Chicago, IL (October 5, 2006)—Coinciding with Polish Heritage month, on Sunday, October 8, 15,000 complimentary, inaugural copies of Katolik, the first and only official Polish-language newspaper published by a U.S. Catholic diocese, will be provided to 366 Archdiocese of Chicago parishes in Cook and Lake counties.

“I am proud that we are the first diocese with a Polish language newspaper, and am grateful to the Polish community for supporting this new venture. We welcome its beginning and pray for its success,” said Francis Cardinal George, O.M.I., Archbishop of Chicago.

Beginning with November’s second issue, Katolik will be published the first Sunday of every month as a 20-page tabloid, with six, four-color pages. Katolik will include news and information from and about: Poland, Chicago’s Polish community, and today's Catholic church on a local, national and international level.

“With Katolik, we hope to reach Polish Catholics all across the Archdiocese,” said Barbara Otto, Katolik’s news editor, who once worked as a reporter for Niedziela w/Chicago (Sunday in Chicago). Otto oversaw the distribution of this Poland-published magazine throughout Chicago’s Polish community, including to Archdiocese of Chicago parishes with Polish-language Masses.

As a result, Otto is able to encourage parishioners, staff and school administrators at these churches to submit story ideas to her for future issues of Katolik. She can be contacted via E-mail at botto@archchicago.org or by phone at 312-655-7294.

Under the direction of Francis Cardinal George, O.M.I., Publisher, and Colleen Dolan, Director of Communications and Public Relations for the Archdiocese, New World Publications now has three newspapers: the English-language biweekly, The Catholic New World; the Spanish-language monthly, Catolico, and the newest Polish-language monthly, Katolik. Archived editions of The Catholic New World and Catolico are available at www.catholicnewworld.com.

For advertising and subscription information for all three newspapers, please call 312-655-7777.