Catholic Review launches new user-friendly, news-focused website

After more than three months of development, Catholic Review Media launched a redesigned, news-focused website this month for CatholicReview.org that features improved navigation, a quicker search engine and enhanced functionality.

The new site highlights local news, world news and Vatican news, in addition to providing entertainment content and commentaries from local and national columnists.

Programming from Catholic Review Radio is also featured, as are news videos produced by the Catholic Review and Catholic News Service.

In addition, the site helps advertisers get their message out and includes portals for purchasing books, photos and other products from Catholic Review Media and for using Catholic Printing Services. 

“With news happening as fast as it does, we looked at other effective news-oriented websites as examples,” said Christopher Gunty, associate publisher/editor of Catholic Review Media. “Our team has created a site that will help keep our readers in Maryland and elsewhere informed and engaged.” 

He noted that the separate archdiocesan site at archbalt.org continues to be an important portal for information about archdiocesan offices, ministries, policies and personnel. 

George Matysek Jr., digital editor for Catholic Review Media and the Archdiocese of Baltimore, said the new site is user-friendly and designed to draw attention to late-breaking and important news. He encouraged users to visit the site regularly for ongoing reporting on the Catholic community that can’t be found anywhere else.

“Our monthly print magazine has page limits on how much content we can share with readers,” Matysek said. “On the website, there are no limits.”

Matysek said he expects local news coverage on the site to grow in the months ahead. Already, the site has provided ongoing, in-depth coverage of the coronavirus pandemic, the struggle for racial justice and late-breaking news concerning parishes, schools and Catholic institutions.

“We are proud that we break news about our Catholic community well before it is reported in the major daily newspaper or by other media outlets,” Matysek said. 

The site includes integrated social media buttons for easy sharing of stories and commentaries on Facebook and Twitter. It also has a timeline of key moments in the history of the Catholic Review, information on subscriptions to the print product and a signup for the Catholic Review’s enewsletter.

The Catholic Review has had a web presence since 1997, when CatholicReview.org was first launched. 

To sign up for the Catholic Review enewsletter, click here.

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