Recognizing that our community’s preferences in how they receive content is evolving, and to be better stewards of the Diocese of Oakland’s resources and mission, we are excited to announce a coordinated, proactive communication plan for the Diocese of Oakland in promoting the mission of the diocese, “To know Christ better and to make Him better known,” and the three pillars of Bishop Barber’s vision for the diocese: The Diocese of Oakland is a place where we:
Strengthen parishioners' Sunday experience,
Embody the corporal and spiritual works of mercy, and
Form Missionary Disciples
This plan will use four communication channels as our primary distribution channels – the website, social media, the printed magazine The Catholic Voiceand electronic newsletters -- with oakdiocese.org serving as the base, or hub, for this distribution.
Website
As the “digital cathedral” for the diocese, our website becomes the gathering place for all content and the source for “digital missionary activity.” This means the site is being updated constantly with fresh content and is “seeker-focused.”
The Catholic Voice magazine now quarterly
The Catholic Voice will be published four times a year (March, June, September and December), becoming a journal of faith, with in depth articles to help us deepen our relationship with Jesus Christ, and features on how our fellow Catholics are embodying the corporal and spiritual works of mercy.
New digital newsletter, OAKCatholic
Digital newsletters and our social media channels will be providing information on current news in our Church, ranging from the Holy See to our own parishes. Look for a new digital newsletter, OAKCatholic, arriving in parishioners' inboxes every other Thursday.
This new strategy will provide more content, helping people stay engaged in their faith and making it more accessible to seekers, while allowing the diocese to be a better steward of resources, including financial savings and lessening our environmental impact. We’re excited about this new communication approach, and look forward to being of better service to the mission of our diocese in 2025! Please contact Helen Osman at [email protected] if you have questions, or refer to the FAQs below.
Frequently Asked Questions What is the new deadline for content in The Catholic Voice? News and events will be published every other Thursday, beginning Jan. 23, in our new digital newsletter, OAKCatholic. Deadlines are the previous Friday and submissions can be made online at EVENT ITEM.
The Catholic Voice will be published quarterly, in early March, June, September and December. Deadlines for proposed content is six weeks in advance, i.e., Jan. 15, April 15, July 15 and Oct. 15. Suggestions for stories in The Catholic Voice can be submitted here: NEWS ITEM
We have used The Catholic Voice to advertise our events. Can we still do that? Please contact Helen Osman at [email protected] for ad placement opportunities. Note that the deadline for placement will be approximately two months before publication, so we do not recommend using The Catholic Voice to promote events.
How can we promote events? The diocese will continue to provide opportunities for parishes to share news about their events on our website and social media. Major liturgical or catechetical events will also be promoted through OAKCatholic.
Will The Catholic Voice continue to be mailed to our parishioners? The Catholic Voice will continue to be mailed to our current subscription list. If someone would like to receive the magazine, they can receive it at no charge by signing up on our website at The Catholic Voice mail subscriptions. Parishioners are also encouraged to subscribe to OAKCatholic for more information about what's happening in our diocese and the Church. There is no charge for the OAKCatholic. OAKCatholic email subscription
What are the digital newsletters? General news about the Church will be delivered every other Thursday in parishioners' email inboxes in a new digital newsletter, OAKCatholic. The Weekly provides information to pastors, Chancery personnel and parish leadership every Monday.
What is all this costing the diocese? We are experiencing cost savings in this new plan, while also reducing our carbon footprint with decreased frequency of postal mailing of The Catholic Voice.
What’s going on with the website? This is perhaps the most exciting aspect of this plan. Oakdiocese.org will be redesigned to be more appealing and interesting to seekers, those individuals who may be curious about a relationship with Jesus Christ.