Catholic Publishing World Shrinks Further

Bayard to Cease Publishing Faith and Family magazine

Come 2012, Catholic readers will have fewer print publications to choose from. Economic changes that have rocked the publishing world in general continue to whittle away at the Catholic publishing universe, resulting in additional shrinkage and consolidation.

As of January 2012, Ignatius Press will no longer be publishing Catholic World Report or Homiletic & Pastoral Review in print. Similar to the changes made to Crisis magazine, both publications will continue to be available online only.

Today, publisher Bayard Inc. announced that it will cease publishing Faith and Family magazine, which it acquired from the Legionaries of Christ earlier this year. Faith and Family was acquired by Bayard not long after EWTN acquired the National Catholic Register from the Legionaries of Christ. Instead of continuing to publish Faith and Family, Bayard is re-booting Catholic Digest, with editor Danielle Bean, as more of a faith and family periodical.

In other Catholic publishing news, Sophia Institute Press acquired the Catholic website Catholic Exchange in November. In 2008, Sophia became the publishing arm of Merrimack, NH-based Thomas More College, and later became the publishing arm of Atlanta’s Holy Spirit College.

Belmont Abbey College made a similar decision through its acquisition of Envoy magazine, which it makes available as part of its Envoy Institute. Nearby St. Benedict Press acquired TAN Books.

In other news, St. Anthony Messenger Press is rebranding itself. The publisher has changed its name to Franciscan Media. Servant Books continues as an imprint under Franciscan Media.

Fewer print publications, however, does not necessarily equate to less material to read. The growth of online publications and blogs has attracted readers far surpassing the number of subscribers of most print publications.