This weekend, as you prepare your parish offerings, you'll find an envelope for your subscription to Catholic Times. That's because it's time for our diocesan paper's annual renewal and special collection.

If you are reading this editorial, you are probably a regular reader - and for that we're thankful. We realize that money is tight this year. However, we'd like you to consider this - for $15 you receive a whole year's subscription of Catholic Times. What a bargain!

We are a small staff here at the paper and most of us wear several hats. We can't always be everywhere in this 28-county diocese, but we do our best. In fact, you may have seen a few of us at diocesan Masses and parish events. We're the ones with cameras around our necks and pen and reporter's notebooks in our hands.

In usual times, when our beautiful Cathedral is open,  we can be found standing by a pillar trying to stay out of your way while shooting photographs at Masses where others are asked not to take pictures. We're not really breaking the rules, we're only doing our jobs. We'll be there - along with many of you - when the Cathedral is re-opened, ready to cover that important event.

Bishop George Lucas, our publisher, asks that we not only cover news in parishes and schools and share important national and world events but also that we catechize. In fact, a portion of our mission statement notes we publish to "inform, educate, teach, serve and inspire the Catholic people of God" as well as help readers "understand the church and the world, fulfill their role as Christians, and create dialogue in the community of believers."

In upcoming months you'll find local coverage on Catholic Schools Week, Lenten activities, Parish Schools of Religion, anniversaries of religious jubilarians, high school graduates, the ordination of another class of deacons, health and senior issues, the restoration of the Cathedral, Advent activities and more. You'll also find news about the Catholic Church from all over the world - news you may not find in any other publication that comes to your home.

If you've glanced at our cover lately, you've noted a slight change in the paper's banner. This year marks a significant anniversary for Catholic Times - we've been around in some form or fashion for 100 years. (You'll read more about that in the months to come.)

Longevity means something in the newspaper business. Not only has our paper been published for a century, the majority of the people who work on it are "seasoned" members of the Catholic Times staff. Nearly every staff member has been working here for about a decade - some a little less and some a lot more time. Be assured, we care about our readers.

So, please drop your Catholic Times envelope in the collection basket at Mass this weekend. If you can't do it then, do it as soon as possible. And again, thank you for reading Catholic Times.