One Hundred Thousand Messengers

The Irish Jesuits are giving away over one hundred thousand copies of The Messenger magazine this Sunday Nov 30th, 2008. It’s Irelands biggest selling magazine with a circulation of over 100,000 and its Editor John Looby SJ receives almost one thousand letters a week.   This weekend, through the Sunday Independent Newspaper, twenty thousand copies will be distributed in the Dublin area and 90 thousand throughout the rest of the country, North and South.

Messenger editor John Looby SJ says the magazine’s enduring success “is the huge variety of human interest stories contained in what was once seen as a fairly traditional religious magazine. Even many younger people will recognise the distinctive red cover and remember it being passed around families and households”.

This special promotional edition includes articles from the past year by the magazine’s key writers such as Michael Paul Gallager SJ (Faith in Today’s Youth) and Paul Andrews SJ (The Blame Game). It also contains a Prayer Calendar and special subscription offer.

According to Messenger Marketing Manager Triona Mc Kee the idea to distribute The Messenger in over one third of the Sunday Independent’s copies came on foot of feedback from regional co-ordinators and distributors. They reported that many people whose families always got The Messenger were delighted to see it again and happy to take out a subscription when they met the magazine’s promoters.

Since its inception by the much-loved Fr Cullen SJ, one hundred and twenty years ago, The Messenger has been renowned for its local distribution and promotion service with promoters often and to this day doing deliveries by foot. In the North, throughout all the Troubles, volunteers braved bombs, bullets, baton charges and riots to deliver the magazine dedicated to the Sacred Heart.

Fr Looby SJ says 50,000 letters are delivered annually to the Leeson St., Dublin, publishing headquarters of the magazine. “The writers ask for prayers and intercessions for families and friends suffering from illness, bereavement, addictions, loneliness and financial problems and they are prayed for here every week. They also contain a great deal of gratitude and thanksgiving for prayers heard and answered, even in unexpected ways.”