Bob’s Wednesday Blog

prayers-for-each-and-every-day-3As someone who has sold  Paraclete resources to churches for many years,it is rare that I get a chance to hear from the many customers who buy our resources.  Not long ago, one of my customers, shared this story.

 He had  given one of our books, “Prayers for Each and Every Day.” to one of the children in his congregation. The little boy took the prayers to heart, used them in his prayer life, and even skyped with his grandparents and shared prayers from this book.  The pastor said this child now comes to church on Sunday with this book of prayers tucked under his arm!  It is his prayer book. In light of this wonderful story, I’m reminded of Isaiah’s verse that, “A child shall lead them.”

Paraclete Announces New Initiatives

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

To mark its 30th year in book publishing, Paraclete Press of Brewster, Massachusetts, is announcing three new initiatives that aim to position itself for a more global reach and impact in the coming decade. Each is an outgrowth of the mission of the Press as an outreach of the Community of Jesus in nearby Orleans, Massachusetts.

First, Paraclete announces the establishment of The Mount Tabor Centre for Art and Spirituality in Barga, Italy. This new centre, housed in a villa with ample space for lectures, workshops, and exhibits, will expand Paraclete’s ecumenical outreach. The impetus for this venture began in 2011 when the Community of Jesus sponsored a forum on liturgical art and worship in nearby Florence, Italy, establishing relationships that resulted in this exciting new opportunity. Monsignor Timothy Verdon, one of the world’s most respected art historians and a prolific author and well-known teacher, has been retained as the Academic Director of the Centre.

Second, the Press announces a new imprint under the Paraclete umbrella, “Mount Tabor Books,” which will focus entirely on liturgical worship, art and art history, ecumenism, and the first millennium church. The first “Mount Tabor Books” will be published in late 2014 and will carry the dual geographical notice of Brewster, Massachusetts USA and Barga, Italy, signaling the expansion of Paraclete Press to Europe.

Third, in another example of its commitment to the arts, Paraclete announces the expansion of its poetry line, which has long been among the most respected in religious trade publishing, but now will increase from two books a year to four or five, under the series name “Paraclete Poetry.”

Finally, Paraclete Press announces the promotion of its Editor-in-Chief, Jon M. Sweeney, to the additional title of Publisher effective September 1, 2013. Jon has been with the Press since October 2004, and this promotion recognizes his contributions to Paraclete’s recent success as well as the importance of his role in its future endeavors.

If you would like to interview Jon M. Sweeney, please feel free to email him directly at jsweeney@paracletepress.com. If you have any questions about Paraclete Press, The Community of Jesus, or any of these initiatives, Carol Showalter would like to hear from you at carols@paracletepress.com.

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The Community of Jesus is a monastic Christian community in the Benedictine tradition located on Cape Cod in Massachusetts. The liturgical life of the 300 resident members of this nearly fifty-year-old community, plus that of many oblates throughout the United States, is centered around chanting the Divine Hours (daily praying of the psalms), and community living. “The Community of Jesus may very well be the first neo-monastic community of the emergence sensibility to be established in this country.”

—Phyllis Tickle, author of The Great Emergence

Contact:  Carol Showalter
Tel. (508) 255-4685
carols@paracletepress.com

www.paracletepress.com