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Wel-com, Wellington’s Arch-Diocesan paper, which now also publishes in the Palmerston North Diocese, celebrated its 300th issue last week. This free monthly newspaper was first published in September 1984. Fr Bernie Hehir began the newspaper as a small bi-monthly, at the request of Cardinal Tom Williams.
Initially published as a newsletter in early 1984, eventually the publication became an eight-page tabloid in June 1987. Fr Bernie Hehir at the time commented on the challenges he faced, as an experience ‘that helped me appreciate Jesus’ words to the disciples at the Last Supper: “’…but your sorrow will turn to joy. A woman in childbirth suffers because her time has come; but when she has given birth to the child, she forgets her suffering in her joy that a man has been born into the world.’
“As the infant paper grew, we suffered the succession of joys and pains that most parents experience.”
As well as sharing news around the diocese, Cardinal Williams wanted progress reports on the cathedral project and diocesan finances published.
Wel-Com became a monthly, 20-page tabloid within two years and, by the 150th issue, the print run had risen to 24,400 after the Palmerston North Diocese started taking it in 1998.
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