The Tablet facts for kids
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| Editor | Brendan Walsh |
|---|---|
| Categories | Catholicism |
| Frequency | Weekly (except Christmas) |
| Total circulation (2017) |
18,772 (publisher's statement) |
| First issue | 16 May 1840 |
| Company | Tablet Publishing Company |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Website | thetablet.co.uk |
| ISSN | 0039-8837 |
The Tablet is a special weekly magazine about the Catholic faith. It's published in London, England. Brendan Walsh became its editor in July 2017.
The Tablet's Story
The Tablet started way back in 1840. A man named Frederick Lucas created it. He was a Quaker who became Catholic. This was 10 years before the Catholic Church in England and Wales was fully re-established. It is the second-oldest weekly magazine still being published in Britain today.
Early Owners
For the first 28 years, regular Catholic people owned The Tablet. After Frederick Lucas passed away in 1855, a Catholic lawyer named John Edward Wallis bought it. He was the owner and editor until 1868, when he decided to sell the magazine.
In 1868, a priest named Herbert Vaughan bought The Tablet. He later became a very important church leader called a Cardinal. He also started a British Catholic missionary group. When he died, he left the magazine to the Archbishops of Westminster. The money it made was split between Westminster Cathedral and his missionary group.
The Archbishops of Westminster owned The Tablet for 67 years. Then, in 1935, Archbishop Arthur Hinsley sold it to a group of Catholic laymen. These were Catholic people who were not priests or nuns. In 1976, a charity called the Tablet Trust took over ownership.
Editors and Their Impact
From 1936 to 1967, Douglas Woodruff was the editor. He was a historian and very clever. People said his wide connections made the magazine a must-read for embassies around the world. He helped The Tablet become popular again after it had struggled.
After Woodruff, Tom Burns became the editor from 1967 to 1982. He was a publisher and also partly owned the magazine. Tom Burns had traditional political views. However, he was open to new ideas for the church. He strongly supported the Vatican II church reforms. These were big changes in the Catholic Church.
Next, John Wilkins, a producer from the BBC, took over. He had worked with Tom Burns before. Under his leadership, the magazine was seen as having a center-left political view. The Tablet kept its unique voice. It often suggested more changes for the church after Vatican II. The number of people reading the magazine grew steadily during his 21 years as editor. He retired at the end of 2003.
Catherine Pepinster became the first female editor of The Tablet in 2004. She had worked for The Independent on Sunday. She said the magazine would continue to be a place for "progressive, but responsible Catholic thinking." This means it would welcome new ideas while staying true to Catholic beliefs. In 2012, TV journalist Julie Etchingham was a guest editor for a special issue. Brendan Walsh became the editor in July 2017. He promised to protect the magazine's values and good journalism.
Famous Writers
Many well-known people have written for The Tablet. These include:
- Pope Benedict XVI (before he was Pope)
- Pope Paul VI (before he was Pope)
- Novelists Evelyn Waugh and Graham Greene
- Writers like Mark Lawson and Francine Stock
- Historians Peter Hennessy and Henry Wansbrough
- Theologian Bernard Green
