with those who engage in that platform. The magazine will offer the usual insightful articles, columns and news. In addition, there will be inspirational faith filled stories from parishioners across the diocese and special features highlighting the good works of those who minister in the diocese. In all, the future looks bright for communications in the diocese. Remember, after reading Bayou Catholic, pass it on to a friend or relative who might not be attending Mass. It’s one of the great ways to do your part in spreading the Good News! BC
Lawrence
Lawrence Chatagnier Editor & General Manager
