A History of the Catholic Herald
A Long Tradition
Since 1948, the Madison edition of the Catholic Herald has served as the official newspaper of the Diocese of Madison.
The Diocese of Madison was established in 1946. Bishop William P. O’Connor decided that Madison, which had been previously served by the Catholic papers from La Crosse and Milwaukee, needed a paper of its own and appointed Msgr. Andrew R. Breines as the first editor. From 1948 until his retirement in 1986, Monsignor Breines worked both as a parish priest and as editor, covering the many changes the Church experienced during that period. A highlight was the historic Second Vatican Council in the 1960s. Monsignor Breines attended and reported on all sessions of that council for the Madison-area readership. Mary C. Uhler took over as editor in 1986, a role she served in until her retirement in 2020.
Keeping People Updated
Currently, Bishop Donald J. Hying is the publisher of the Catholic Herald and Kevin Wondrash, who has been on the paper’s staff since 2013, is the editor. Wondrash continues to ensure that the Catholic community remains informed and updated on their faith and its impact on their lives and our society. The Catholic Herald includes news and commentary on all levels from local to international and publishes pages devoted to spirituality, youth, families, the elderly, arts and culture, and reader input.
The Catholic Herald’s award-winning website is found at https://madisoncatholicherald.org/. It is also featured on the Diocese of Madison’s website at https://www.madisondiocese.org/. The paper works in conjunction with the diocesan Office of Communications to provide information on the activities of diocesan offices, agencies, and institutions.
Recognized for Quality
The Catholic Herald has a circulation of approximately 20,000 — higher than most of the paid local daily and weekly newspapers in southcentral Wisconsin. The paper is printed in Madison and mailed directly to the homes of subscribers through the U.S. Postal Service.
In recent years, the Catholic Herald has won numerous awards from the Catholic Press Association, including General Excellence Awards and awards for editorial and news writing, columns, special sections, front page design, photography, and advertising design. Its editorial page has been named best in the country.
Staff
Staff members may be reached at 608-821-3070 or through email at info@madisoncatholicherald.org.
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Bishop Donald J. Hying Publisher Bishop Hying is bishop of The Diocese of Madison. More about the bishop. |
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Kevin Wondrash Editor Kevin joined the Catholic Herald in 2013 as a reporter, and was promoted to editor in 2020 after serving as assistant editor. A graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, he worked in television news for six years prior to joining the Herald staff. He is a member of St. Maria Goretti Parish in Madison. Email: kevin.wondrash@madisondiocese.org Twitter: @CHEditorKevin |
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Ann Cicero |
Local / Area Columnists
 Fr. Don Lange |
Fr. Donald Lange, a pastor emeritus in the Diocese of Madison, writes the “Seeing with Jesus’ Eyes” column. |
 Julianne Nornberg |
Julianne Nornberg, mother of four young children, is a member of St. John the Baptist Parish, Waunakee, and writes the “Everyday Faith” column. |