Catholic Book Publishing Corporation marked its 100th Anniversary with a celebration at the Bethwood Manor in Totowa on April 9th, joined by scores of well-wishers from across New Jersey and along the east coast. The milestone event was graced with the presence of clergy, including Most Rev. Bishop Arthur Serratelli, and hosted by comedian Joe Piscopo - who introduced special guest Don Novello, better known as Father Guido Sarducci. Catholic Book Publishing Corporation employees past and present attended the event, including special guest Catherine Saloma, a former switchboard operator. Now 90, she flew in from Florida to join the festivities.
Monsignor James Moroney of Massachusetts presented congratulatory letters to Catholic Book Publishing Corporation President Bob Cavalero from a variety of well known Catholics, including New Jersey Governor Chris Christie; Antonio Cardinal Canizares Llovera, Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments; Justin Francis Cardinal Rigali, Archbishop of Philadelphia; and Timothy Michael Dolan, Archbishop of New York. The Monsignor concluded by presenting Catholic Book Publishing Corporation with a special blessing from the Vatican and Pope Benedict XVI.
Catholic Book Publishing boasts a unique history and long-standing commitment to the publication of timely and timeless Catholic resources. John V. Cavalero founded the Company on 12th Street in New York City in 1911. The company relocated to a nine-story facility on W. 17th Street in 1937, where it first printed Missals for Sunday worship and continued to add family members, including John’s sons Howard in 1939 and John, Jr. in 1942.
Work on the Douay-Rheims Bible began in 1945, culminating in the publishing of the first Catholic Bible printed in United States in 1949. The Company was instrumental in developing and launching the St. Joseph Sunday Missal in 1950 and the daily Missal. On its way to becoming the premier Catholic publisher with over 300 employees, children’s books were added to the growing list of prayer books in 1955 and the first Baltimore Catechism was added in 1961.
With the end of the Latin Mass mandated by Vatican II in the 1960s, Catholic Book Publishing voluntarily downsized. Despite the dizzying changes in the Church, the St. Joseph New American Bible and the complete Lectionary were released in 1970, followed by the first complete Sacramentary in 1974 and the 4-volume Liturgy of the Hours in the following year. In 1978, Catholic Book Publishing launched its first full-color St. Joseph Picture Book, with St. Joseph As Patron Saint, the 100th in the series released in 2011.
Catholic Book Publishing’s third generation: Howard, Robert, Joan and Fran Cavalero and a fourth generation member, Dale Cavalero, with their dedicated staff continue its long tradition of providing high-quality, affordable and popular Catholic reading material. Now headquartered in Totowa, N.J., Catholic Book acquired Resurrection Press, a trade publisher of contemporary spirituality, and in 2003 added the World Catholic Press imprint to the Catholic Book family.
In addition to its renowned liturgical books, Bibles, prayer books, and classic perennial favorites such as The Imitation of Christ, Lives of the Saints, New Catholic Picture Bible, and Picture Book of Saints, they are always involved in developing new products. Recently added new items included padded Puzzle Books, “Carry-Me-Along” Board Books, Tab books, and Rattle books for children. Catholic Book Publishing released large-print edition of its 4-volume Liturgy of the Hours in 2005, continuing its rich tradition of publishing distinctive Catholic books as it celebrates its centennial in 2011, with the 20th book in its Spiritual Life Series, a commemorative edition of Day by Day with St. Joseph along with other celebratory events.
Catholic Book Publishing Corporation looks to another 100 years of its long tradition as a business motivated by faith, family and publishing excellence.