The Record is one of Australia’s oldest weekly publications, established in 6 July, 1874.
The newspaper was created by a then Father Matthew Gibney, later the third Bishop of Perth, and endorsed by then Bishop Martin Griver, to be “the official organ of the Catholic Church” in WA in an effort to reach out to scattered Catholics across the State.
The first issue was published on July 6, 1874 for sixpence a copy, with the paper’s masthead quoting Pope Pius IX, “Be indefinable in your purpose and with undaunted spirit resist iniquity and try to conquer evil with good and having your eyes the reward purchased for those who combat for Christ”.
Father Gibney expressed in his first editorial the importance of the paper’s role to provide Catholics with information affecting their religious interests, which he perceived to be unfairly presented in the media.
“The writers are of religious convictions opposed to ours; the majority of the readers stand in the same relation towards us; and the matters under discussion are, oftentimes, the very questions which divide us.”
“It is proverbially destructive of even-handed justice that one and the same party should be litigant and judge.”
From this desire to speak the truth and spread the message of the Gospel, emerged the publication which remains to this day.
Reporting on news from the parishes, nation and world, our special focus is on the life of the Catholic Church in Western Australia.
After 140 years, The Record Newspaper was transformed into two publications, a weekly online edition, The eRecord, first published on 2 October 2014 and a bi-monthly magazine, The Record Magazine, first published in March 2016.
It is available from Catholic churches in Western Australia or by subscription, and is also distributed to Catholic schools, universities, aged care facilities and hospitals across the state.
Our mission is to provide news, features and perspectives from and for the Catholic community of Western Australia.
Our coverage seeks to reflect the needs and interests of the Church – local, national and international – in a complete and authentic manner, reflecting always the voice of Christ in His universal Church.
The Record occasionally publishes special editions focusing on themes of interest and importance to our readers and the community, with past special editions focusing on the death and election of popes, canonisations of saints, vocations and the role of young people in the Church.
At the heart of our publication is the desire to share the best news – that is, the Good News with others, while seeking to follow Him who is the Way, the Truth and the Life.