Bishop Gregory Parkes has announced the launch of Gulf Coast Catholic, a news and lifestyle website created by the Diocese of St. Petersburg that officially debuted on August 14, 2021, the feast of St. Maximilian Kolbe. Bishop Parkes chose the name of the site and serves as publisher.

“All of us in Tampa Bay, the Suncoast and the Nature Coast are geographically connected by the waters of the Gulf Coast and so Gulf Coast Catholic reflects our region well,” said Bishop Parkes.

The logo for Gulf Coast Catholic has a wave that forms the letter “C” alluding to the water around us and the water of Baptism that spiritually connects all Christians.

Former journalist and broadcaster, Teresa Peterson, will serve as Content Manager for Gulf Coast Catholic, writing and curating content from various sources to post on the website.

“While Catholics have many sources for news, not all sources communicate the faith in a clear, accurate and compelling way,” said Peterson, who also serves as Executive Director of Communications for the Diocese of St. Petersburg.

The articles on Gulf Coast Catholic will focus on timely and relevant stories that enhance family life, prayer life and community life. Plus, the website will explore various aspects and traditions of the faith and share inspiring stories about people who are Courageously Living the Gospel.

“The website will be updated on a regular basis with articles that help Catholics to know, live and share the faith,” added Peterson.

The goal is "content evangelization,” a strategy that provides Catholics the resources to help them grow as disciples and enables them to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with the people in their lives. In order to reach more people, each article on the website can be easily shared on social media with one click.

Everyone is invited to subscribe for free to receive a weekly email summary of the website’s top stories. To sign up, visit www.gulfcoastcatholic.org/subscribe.

Faith Catholic of Lansing, Michigan, designed the website and will provide regular syndicated content that is written by a team of professional and pastoral experts. Faith Catholic produces magazines for 48 dioceses in the U.S. and has grown to become the nation’s largest publisher of Catholic magazines.