Initially, under Fr Peter Brock’s editorship, Aurora was a repository of diocesan news and views, with parishes, schools and agencies keen to share their stories. In 2006, a full colour gloss format was introduced – Aurora had grown into a magazine! The ‘look’ was more appealing and the A4 size was more convenient. In 2011, a new era dawned when Aurora reverted to a tabloid size and most significantly, became a monthly insert in six regional newspapers including The Newcastle Herald. To date, the model remains unique.
The magazine’s effectiveness as the diocese’s flagship form of communication has always depended on the support, in fact ‘ownership’, of the diocesan community. As her audience became a snapshot of the Hunter and Manning regions, it became important that the magazine tread a fine line between a faithful delivery of the good news of the gospel and a magazine that engaged the wider community, many of whom professed no connection to the Church.
Gratifying evidence that this goal was being achieved came in 2014, when Aurora won both the Bishop Philip Kennedy Memorial Award (Australasian Catholic Press Association) and the Gutenberg Award (Australasian Religious Press Association). Over the years, the magazine has won many awards, encompassing writing, design, the capacity to address issues effectively and reader appeal.
Vital to the success of Aurora have been the volunteers who meet monthly, write, provide feedback and suggest story ideas and approaches. In addition, members of the community regularly submit stories or ideas, offer commentary and participate through social media.
This year, our diocesan magazine enters its 21st year, with plenty still to say and always keen to engage the local audience. Readers’ thoughts are always welcome. Aurora has come of age!
William J Bausch has written that stories define our humanity, lend identity to tribes and nations, ask our questions, pose our problems, cut us down to size and dangle mystery before our eyes. (Touching the Heart Twenty-Third Publications, 2009). That’s not a bad mission statement for a diocesan magazine!