Julie Sly, editor of the ‘Catholic Herald’ magazine in Sacramento, retires Aug. 29

Julie Sly, editor of Catholic Herald magazine in the Diocese of Sacramento, Calif., will conclude a 41-year career in Catholic journalism with her retirement Aug. 29. She has served the Diocese of Sacramento for more than 30 years — 15 years as editor of The Catholic Herald newspaper, and 15 years as editor of Catholic Herald magazine. She is the longest serving editor of The Catholic Herald in its more than 100-year history and the first laywoman to serve as editor.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Santa Clara University and a master’s in journalism/communications from Marquette University in Milwaukee. While in graduate school, she was a summer intern at The Tidings, former newspaper of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, and then worked there as a reporter 1984-85. She was the first laywoman editor of The Catholic Key, newspaper of the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, Mo., 1985-88.

She served as director of communications for the California Catholic Conference of Bishops in Sacramento 1988-94, providing a monthly column on public policy issues to the state’s diocesan editors. She joined the Diocese of Sacramento as editor in December 1994. After The Catholic Herald newspaper ended publication in June 2010, she became editor of Catholic Herald magazine, in partnership with FAITH Catholic Publishing.

Over the past 40 years, she has freelanced for various publications, including Our Sunday Visitor, the National Catholic Register, the National Catholic Reporter, St. Anthony Messenger magazine and UC Davis Health magazine.

Sly said she will miss chronicling the lives of the clergy, religious, and laypeople in the Diocese of Sacramento, and covering a wide range of issues affecting the people of the 20 counties of Northern California.

“It’s been a privilege and a blessing to have a career in Catholic journalism, and to witness firsthand the many changes in Catholic media over the decades,” she said. “I wish to thank the bishops I have served, the many mentors who have guided me, and the many colleagues I’ve worked with — all of whom have taught me by their example and brought me great joy.”

After some planned travel in the fall, she intends to continue freelance writing as time permits. The Diocese of Sacramento has begun a search for Sly’s successor.