Last Updated: Tuesday - 07/13/2010

New Catholic publishing house Justin Press launches four books

OTTAWA - Justin Press, a new Catholic publishing house dedicated to promoting Catholic culture and apologetics, has launched four books dedicated to reflecting Catholic teaching.

Dr. John Gay, an Ottawa-based medical doctor and convert from the United Church, came up with the idea a year ago and enlisted Richard Bastien, Bill Craig and former WCR reporter Patrick Meagher in the effort.

National Post columnist and Global TV commentator Father Raymond de Souza, who spoke at a Nov. 3 book launch, said that to establish a publishing house and put out four books is "quite an accomplishment."

De Souza wrote the foreword to Canadian Converts: The Path to Rome that features the conversion stories of 12 men and women, including Conrad Black, Father Richard John Neuhaus, David Warren and Douglas Farrow.

"Each conversion story is a particular story of the Lord's grace at work," de Souza said.

De Souza recalled how last year's Synod on the Word of God in Rome had stressed that Christians are not "people of the book" but are "people of the Word," the Word that became incarnate in Jesus Christ.

"In order to receive and hear and meditate on the Word, you need the book," de Souza said. "Catholic publishing is very close to the heart of publishing the Gospel."

He called the decision to start a new press in the present economic environment "an act of courage."

Another book likely to gain attention is a compilation of essays by bestselling author and artist Michael O'Brien, known for his apocalyptic literary thriller Father Elijah.

Remembrance of the Future: Reflections on Our Times examines a range of topics from the growing totalitarianism in the West, the Internet, the Harry Potter books and gnosticism, the spirituality of Matthew Fox and U.S. President Barack Obama.

Justin Press has also published A Matter of Conscience that assembles the papers presented at the inaugural conference of the Canadian Federation of Catholic Physicians' Societies (CFCPS) last May in Ottawa.

The fourth offering is a reprint of Perhaps I Love You More: Why Millions Love John Paul II, a book that Patrick Meagher wrote in advance of the pope's visit to Canada for World Youth Day 2002 in Toronto.

Justin Press launched its books without a distributor or even an Amazon or Chapters account. Bastien said that for the time being books can be ordered through its website, www.justinpress.ca.

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