A New Era
When I returned to Liguori Publications after an absence of twenty-three years, a simple, handwritten sign was taped to my new office door: “Welcome back, Father Tom.” Welcome back, indeed. It has been a blessed journey, one I could never have imagined or predicted.
When I concluded my first assignment at Liguori in 1999, the publication house was a completely different place. We were bustling with creativity, employees, energy, and imagination. The staff was youthful, I was in my early forties, and most of all, it was bursting with paper piled high to the ceiling and filling semi-trucks that arrived daily.
Liguorian magazine was the shining star of the publication house, but we also produced bulletins, pamphlets, books, and other products. Some were intended for parish use, others for bookstores, and yet more for smaller, targeted audiences. Millions of printed pieces of paper were shipped from the warehouse every month. We were the distributor for other publishers, the Catechism of the Catholic Church was our bestseller, and our theological book service was thriving.
Fast-forward twenty-three years. We are still creative, energetic, and filled with imagination from a dedicated staff, including a few long-term employees who have faithfully served for more than forty years! Yet, the average employee age has increased and we have endured significant downsizing through the years. Realizing that commonplace products were no longer needed in the marketplace made us—like all other publishers—struggle to discover what the world looks like where paper is no longer king, and the cloud and digital marketplace are dominant. For a short period of time, our future was unknown, and we wondered if Liguori Publications had a place in this brave new world.
I can confidently report that not only do we have a place, but we know what we are doing, why we are doing it, and we are filled with enthusiasm for the ministry we are engaged in. Liguori Publications is CATHOLIC, PASTORAL, TRUSTED. This is not just a slogan, but the reality guiding every publishing decision and ministerial effort. To help us in our continued renewal, we are moving locations! Not very far, just a few hundred yards down Liguori Drive in Liguori, Missouri, past two cemeteries and a shrine to Our Mother of Perpetual Help, and into the former Redemptoristine convent.
As you read this magazine, the Monastery of St. Alphonsus is undergoing a complete renovation to make it suitable for our continuing publication efforts. The new space will be designed to accommodate twenty-five offices and a warehouse of 5,000 square feet. Most significantly, there will be a lot less paper! As we enthusiastically embrace digital publishing, our mission remains the same. You will find us in the cloud and on your phone, your iPad, your computer, your watch. No more CDs or floppy disks. Although our printed presence will be reduced (we remain committed to the printed Liguorian) we will always deliver the same high-quality, pastorally focused products that have made and will continue to make Liguori Publications Catholic, Pastoral, and Trusted. I am very happy to be a part of this renewed effort and continued ministerial commitment.
One more significant change to note: we are no longer the Redemptorist Fathers of the St. Louis Province or the Denver Province. Liguori Publications is now the ministry of the Redemptorist Missionaries of North America. We minister in four primary languages: English, Spanish, Vietnamese, and French. Our geographical area includes the countries of the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
We are vibrant. We are strong. We are committed. We are excited about the challenges of digital publishing and more. These opportunities are part of our shared journey, bound in the charism gifted to us by St. Alphonsus Liguori:
“With him there is plentiful redemption for all”