The Universe (Catholic newspaper)

Content sourced from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

The Universe was a weekly Catholic newspaper published in the United Kingdom and Ireland from 1860 to 2024. It served Roman Catholics with news, features, and commentary and later became part of the Universe Media Group.

History
- Founding and early years: The newspaper started in 1860 and became a key voice for Catholics in Britain and Ireland.
- Belloc–Wells controversy: In the 1920s, Catholic historian Hilaire Belloc published sharp criticisms of H. G. Wells in The Universe. Wells responded with a series of letters and later published a collection defending his views.
- Second half of the twentieth century: In 1981, former Catholic editor Piers Compton published The Broken Cross: Hidden Hand in the Vatican, a controversial book that was withdrawn soon after. In 1990, The Universe moved its offices to Manchester, and Ann Knowles became editor.
- The Kelly Era: Joseph Anthony Kelly became editor in 1995 and led the paper for 27 years, the longest tenure in its history. Under his leadership, The Universe published other Catholic titles and, in 2010, helped arrange a special Welsh Catholic book gift for the Pope during his visit to the UK. The publishing group also produced The Catholic Times and several other Catholic titles. The paper remained active through much of the 2000s.

Relaunch and closure
- In October 1990, The Universe relocated to Manchester, and later the paper expanded under its editor’s leadership.
- Covid-19 impact and closure: In January 2021 many churches closed due to the pandemic, and in June 2021 it was announced that The Universe would cease printing. The company cited church closures, reduced parish payments, and lower advertising revenue as reasons for the shutdown. Cardinal Vincent Nichols expressed sadness at the closure.
- Relaunch as Universe Catholic Weekly: In September 2021, former Universe team members launched a digital publication called Universe Catholic Weekly, with Michael Winterbottom as editor. The publication was relaunched in print on May 19, 2023, with Cardinal Nichols offering support for the renewed project.
- Final issue: The Universe Catholic Weekly published its last issue on July 26, 2024, marking the end of the publication in its new form.

Editors
- 1860: Archibald Dunn
- 1900: W. Dunbar McConnell
- 1906–1909: George Elliot Anstruther
- 1917–?: Herbert Dean
- 1930s: Maurice Quinlan
- 1976–?: Terence Wyn
- 1981–1984: Rowane Pasco
- 1988–1990: Tom Murphy
- 1990–1994: Ann Knowles
- 1995–2021: Joseph Anthony Kelly
- 2021–2024: Michael Winterbottom

Overall, The Universe served Catholic readers for more than 160 years, from its 1860 founding to its final closure in 2024, with a brief revival as Universe Catholic Weekly from 2021 to 2024. Its legacy includes a long line of editors and a history intertwined with Catholic publishing in the UK.

Website: universecatholicweekly.co.uk