A sad little notice recently appeared on the Universe’s website (“The News Site You’ll Have Faith In”) that “with very much regret” its publishing company had gone into liquidation. Cardinal Vincent Nichols was on hand to read the last rites. It was, he said, an historic moment but a sign of the times. Despite valiant efforts and every avenue explored, they had not been able to find a saviour.
So ends after 161 years the oldest Catholic newspaper in Britain. Founded in 1860 when prejudice was still rife, its original mission was to provide a cheap source for the faithful and to “stay the circulation of anti-Catholic weekly newspapers among Catholic families resident in London”. It cost a penny then.
