It’s coming back: the former monthly edition of the Catholic Chronicle, complete with the content you miss most in print.

Regular readers of the Catholic Chronicle know that we — like other news media outlets — are trying to figure out how to best serve our readers in all of the mediums available while remaining fiscally responsible. More people are turning to the Internet to get their news, but there are others who still prefer sitting in their comfy chair with paper in hand.

In response to the changing way in which people get their news and as a way to help control ever-increasing paper and postal costs, the Catholic Chronicle took a bold step in 2009 that changed not only the way the print version of the Chronicle was delivered, but its look and content.

Many of our readers were not happy with that change and told me so. Some were so upset they absolutely refused to go online to get any news from the Chronicle. Others continue to pick up the paper from their parishes, hundreds chose to have the paper delivered to their homes and I’ve heard about some who have learned to use the Internet to get all the Chronicle has to offer.

Our challenge continues, though. We recognize the value of maintaining a print edition and know there are many of you who simply cannot visit www.catholicchronicle.org on a regular basis to get the news. Most print  readers are disappointed in what content has been moved exclusively to the web. We hear that many people feel there is no value to the print edition we produce twice a month.

We heard you.

Beginning in August, the Chronicle will revert to its former print format in a 24-page monthly edition. We know you want death notices in the print edition — they’ll be there. We know you want to read columnists from the comfort of your easy chair, not sitting in front of your computer — they’ll be there. We know it’s important to get more of the news from throughout the diocese in print — deanery pages will be there.

Quite honestly, I have missed the former print issue, too. It wasn’t until I was looking back at old issues and studying what we used to do that I realized how much I missed it.

Don’t get me wrong. I do like what we are doing now with the paper, both in print and online, but I was taken aback by the sheer happiness that washed over me as I looked at the previous issues. Happy with how the paper looked. Happy with the variety of information we presented. Happy with the memories of creating an award-winning print publication for our readers.

That’s not to say the Chronicle staff hasn’t given its all in the past two years. It has just been different. In fact, you may recall that the Chronicle staff was awarded first place accolades by the Catholic Press Association in 2009 for “Best Online Content Not Published in Print.” Awards for 2010 are being judged at this writing and will be announced at the end of June.

Bringing back the former print edition does not mean we are abandoning the great strides we have made online. We have and will continue to bring our best to all mediums in which news is delivered to our readers. We also want to recognize that we have built a loyal audience online, and we want to continue to deliver news of the dioceses and beyond to those readers in a variety of formats. In addition to our website and social media presence, we expect to add an e-mail newsletter component as well.

We want to meet our readers where they are: in print, online, social media and e-mail.

We are planning and working on the transition now, and I will use my columns in the coming months to detail what changes you can expect both in print and electronic delivery of the Catholic Chronicle.

We are excited for what lies ahead, and we’re sure you will be happy with the result.