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An archbishop of the Catholic Church recently objected to an editorial that appeared in what he called "one of our nation's chronically unhappy publications." We at NCR recognized the editorial as one we published April 24, but we did not recognize the term "chronically unhappy." If he was indeed referring to NCR, I'd say he got that wrong. We're very happy at NCR to shine a light on the money trail for groups such as the Fellowship of Catholic University Students. We're happy to cover news out of the Vatican, to tell you the story of parish-sponsored coffee shops in Los Angeles, to share the voices of women who have taken the lead on spiritual conversation and the perspective of Latinx theologians.
And, we're especially happy this week as we embark upon our annual digital adventure we're now calling the Spring Fund Drive. This online campaign, once known as the Webathon, is a necessary part of doing business at NCR. We rely on your generosity as loyal visitors to the NCR website to help us pay for those stories out of Rome, or Chicago, or the West Coast.
This year, there are two ways you can support NCR through the Spring Fund Drive.
- Become a member. For as little as $5 a month, you can join the more than 1,200 NCR digital members and stay connected not only to the news and analysis we produce every day, but also to the editors and writers who bring you the stories.
- Give a one-time gift. Your donation, no matter what size, keeps NCR running and is deeply appreciated.
Starting today and throughout next week, our goal is to raise $100,000 through a combination of new memberships and one-time gifts.
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Some have wondered why running a website is so expensive. Unlike a 24-page newspaper, they point out, we don't need to have it printed, and we don't need to pay for postage to mail it. Let me assure you, there are plenty of costs. We have to pay to have a hosting company keep our digital presence alive and well. A team of developers is constantly maintaining and updating not just the website but the other database software necessary to conduct business. Reporters and editors — on staff and freelance — get paychecks.
NCRonline.org would dry up and wither away if we stopped investing in it. Please don't let that happen. Support the work National Catholic Reporter has been doing for almost 54 years. We are chronically independent. We are chronically brave. But we are not chronically unhappy.
Join us on our journey to the future. Please, donate now.
[Caitlin Hendel is NCR's CEO and publisher.]
