The Newcastle and Maitland Catholic Sentinel was the official journal of the Catholic diocese from 1931 to 1968.

The publication documented the lives of the Hunter’s Catholic community for 37 years and now a historian is on a quest to digitise every copy of The Sentinel.

There is one major problem, the archive is missing two editions.

“We need people to look under the lino and see if they can find the missing editions,” historian and champion of the search for The Sentinel Frances Dunn said.

“The Mitchell Library has a complete set, except for two – October 1964 and May 1968.”

Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle Bishop Bill Wright has set down a challenge for residents to help find the missing editions.

“Publications like The Sentinel reflect what was going on in the community at that time,” he said.

“They show the day-to-day life that is not recorded anywhere else.

“You could say they were the YouTube of their day.

“We are looking for anyone in the diocese who has managed to preserve copies of The Sentinel.” 

Once the collection is complete Ms Dunn, with the help of the diocese, hopes to raise $12,000 to have the publication digitised on the Trove Newspaper system.

Ms Dunn hoped she could finish the project in time for the 150th anniversary celebrations of the local Catholic diocese later this year. 

Can you help? 

Email jessica.brown@fairfaxmedia.com.au or call 4931 0100.

Anyone with any full copies of The Sentinel is also asked to drop them at the Mercury office at 6/555 High Street Maitland to help replenish the diocese’s paper archive.

The Newcastle and Maitland Catholic Sentinel was published in the first week of the month from 1931 to 1968.

It was A3 size and eight pages, similar to the newspapers of the day.

The first editor was Reverend Joseph O’Donohoe and the last was Father Harold Campbell. 

It was published by Thos. Dimmock of Maitland and came at a cost of three pence.

When the last issue was printed in June 1968 the cost was five cents.