Croatian pastoral care workers in Australia use various models of communication with the community, recognizing its information needs. In addition to books and brochures, serial publications (newspapers, newsletters, weekly parish leaflets) are published in the printed environment, and social networks are an important means of communication in the electronic environment.
The oldest newspaper is Dom (Home), published by the Croatian Pastoral Society of Australia from 1958 to 1962. The initiator and editor was Fr. Rok Romac. Part of the subtitle explains the purpose and frequency of publication: a monthly magazine for the religious and cultural life of Croats in Australia. In the first issue, the editor describes the goal of the newly launched newspaper:
… in the first place to raise our newly arrived fugitive, who left everything, to save the life and honor of man; will give him the warmth of religious instruction… memories of old Croatian customs… will revive his memories of the beauty of folk songs… will also give him an overview of events throughout the world and history… guide him to the customs of the new homeland, to the laws and spirit of the people in whose midst he moves , works and strives to become truly human again. A new and better man.
Since 1962, the publication Dom has been taken over by the Consortium of the Croatian Home in Clifton Hill (Melbourne), where the newspaper was published until 1975 under the title Hrvatski dom (Croatian Home), and the editor was Rev. Josip Kasic. Copies of Dom and Hrvatski dom are available in the National and University Libraries in Zagreb.
Another example of a newspaper is Južni križ (Southern Cross) which was published from 1981 to, probably, 1990 by the Croatian Catholic Center in Canberra. The first editor was Fr. Mato Bonić, and in the second year Fr. Tvrtko S. Gujić was listed as editor. Copies of Južni križ are not available in Croatian libraries, issues published in 1988, 1989 and 1990 are available in the National Library of Australia, and earlier issues in the Croatian Catholic Center in Canberra.
Croatian Catholic centers regularly publish weekly bulletins, which, in addition to printed form, are sometimes also published on social networks (on Facebook). Examples are Kristu ususret (Meeting Christ), published by the Croatian Catholic Center of St. Nikola Tavelić in St Johns Park (Sydney) and Crkva Gospe Velikog zavjeta (Church of Our Lady of the Great Testament), bulletin of the Croatian Catholic Center in Blacktown.
