The first issue of The Catholic Sun, the official Catholic news source of the Diocese of Phoenix, was published on April 4, 1985. After many months of study and consultation with the Presbyteral Council, it was determined that the newspaper would be a tabloid, would be mailed to every registered Catholic household in the diocese twice a month, and would be financially supported, in part, by the parishes and by its advertising. The diocesan newspaper would “reflect the life, activity and ministry of the church… inform, teach, and educate our people on church issues, doctrine and scripture.”
Following that meeting between Bishop Thomas J. O’Brien and priests, a search committee led by Marge Injasoulian, longtime Diocese of Phoenix communications director, was established to find a qualified editor and a name for the newspaper. When Christopher Gunty arrived to work on Jan. 21, 1985, all the newspaper had was the bishop’s vision and a name. Less than three months later, the first issue of The Catholic Sun rolled off the presses April 1, 1985.
To find that name, diocesan officials launched a contest asking parishioners to submit entries. Nearly 600 suggestions were submitted over a four-week period. A five-judge panel deliberated for two months before selecting The Catholic Sun, submitted by Connie Hansen of SS. Simon and Jude Parish in Phoenix. The panel chose the title to signify a Church “rising and radiant” as it lived its mission daily. Phoenix artist John Banks designed the original logo and front-page flag.
At its peak, The Catholic Sun reached 125,000 homes and was the second-highest paid circulation newspaper in Arizona for many years, only behind The Arizona Republic. The diocesan newspaper covered the 44,000 square miles that makes up the Diocese of Phoenix, from central to northern Arizona.
Over its 40-year history, the publication has routinely earned honors from major press organizations, including the Catholic Media Association, the Associated Church Press and the Arizona Newspaper Association. Awards have recognized everything from investigative reporting and editorial writing to graphic design and original illustration.
The publication has served as a key training ground for Catholic and secular journalists alike, with former editors and writers moving to leadership positions across national Church media, state journalism associations, and diocesan communications offices across the country.
In 2010, The Catholic Sun moved to a monthly print schedule. This was part of a broader strategy to grow diocesan communications, including the addition of a regularly updated news website, social media, radio, podcasts, video and eventually a weekly email newsletter. In April 2020, The Catholic Sun moved to an all-digital format.
The Diocese of Phoenix launched a bilingual magazine called Together Let Us Go Forth ~ Juntos Sigamos Adelante in October 2021. Delivered six times a year to over 40,000 households, the bi-monthly magazine complements the continuous online coverage with long-form feature stories, photography, and spiritual reflections. In January 2025, as part of a diocesan initiative to build out a coherent brand for diocesan communications under the beloved and long-trusted name The Catholic Sun, the magazine was transitioned to The Catholic Sun magazine.
Prior to The Catholic Sun, the diocese published a magazine, ALIVE, that was the official publication of the Diocese of Phoenix from December 1971 through January 1984. Founded two years after the Diocese of Phoenix was established, ALIVE was established not only as a means of communicating news and events throughout the diocese, but also, as the first Bishop of Phoenix, the Most Rev. Edward McCarthy wrote, to be a source of lively dialogue, to address contemporary themes within the Church and to carry good news telling of the Gospel resounding in the twentieth century.
