A parish magazine can be much more than another piece of mail. And – a fun and rewarding process.
It becomes a reflection of parish life: the people, ministries, stories, traditions, and faith that make a local Catholic community unique. It gives parishioners something tangible to hold onto, helps families feel more connected to what is happening in the parish, and can even reach people who may not regularly read the bulletin or visit the parish website.
And starting one may be easier than you think.
At Decided Excellence Catholic Media, we help parishes take a magazine from an initial idea all the way to parishioners’ mailboxes. Here’s what the process looks like.
1. Start With a Lively Parish Community
The best parish magazines begin with something that already exists: a community with stories worth telling.
A magazine does not create parish life from scratch. Instead, it gives a parish a new way to celebrate and strengthen the community already present.
Think about what is happening in your parish right now. Are there parishioners serving their neighbors in remarkable ways? Ministries that have grown over the years? Families with stories of faith worth sharing? Volunteers quietly making parish life possible? Traditions that have been passed down for generations?
Those are the stories that make a parish magazine meaningful.
A strong magazine helps parishioners recognize themselves in the life of the Church and reminds them that their parish is not simply a building they visit on Sunday. It is a community they belong to.
2. Connect With the DECM Team
Once your parish is ready to explore a magazine, the next step is to connect with the team at Decided Excellence Catholic Media.
You do not need to arrive with a full editorial calendar, a design concept, or years of publishing experience. Our team helps walk parishes through the process from conception to publication.
Together, we can talk through questions such as:
- What should the magazine accomplish?
- What kinds of stories would resonate most with parishioners?
- How frequently should the magazine be published?
- Who at the parish will help gather and approve content?
- What will the production process look like?
Instead of asking parish staff to suddenly become publishers, DECM provides a structure and a team to guide the process.
3. Gather the Stories and Content That Make Your Parish Unique
This is where the personality of the magazine really begins to take shape.
Parishes gather articles, stories, announcements, reflections, and photos from clergy, staff members, ministry leaders, and parishioners.
Content might include a profile of a longtime parishioner, a story about a parish ministry, a catechetical reflection from the pastor, photos from a recent event, or an interview with a family involved in parish life.
And do not underestimate the importance of strong photography.
Great pictures bring parish stories to life and help readers immediately recognize the people and places they know.
The goal is not simply to fill pages. It is to create a publication that feels unmistakably like your parish.
4. Add High-Quality Catholic and Lifestyle Content
Parishes do not have to produce every single article themselves.
DECM offers additional content that can complement parish-generated stories and create a varied, engaging magazine.
Parishes can choose content from established Catholic partners such as Bishop Robert Barron, Dr. Scott Hahn, Ascension, and others.
DECM can also provide engaging features including saint profiles, recipes, children’s activities, crossword puzzles, faith formation pieces, profiles, and other reader-friendly content.
These additions help round out each issue while allowing parish staff to focus their time and energy on the local stories only their parish can tell.
The result is a magazine that combines meaningful parish storytelling with trusted Catholic content and features readers can enjoy.
5. Review and Approve the Magazine
Once the parish has submitted its content, DECM’s design team brings everything together.
Articles, photographs, parish branding, and additional content are arranged into a professionally designed magazine using a straightforward review process.
The parish then receives a proof and works with the DECM editing team to review the issue, request changes, and make sure everything looks and reads correctly.
After adjustments are made, another proof is provided so the parish can confirm that all requested edits have been completed.
You do not need a graphic designer on parish staff or an elaborate publishing workflow. DECM handles the technical side while the parish retains a voice in the final publication.
6. Approve It, Print It, and Enjoy It
Once the final proof is approved, the magazine is sent to print.
From there, the printer mails the finished publication directly to parishioners’ homes.
Then comes the best part: seeing parishioners encounter their own community in print.
They may recognize a friend on the cover, discover a ministry they did not know existed, read a story that deepens their faith, or simply spend a few quiet minutes engaging with something from their parish during the week.
Over time, the magazine becomes more than a communication tool. It becomes a record of parish life and a consistent reminder that the Church is made up of real people, real stories, and a shared mission.
Your Parish Already Has the Stories
One of the biggest misconceptions about starting a parish magazine is that a parish needs to invent something completely new.
You probably do not.
The people, ministries, milestones, acts of service, conversions, traditions, and moments of faith are already happening.
A parish magazine simply gives those stories a place to live—and gives parishioners another reason to feel connected to the community around them.
If your parish has stories worth sharing, you already have the most important ingredient.
Ready to explore what a parish magazine could look like for your community? Connect with the Decided Excellence Catholic Media team to get started.