Go tell it on the mountain ….

My Spotify playlist includes several renditions of this lively Christmas song, which is one of my favorites. It encourages us to shout the birth of Christ from the mountaintops, over the hills, and, in fact, everywhere. The song vibrates with a joy that can seem hard to find in our current weary world, but it’s that joy we are called to live and to share. 

As communicators, we have been given the gift of careers as evangelizers — so we are immersed in spreading the joy of Christ’s birth; the reality of his presence as Emmanuel, God with us; and the message of salvation obtained through his passion, death and resurrection.

How do we do this and do it well? I believe it’s through the power of story. Jesus used parables to teach because stories resonate with people, and people remember them. As Catholic communicators, we tell individuals’ personal witness stories — their experience of encounter with Christ and the powerful effect of that encounter in their lives. 

And how do we get people to read the stories we’ve told? With engaging photos on the covers of our publications — people making eye contact with the reader, inviting them to a moment of relationship, inviting readers into their lives of faith.

Here are 23 inspiring covers from 2023 — we hope the faith and joy of these story subjects shines the light of Christ into the world!