Fonds F10 - Catholic New Times Inc. fonds

Identity area

Reference code

CA ON00389 F10

Title

Catholic New Times Inc. fonds

Date(s)

  • [1973 - 2006] (Creation)

Level of description

Fonds

Extent and medium

0.74 metres of textual records
approx. 1000 photographs : b&w and col. ; 28 x 21.5 cm or smaller
639 copies of published materials
6 prayer cards : col. ; 19 x 28.5 cm or smaller
1 audio cassette

Context area

Name of creator

(1975 - 2006)

Administrative history

Catholic New Times was incorporated by letters patent in the Province of Ontario on December 13, 1976, with the object of promoting the advancement of religion in Canada particularly through the publication and distribution of a Roman Catholic newspaper. (More detailed descriptions of the vision, mission, and objectives of the corporation can be found among the records; see especially Series 1 File 1). A non-profit corporation, it was registered as a charitable organization in 1977. Catholic New Times neither had nor desired an official mandate from, or financial or contractual relationship with, any diocese, bishop, or conference of bishops or any other Catholic institution. Rather, through the publication of the Catholic New Times, it sought to be an alternative and independent Catholic voice in Canada, speaking about local, national, and international news and issues of concern to Catholics. The newspaper was published bi-weekly (20 issues per year) in Toronto from December 2, 1976 to November 26, 2006, at which time the paper closed due to declining financial support. Catholic New Times Inc. initially operated using a “collective model ” that consisted of three main groupings: office staff who ran the paper, a working group (“the Collective”) that met bi-weekly to plan issues and set editorial and general policy, and the editorial group (which included staff) that met weekly to generate stories and determine the details of each issue. By September 1982, committees composed of collective members, staff, and volunteers had emerged to handle particular needs: promotion, finance, personnel, and editorial. In 1989 to 1990, the corporation underwent a structural reorganization to form a Membership Group of 25-30 people who then elected a Publishing Group of about 10 people from among themselves. The Membership Group met twice a year, with the business conducted at the fall meeting; the Publishing Group, which also acted as the Board of Directors, met with the editor 10 times per year. Members also sat on one of four committees (Editorial, Finance, Human resources, and Marketing) that met according to its specific needs. When the Catholic New Times ceased publication in November 2006, the Publishing Group decided to retain the incorporated status and the basic governance structures of New Catholic Times in order to remain open to possibilities for future publications. It also decided to maintain the website (www.catholicnewtimes.org) for as long as it is able, as of July 2014 the website is no longer available.

Archival history

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

The material was deposited with the archives on April 11, 2007, by the last editor of the Catholic New Times, Diane Bisson.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Fonds consists of minutes, reports, proposals, and other materials prepared for meetings of committees and groups within Catholic New Times from 1976-2006. Fonds also includes incoming and outgoing correspondence from 1975-1983; documents relating to the incorporation of the Catholic New Times in 1976 and subsequent changes in directors; materials documenting the mission and structure of the corporation and processes and procedures for producing the newspaper; subject files containing clippings and reports from organizations of interest to Catholic New Times members and staff; audio-visual materials created by and for the Catholic New Times; and an incomplete run of print editions. Fonds is comprised of the following series:

-Legal documents and administrative records
-Meeting minutes and reports
-Correspondence
-Working files
-Subject files
-Graphic materials
-Print editions

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Some access restrictions apply for content reasons. All correspondence closed until 30 years after end date of file.

Conditions governing reproduction

Language of material

Script of material

Language and script notes

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

Finding aids

Generated finding aid

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

Related descriptions

Notes area

Alternative identifier(s)

Access points

Subject access points

Place access points

Name access points

Description control area

Description identifier

new-catholic-times-inc-fonds

Institution identifier

Rules and/or conventions used

Dates of creation revision deletion

Revised by E Robinson 3 November 2021.

Language(s)

Script(s)

Sources

Accession area

Related subjects

Related people and organizations

Related places