Serving the Catholic Community
for Over 100 Years
The Beginning of a Family Enterprise
Catholic Book Publishing Corp. is proud of its unique history and long-standing commitment to the publication of timely and timeless Catholic resources. Orphaned through a tragic car accident and with only a fifth-grade education, John V. Cavalero founded Catholic Book Publishing Co. on 12th Street in New York City in 1911. Vowing to keep the family together, John, the oldest of six children, took full ownership after buying out his partner’s widow and gladly welcomed brothers George and Louis into the business following World War I.
Under their direction and hard work, Catholic Book Publishing prospered in the printing and binding industry, working primarily with religious communities. In 1937 the company relocated to two floors of a nine-story facility on West 17th Street, eventually expanding to become the building’s sole occupant. Coinciding with the new location, the company printed its first Missals for Sunday worship and continued to add family members, including John’s sons, Howard in 1939 and John Jr., in 1942.
The First U.S.-printed Bible and Liturgical Books in the Vernacular
Work on the Douay-Rheims Bible began in 1945, culminating in the publishing of the first Catholic Bible printed in the United States in 1949. Howard Cavalero, a graduate of the University of Notre Dame, was instrumental in developing and launching the St. Joseph Sunday Missal in 1950 and soon thereafter the St. Joseph Daily Missal. On its way to becoming the premier Catholic publisher with over 300 employees, the company—whose patron, St. Joseph, inspired our St. Joseph Editions—added children’s books to its growing list of prayer books in 1955 and then the first Baltimore Catechism in 1961.
With the change to the vernacular mandated by Vatican II, most Catholic publishers lost their backlist—and in 1969 Catholic Book voluntarily downsized, selling off its equipment and, sadly, laying off a large number of its manufacturing staff. While working with them to find other employment, the Cavalero family and gifted staff—including Senior Editor Anthony Buono, who was employed by the firm for over 50 years—developed liturgical books in the vernacular that are the preferred editions to the present day. Despite the uncertainty and constant changes in the Church during this time, the St. Joseph New American Bible and the complete Lectionary were released in 1970, followed by the first complete Sacramentary in 1974 and the four-volume Liturgy of the Hours in the following year. In 1978, the company launched its first full-color St. Joseph Picture Books for children. The series has grown and now numbers 101 titles.
The Catholic Book Publishing Family Expands
In a move to complement our range of resources essential for spiritual growth, in March 2000, Catholic Book Publishing acquired Resurrection Press, a general trade imprint noted for its Joy of . . . Ministry Series and award-winning titles in the areas of Healing, Hope and Personal Growth; Meditations and Prayers; and Spirituality.
Three years later, in May 2003, Catholic Book Publishing added the World Catholic Press imprint—a mainstay in the publication of Catholic Bibles and Bible-related materials for nearly three-quarters of a century—to the Catholic Book family. This acquisition, with its wide range of Bibles, has served to expand and complement Catholic Book’s own rich tradition of Bible publishing.
A Milestone, a New Bible, and Another Acquisition
The company’s 100th anniversary year, 2011, celebrated the release of multiple St. Joseph Editions of the New American Bible, Revised Edition (NABRE) in the spring and four editions of the new Roman Missal in the fall.
In 2013, Catholic Book acquired The Regina Press, a 100-year-old, fourth-generation Catholic publisher. The company’s Children’s Books, Picture Bibles, and Mass Books—as well as Prayer Books for children and adults—have enriched our offerings in these key areas.
A Family Legacy Continues into Its Fourth Generation
Headquartered in Totowa, New Jersey, Catholic Book Publishing’s third generation of Cavaleros—Robert, Joan, and Fran—as well as its fourth generation—Robert and Dale—work with a dedicated staff to continue the company’s long tradition of providing high-quality, affordable, and popular Catholic resources in both English and Spanish.
In addition to our 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—there is always a focus on developing new and innovative products. In recent years, we have introduced quite a variety of novelty formats for children, including Rattle Books, the Hide and Slide series, Tab Books, Puzzle Books, Activity & Sticker Books, Pop-Up Books, Angel Books, a Piano Book, Carry-Along Board Books with Magnet, Cloth Books, and Bath Books. We also have expanded the Children’s Bibles category in the Catholic Book and Regina Press lines, bringing the total number to more than 30. We are pleased to offer such a wide variety of sizes, illustrations, and storytelling styles to appeal to a broad range of ages and tastes.
Dedication to Our Roots: Serving Religious Communities
While our current catalog demonstrates the breadth of the Catholic Book line, it does not tell the whole story of what we publish.
A very important segment of our business—service to religious communities in the form of customized books—hearkens back to our roots. As noted earlier, in the company’s formative years, it began to prosper because religious communities sought our printing and binding services. That time marked an important chapter in our history.
Today, as the largest and leading liturgical publisher, Catholic Book continues to assist religious communities by creating, developing, and producing custom editions for their communities. We work tirelessly to achieve a finished product that clergy and religious can truly call their own—whether the quantity is in the hundreds or the thousands. Our range of customization includes Altar Missals, Lectionaries, Rules, Founder Biographies, and Prayer Books.
Our Commitment to Our Customers
All members of our dedicated editorial, design, and production teams share Catholic Book’s commitment to quality. It is their attention to every detail that provides the customized care that has become the hallmark of these editions. Total customer satisfaction is the reward for their efforts.
We deeply appreciate your ongoing trust and confidence in our publications and look forward to publishing quality titles for you for years to come.