Even if most of us never come up with one, we know what a tagline is: “Just Do It.” “That Was Easy.” “It’s All Inside.” Taglines synthesize values, express company commitment, and ensure brand recognition. For this reason corporations pour millions into clinching the mother of all catchphrases.
In crafting its new tagline, Pauline Books & Media meditated instead. As individuals and as small groups of Daughters of St. Paul and laity, we began a year ago to ask ourselves what makes us who we are: What do we value and how do we communicate that? What message do we want to convey that says “Gospel” to the people of today?
Thus was born “Discover Hope.” We believe that Jesus Christ is the ultimate reason for our hope, and that our mission of sharing the Good News through all forms of media exists to bring people into conversation and relationship with Christ by building community with them. “We are meant to be the communication of Christ” (Sr. Margaret Timothy Sato). We may stammer or blur the image in the process, as everyone does, but we can’t stop communicating. “When they see our logo, they will feel like they’ve just pulled up in the driveway of their best friend” (Sr. Leonora Wilson, superior of the US/ESC province).
Whom are we trying to reach in this way? A much wider demographic than we presently reach, that is, the unchurched, who constitute the vast majority of our population.
The tagline does this through four key attributes, elements that we have long recognized as characteristics of our mission and promises we can make to the people we are called to minister to:
- First, we are PASSIONATE. We invest our whole lives to bring the Gospel of hope to people yearning for God’s love. We will use any form of technology to proclaim God’s message in the best way possible.
- Second, for generations we have been TRUSTED by others in the area of life that is most precious to them—their faith. You can trust us to be your authentic resource for books and media solidly rooted in our Catholic identity.
- Third, we are JOYFUL—In whatever venue you find us, we will welcome you with joyful hearts.
- Fourth, wherever we meet people, we know that the encounter is sacred. We are a SANCTUARY. Our words, actions, gestures, and silences communicate to the people we meet that in encountering me, you can encounter God.
At first glance, it would seem we’re still addressing those we have addressed for years. To some extent we are; we don’t want to abandon them either! But if they can be ambassadors of Christ like Paul, “passionate, trusted, joyful and a sanctuary” for many we may not reach directly, Jesus Christ can be proclaimed to those many, as well.
Both the churched and unchurched can discover hope through Pauline media. These four characteristics are primarily our commitment to proclaim “peace to those far off [from faith] and peace to those nearby” (Eph. 2:17). “Today’s digital media give us the best opportunity we have ever had to give the Gospel to every person. As the number of cell phones in our nation approaches the number of teenagers & adults in our nation, we genuinely have the possibility of reaching our GOAL—to place the Gospel in everyone’s hands, and even more importantly, in their hearts” (Sr. Margaret Timothy).