Boston Globe Hires Journalist to Focus on Catholicism

The Boston Globe announced on Tuesday that it would hire John L. Allen Jr., a journalist for The National Catholic Reporter, and explore starting a free-standing publication dedicated to Catholicism.

“There is a resurgence of global interest in the Catholic Church, inspired by the words and deeds of the newly installed leader, Pope Francis,” Brian McGrory, the editor of The Globe, said in a statement.

Mr. Allen, 48, who has reported on the Vatican from Rome, has written nine books and is a senior Vatican analyst for CNN, “is basically the reporter that bishops and cardinals call to find out what’s going on within the confines of the Vatican,” Mr. McGrory said.

Mr. Allen’s hiring, and the plans for a publication aimed at Catholics, come as more news organizations seek to break out specialized content for specific groups. They are among the first moves made by The Globe since it was purchased from The New York Times Company by John W. Henry, principal owner of the Boston Red Sox, in 2013.

According to the 2010 U.S. Religion Census by the Association of Statisticians of American Religious Bodies, Massachusetts has nearly three million Catholics out of a population of over 6.5 million.

Pope Francis was selected as Time magazine’s person of the year in 2013, after a series of comments in which he played down issues like abortion and same-sex marriage, and spoke out against financial inequality. Though he is a popular figure, some more conservative members of the church have said they feel abandoned by his attempts to appeal to a broader audience.

In an article announcing Mr. Allen’s departure, Dennis Coday, the editor of The National Catholic Reporter, said that he was sad to lose him but that “more media outlets providing accurate, fair coverage of the church can only enhance all our efforts.”

The Boston Globe won a 2003 Pulitzer Prize for public service for “courageous, comprehensive coverage of sexual abuse by priests” in the Catholic Church, according to its website.

Article source: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/08/business/media/boston-globe-hires-journalist-to-focus-on-catholicism.html?partner=rss&emc=rss