By Steve Trosley

We begin a 2013 as I mark the completion of my first year as editor of The Catholic Telegraph and my first year as a resident of the greater Cincinnati area.

The year ahead looks challenging, and if I had a crystal ball on my desk, I’d say I see all things digital looming larger in the archdiocesan communications world.

The Catholic Telegraph will continue to seekways to improve, whatever the means of delivery. In that vein you will find the first of a series of articles this month on the people and ministries that dwell in the central offices here in downtown Cincinnati.

I bamboozled (did I write that out loud?) archdiocesan Communications Director Dan Andriacco into writing the series. As a newcomer, I find myself amazed daily by the volume and variety of ministries operating in the archdiocese. Even more amazing are the people who lead and drive those ministries. While some are very public, like Jim Rigg, our school superintendent, many operate in relative obscurity.

While known to those whose lives they touch directly, many Catholics do not know of their ministry or of their labors. Working side-by-side with religious, there is a remarkable corps of dedicated young people — some are younger than my own children — who bring their talents and dedication to the work of the church.

Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr often speaks of working with young people and he tells us that they are eager and ready to make a contribution to the church now. I see that here at the central offices on a regular basis.

That does not outshine that hard work being done by the veterans in our ranks. All of our priest-directors here have parishes or schools to pastor and the Sisters and brothers of the religious orders are busy with the work of their orders as well as the jobs they handle here.

So Dan will introduce you to these inspiring and competent people and explain their work for the archdiocese through the coming year. Coming in February, Father Earl Fernandes, dean of Mount St. Marys Seminary, will pen a column of answers to questions from our readers. I imposed on Father Earl to undertake this challenge because readers have asked for a qualified local source for their questions about the Catholic faith, moral issues and theology.

In time, we will have a special e-mail address set up to be the repository for your questions. For now, you can send them to me at [email protected]. Put “A Question of Faith” in the subject window or send the question to me here at The Catholic Telegraph, 100 East Eighth Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202.

The column will appear in the print edition as well as on our website, www.thecatholictelegraph.com.

We may not be able to answer all of the questions and some may not fit the topic brackets, but if it’s not chosen for Father Earl’s column, we’ll respond to you in some way.

After a December soft launch, our family activity feature will appear monthly. This feature is a collection of wholesome Christ-centered activities for families of the archdiocese. Circulation Director Greg Hartman got tired of hearing me reminisce about the activities page in my home diocesan newspaper, The Western Catholic, in Springfield, Illinois and started compiling ideas gleaned from numerous sources.

Authoring resolutions are the customary practice for a new year, but I wish to start 2013 with a litany of Thanksgiving. I am fortunate to have discovered a productive way to use the experience of my career and to land among so many inspiring, kind and welcoming people. I am humbled and honored by their dedication and sense of purpose.

The past year brought some difficulties and disappointments but it’s hard to be negative about a year that brings you a new grandchild — that’s four for us now.

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The Catholic Telegraph family wishes you and your family a blessed and happy new year.

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Steve Trosley is editor-in-chief of The Catholic Telegraph. [email protected]