On Tuesday evening, I joined a goodly number of folks at the launch of a new Catholic publishing house in Ottawa, Justin Press. The brainchild of John Gay and Richard Bastien, their website self-description (www.justinpress.ca) includes the following:
"Justin Press, a Catholic publishing house, was founded in 2009. It is dedicated to the publication of works of Catholic culture and apologetics that reflect the teaching of the Magisterium.
"Justin Press will provide the Canadian public with access to the best thought and writing in the Canadian Catholic world. Among the outstanding initial group of contributors are Michael O'Brien, Douglas Farrow, David Warren, Lars Troide and Fr. Jonathan Robinson; we will maintain the highest standard of quality in our future publications."
Their Board of Directors consists of the following: John Gay, president; Richard Bastien, vice-president; Bill Craig, chief financial officer; Patrick Meagher, secretary. Advisory Board: Paul Tomory.
Their initial offerings include three works:Canadian Converts is the first collection of conversion stories in Canadian literature. Eleven contemporary Canadians relate the stories of their conversion to the Roman Catholic Church in brief, yet intimate and vivid self-portraits.
From very diverse religious and social backgrounds those men and women trace their paths to Rome through a secular environment of indifference or hostility. Their courage is a testimony to the liberating power and unchanging attraction of the truth.
Authors include: David Warren, columnist; Fr. Richard Neuhaus, founding editor of First Things; Conrad Black, former media baron....
The other two books are: A Matter of Conscience, collected papers from the presentations made at last year's inaugural convention of the Canadian Federation of Catholic Physicians Societies; Remembrance of the Future: Reflections on Our Times, a collection of essays by the novelist Michael D. O'Brien.
The new publishing house is also distributing a second edition of Perhaps I Love You More, a collection of stories about Pope John Paul II edited by Patrick Meagher.
