MISSOULA, Mont. — Dairy businessman Curt Pijanowski understands the value of a good Catholic bookstore.

One of only two Catholic bookstores in the state of Montana, St. Gregory's Guild helped Pijanowski return to the faith of his youth after a nearly 10-year absence.

“The role of the Catholic bookstore is instrumental in reviving the Church,” Pijanowski said. “Stores play a dual role. They provide apologetics that Catholics can pass on to non-Catholics, and they help teach cradle Catholics their faith. If I had been taught my faith, I never would have strayed from the Church.”

Pijanowski, who now sits on the store's nonprofit board, said he's constantly buying books and tapes to give to his evangelical friends.

For the majority of the nation's 1,800 Catholic bookstores and online retailers, operating a bookstore is about far more than monetary gain — it's about the salvation of souls. The work is as much an apostolate as it is a business.

“The biggest story is that we are still here,” said Suzanne Winegart, who owns St. Gregory's Guild with her husband, Eric.

St. Gregory's began out of the Winegarts’ home as a video-lending library in 1997. One year later, they opened the retail store.

“It's been an uphill battle the whole way,” Suzanne Winegart said.

The store's customers, such as Pijanowski and retired Helena diocesan priest Father Stephen Tallman, are happy to have a place to purchase Catholic products.

“I come in every couple of months,” Father Tallman said. “Last time I came in to pick up a Catechism of the Catholic Church for a couple. Catholic bookstores must do what they do for the faith, because they don't do it for the money.”

It's a common refrain. Catholic bookstores, in general, find it difficult to stay afloat — 65% close within their first five years of existence.

One Door Closes …

Victor Claveau quit his job at Encyclopedia Britannica to pursue a labor of love — he called it Catholic Footsteps Bookstore. But on Sept. 30, after 13 years of business, he closed the Hesperia, Calif., store for good.

“I'm going out of business to avoid bankruptcy,” said Claveau, a retired naval officer.

During the last six months, Claveau's clientele dropped 25%. Claveau attributed the store's decline to a number of factors. One reason he cited was a lack of backing from local Catholic parishes.

“There hasn't been any support,” Claveau said. “Most Churches purchase from large suppliers, and they do not exhort their parishioners to read or grow in their faith. There's a real apathy and lack of proper catechesis.”

During his best year, Claveau made just $3,200. He said he has made a profit only five of the 13 years he has owned the business, and he has had to refinance his home twice to support the store. Still, he said he wasn't in it for the money.

Claveau said he is aware of five other Catholic bookstores near San Bernardino that have closed within the past 18 months. Another is on the verge of bankruptcy.

“The purpose of this store was not to make money but to evangelize,” Claveau said. “We've been instrumental in at least eight men going to seminary; many people have been brought into the Church, and marriages have been saved just because we are here.”

“It's been a good run,” he added. “Would I do it again? Absolutely.”

… Another Opens

Despite the struggles of some Catholic bookstores, others continue to open.

On Oct. 1, Ian Rutherford expanded his online Catholic Web site, Aquinas and More Catholic Goods, to include a 1,300-square-foot storefront in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Rutherford launched Aquinas’ online presence a year ago. Already it has become one of the most-visited Catholic retailers on the Internet, serving as the official online store for such Web sites as Catholic.org and CatholicLiturgy.com.

The move from an electronic storefront to a physical one was motivated by the lack of a religious-goods store in town.

“There isn't a complete Catholic bookstore in town, and no one supplies Church goods such as hosts, wine and vestments,” Rutherford explained. “There are 15 Catholic Churches around Colorado Springs and they either have to drive to Denver or have things shipped to them.”

Rutherford expects the new shop will help his online business as well.

“The store will serve as a warehouse, allowing us to stock more of the items that we feature on our Web site,” he said. Whereas the online store features approximately 5,000 items, the physical store will carry nearly 9,000.

In addition to books, medals and holy cards, Aquinas and More will be offering services such as a catalog center, custom holy cards, and metal replating and renovation.

Rutherford also hopes to use the store as a place to educate the faithful.

“We're going to host periodic seminars and bring in guest speakers,” he said. “I see our store as not just a place to shop but as a resource and a very important ministry.”

Changing Lives

The idea of bringing in speakers is something other stores have tried as well.

Meat distributor Paul Drouillard and his wife, Carol, opened Drouillard's Catholic Books and Gifts in Maumee, Ohio, seven years ago. The Drouillards haven't been able to make a living off the store. But like others, they see their work as an apostolate.

“It's been a great way of raising our 11 children in the faith,” Paul Drouillard said. “I love to read, and since I can't write, I have the urge to sell books.”

Drouillard's continues to attract customers through special events. In March the store invited Catholic authors Dave Armstrong, Mike Dubruiel, Marcus Grodi, Patrick Madrid, Stephen Ray and Amy Welborn for a Catholic Authors Night. More than 130 customers came to listen to the speakers.

In June, 150 customers came to hear Catholic author and speaker Matthew Kelly. Other stores bring in speakers during the lunch hour.

“The events bring a lot of attention to the store, and show that we do make a difference in the community,” said Cara Drouillard, the Drouillards’ college-aged daughter, who has helped at the store since age 13.

“Every time we get frustrated and think we should be selling something else,” Paul Drouillard said, “there is a story of how we've touched someone's life.”

He tells the story of one customer, Gregory Oatis, who created a booklet on where to find Catholic doctrine in Scripture.

“We passed the booklet out for free at the store,” Drouillard explained. “The conversions we've heard resulting from that booklet have been fantastic. We've had wives whose husbands were not Catholic who have converted because they were given a copy of the book. One husband, who had refused to allow their children to be baptized, allowed his wife to have their children baptized.”

The Zanesville, Ohio-based apostolate, the Coming Home Network, later published Oatis’ book.

“Stories like that,” Drouillard said, “make it all worthwhile.”

Tim Drake writes from St. Cloud, Minnesota.