The GE Clerk award recognizes Father Fay’s contributions to Canadian Catholic History as a researcher, writer and teacher, and to the Canadian Catholic Historical Association as both treasurer and editor of the Bulletin. Father Fay has just stepped down as editor and kindly provided us with some reflections on his experiences

Bulletin Retrospective by Terry Fay SJ

President Ed MacDonald and Father Terence Fay

Over 23 years the Bulletin has always been fun to edit. When Mark McGowan created it in 1987, he realized that CCHA members needed a vehicle of personal communication in addition to our journal, Historical Studies. He reasoned it was necessary for members to communicate with one another personal and professional matters of interest like promotions, publications, and the reviews of recent books.

The feature of the Bulletin has always been the notices for the Annual Conferences held at various universities across Canada. The Bulletin before the Annual Conference features the conference program and then after the conference a brief retrospective on those presenting papers and the content of their presentations. Also of interest is the column “Coast to Coast” which featured personal information about members and how their professional lives were working out. Another feature are the brief public notices to alert members of upcoming conferences of the CCHA, American Catholic Historical Association, and other related historical conferences. Obituaries of deceased members are remembered in the Bulletin. Through the years the notices of the members have been many, and their submissions are always welcome.

But especially important are the book reviews that Fred McEvoy has assembled. Fred contacts publishers for newly printed books that would be of interest to historians writing on the Canadian Catholic history. He then contacts members to review these books and to assist members in knowing what books to read, enjoy, and buy.

The first Bulletin was produced on a gestetner mimeograph machine on white paper, then was upgraded to photocopy, and finally it is now printed on colour paper. Photos have been added to lighten up the printed copy, and in addition to the 12 or 16 page printed format, the Bulletin is now available online at the CCHA web site. Many professional news bulletins are moving toward online publication only, and perhaps in the future, this will be direction that the CCHA Bulletin will move.